Into the fair unknown!

There are many possible discoveries to make on this voyage into space. With so little known, the possibilities are endless! There could be plant life forms on undiscovered planets that contain medicinal properties that could cure diseases thought to be incurable! There could be life in this great unexplored space, people or aliens that have advanced far beyond us here on earth, we could learn so much! Although the risks of mechanical problems, hostile environments that we're unprepared for, and things we can't even think of, are weighing heavily on the minds of everybody, the potential payoff is to great to pass up.

What modern invention has had as great of an effect on the spread of knowledge as the printing press?

Why, the radio of course! The printing press was influential in a time of great change, The Protestant Reformation. It helped spread new ideas and controversial thoughts. The radio did the same in World War II and in the years after(I believe Radio Free Europe still broadcasts today). Western radio signals could be picked up in communist countries to help spread outside information in a place where the news was controlled by the government, free speech was nonexistent, and propaganda was everywhere. People anywhere could gather around their radios at night to hear the news and get informed, much like people could read a press printed pamphlet written by Martin Luther back during The Reformation.