Which direction in space?

Two competing visions of future space activities have recently been articulated-one utilitarian, aiming to use space to make Earth a better place, the other more exploratory, aiming to expand the human and robotic presence in space. It is unlikely that resources will be available to pursue both, meaning that carefully considered choices will have to be made. For the first vision to work end users will have to be convinced that space can provide unique benefits reliably. For the second, a full political debate that reflects public opinion is required. It is essential that advocates of these different visions nevertheless coordinate their activities to avoid duplication, wasted resources and missed opportunities for synergy. An international discussion forum would be useful in this regard.