Frontier days in space: are they over?

The concept of space as a frontier to be conquered remains extremely powerful, especially for the USA. This viewpoint argues that it is outmoded and in urgent need of replacement. In particular, the pursuit of profit, responsible for colonization and damaging exploitation in the past, and which has resulted in the trend for highly expensive space infrastructure projects, some of which may never fly, must be tempered. Space exploration should concentrate rather on promoting learning and intellectual growth.