It is said that the dinosaurs were wiped out 65 million years ago by an impact from outer space. We need to understand the risks from collision by asteroids, comets, and meteorites. We can also discover new planets to colonize and eventually move there. If we stay on our planet we will eventually die, along with all the other animals.
Without knowledge of space we would be oblivious of all the dangers associated with it. Without early-warning systems put in place by astronomers and far-from-finished research being done on other potential dangers our whole race could be wiped out in seconds and not know why. Was it a solar flare, an asteroid, gamma ray burst? We would never know and we will never know if we could have prevented it. It is only a matter of time before Earth becomes the next target in this galactic shooting gallery. Additionally, astronomy is one of the ultimate intellectual pursuits of our generation.