Only forty years ago we saw the first full view of Earth from outer space. In the images taken on December 24, 1968 from lunar orbit by the crew of Apollo 8, we saw ourselves floating in vast darkness, fragile and full of life. Achieving an "outer space perspective" facilitated a shift in consciousness, inspiring the modern environmentalist movement and the first Earth Day a year later.

Here at the Space Age Museum we feel that the most important thing we have learned from the exploration of space is how rare and precious our planet is. We see Earth as a self-sufficient spaceship — demanding efficient use of energy and resources, composed of fragile systems in need of thoughtful care, requiring teamwork by a diverse crew in order to move forward peacefully.

During the Space Age people combined imagination and creativity with technology to fulfill visionary goals. The US space program brought achievements of hope and possibility to a chaotic era. As we enter a new century with even greater challenges, we hope that new generations of people on Earth will apply Space Age creativity to solve problems we face as a planet. May we evolve as a planetary people, bringing our world into a sustainable balance that will last for generations, providing our children with a safe home from which to explore the Universe.

We trust that the story of the Space Age will be a reminder of where we are, what is possible and what we must do.