Richard Garriott's success as a video game developer (now where have I encountered this before?) has given him the financial ability to visit the International Space Station, which he did Oct. 14-23, 2008 as the sixth private astronaut client of Space Adventures.

Right around last Christmas we connected via Linked-in, and during our ensuing email conversation I was pleased to discover a man who was quite open about his space experience. Being the season, and with my interest in the Overview Effect, I asked Richard, "Does Christmas have a different meaning now that you've seen Earth from orbit?"

His response was most illuminating.

One of the tragedies of the ever-present debate about whether public monies should be spent on space exploration is the notion that human activity in space is somehow disconnected from our lives on Earth.  If you've heard my speeches or read my articles and Op-Ed's, you know how strongly I stand against this.  Most of the time I refer to the very practical issues of resources, energy, and environment, but there is more to human existence.

The eighth-century Buddhist saint Shantideva understood our very human connection with space.