Answer:

Although the prospect of exploring space has long piqued the interest of people from all walks of life, only national governments could afford the exorbitant costs of launching people and machines into space for the majority of the twentieth century and into the early twenty-first century. Because of this, space exploration has had to serve a wide range of interests, which it has done in a variety of ways. Government space programs have increased knowledge, served as indicators of national prestige and power, bolstered national security and military strength, and benefited the general public significantly. Commercial space activity has thrived without government funding in areas where the private sector could profit from space activities, most notably the use of satellites as telecommunication relays. Entrepreneurs believed there were several other areas of commercial potential in space in the early twenty-first century, most notably privately funded space travel.

Explanation: