But cheer up. There are plenty of interesting things happening in space right now, and more interesting things to come in the near future.

With space launches happening every month, and so many active missions, nobody can claim to be a fan of everything. I have considered the things that I like the most, and have produced my "top ten" list of things that will keep me inspired over the next five years. Other people will have their own preferences, and that's good.

Spaceflight is a huge, diverse endeavor. This fact alone ensures that it will ride out the troubles that plague us at the moment. So, here is my list of ten reasons to cheer up, in no particular order of preference. 1) ISS: The Adventure Continues

After years of construction, the International Space Station, the largest object ever assembled in space is almost complete. It will continue to dominate human spaceflight for at least another decade.

Interesting things will happen. Useful work will be done. Sure, ISS has been a difficult program, with more problems than I could list in an article like this. But that's only to be expected. We need to do our training and our homework on this complex project. Without all this experience, and lessons learned, we cannot expect to truly expand the human presence in space.

2) Commercial Spaceflight
Starting with cargo delivery to the ISS, commercial spaceflight is offering novel solutions to classical problems. Gradually, the path is being laid to such ambitious feats as commercial crew transfer vehicles and even commercial space stations. It will take years, and some companies will not be able to reach their goals. Never mind. This is another road we need to take. The results will be worth it.

3) Space Tourism
After years of delays, suborbital space tourism is about to become a reality. This will be inspirational to millions of people who would otherwise be jaded by mainstream spaceflight. But it's not all play. Serious work will be done with this new generation of suborbital spacecraft, ranging from scientific research to piggyback launches of orbital payloads.

4) Exploring Mars
2011 will see the launch of the huge, complex Mars Science Laboratory, dubbed "Curiosity" by NASA. It will also see the launch of Phobos-Grunt by Russia with a small Chinese orbiter. Later, more missions will fly from the USA and China. Mars will continue to intrigue us for decades.

5) Exoplanets
More than 1200 worlds beyond our own solar system are known, and the tally keeps growing. Telescopes on the Earth, and high above it, are searching for more. We have discovered planets that would challenge the imaginations of science fiction writers, with extreme conditions and orbits. We are also getting closer to discovering potentially habitable worlds.

6) New Moon
A recent flotilla of robot probes to the Moon has made discoveries that would have been unexpected only a few years ago. What else will we find there? New missions are planned from the USA, India and China in the years ahead. Expect some more action from the most explored world beyond our own.

7) Fire and Ice
The safe arrival of the MESSENGER spacecraft in orbit at Mercury sets the stage for some big news. This hot, inner planet is barely explored. Meanwhile, the New Horizons spacecraft is racing across the solar system for a rendezvous with mysterious, frigid Pluto, and possibly some other minor worlds at the edge of the solar system. Our general survey of the solar system, with planets and other objects, is nearing completion.

8) Chinese Spacelabs
China's slow but steady rise as a human spaceflight power will continue. The launch of China's first space laboratory, Tiangong 1, will set the stage for extended stays by Chinese astronauts. More Tiangong modules will follow, as China gradually embarks on its own quest for a large space station.

9) Small Things
Cubesats and other small satellites are getting cheaper, more capable and a lot more interesting. They're helping to get a lot more people, institutions and countries into the space arena. Watching the things that are done with these modestly sized spacecraft can be captivating.

10) Earth Observation
The sensational flow of high-resolution commercial satellite imagery that stunned the world in the last decade will continue. More satellites will be launched. Their capabilities will improve. We will find new uses for satellite imagery, and the benefits will be felt across a variety of areas. The general public will continue to be captivated by these images, which now appear in the media on a regular basis.

Dr Morris Jones is an Australian space analyst and writer. Email morrisjonesNOSPAMhotmail.com. Replace NOSPAM with @ to send email.

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