Space

By: Charlotte Martin

For a long time, space has felt distant, like something we have already explored. We’ve already been to the moon; what else is there? But lately, that feeling has started to change. There seems to be a growing sense that space is becoming something we’re excited about again.

Part of that excitement comes from real-world efforts like Artemis II, which sent astronauts around the Moon for the first time in decades in order to test crew interfaces and safety for future moon landing missions. New attempts at space exploration like that of Artemis represent technological progress; they represent a kind of collective momentum. Space is becoming less about competition and more about collaboration, something that reflects what humanity is capable of when it works together.

As Vincent Martin, a Third-year engineering major, put it, “things like the Artemis and the Voyager let us leave a permanent mark in the universe.” This idea makes space change from something distant to something lasting, something we can contribute to. 

But this shift is happening through culture as well. Video Games like Starfield, which just received an update April 7th of 2026, invite people to explore massive, open-ended versions of space, where curiosity is the main driving force. It treats space as something personal, something you can move through, question, and experience for yourself. 

One of the clearest examples of bringing space to the forefront of popular culture can be seen in the recent adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel Project Hail Mary to film. On the surface, it’s a story about saving the world, but what makes it interesting is how it reframes that idea. It’s not really about one person being a hero, it’s about connection, and the reliance between Ryland Grace and his cohort Rocky on each other to survive. 

What is most special about the film is how the narrative approaches the unknown. Instead of presenting what is nebulous about the universe as something purely dangerous, space becomes something that can be understood, even trusted. A lot of space stories lean into fear or isolation, like those of the Alien franchise, but this one pushes back against that storytelling tradition. In a way, it subverts expectations. It suggests that even in the most unfamiliar and isolating environment possible, a man alone on a space ship without even his memories to comfort him, there is still room for empathy and cooperation.

Olivia Capino, a fourth-year English major, said: space is “more popular because it’s kind of an escape but also intrinsically connected to us at the same time.” Space lets people step outside of everyday life, something we all need right now, but it also reminds us that we’re still part of something bigger. 

That’s where hope permeates the subject and the art. Not in a superficial manner, but in the idea that understanding is possible, that reaching out is worth it, even when it’s difficult or uncertain. However, sometimes that feeling is a lot simpler than that. Cameron Scarito, a third-year accounting major, said he just thinks “space is cool.” And there’s something important about that small wonder. Not everything needs to be complex or deeply analytical, sometimes wonder is enough.

And maybe that’s why space feels important again; it's something everyone can find interest in. Not just because we’re going back, but because of what it represents. Space is one of the only things that belongs to all of us. And when people come together to explore something bigger than themselves, it tends to bring out something better in them too.