CIVIC LANE Space exploration is entering a period of unusually rapid technological progress. NASA has just launched the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which is designed to investigate dark matter, dark energy and thousands of possible exoplanets. Meanwhile, lunar missions, improved rockets, new satellites and preparations for future human missions are expanding what governments and private companies can attempt. ESA has also recently reported advances ranging from new Ariane 6 launches to observations of Mars and the centre of our galaxy. With so many possibilities competing for funding, the most exciting objective may not necessarily be the most useful one.