Human minds cannot comprehend how colossal an idea like space is. To obtain a firmer understanding of what or who is floating around up there, scientists all around the world invest their entire fortune and lives into exploring the unknown. Many explorations have proven successful in expanding human knowledge about space, but Skylab, America’s first space station, has demonstrated triumphant in three different space missions documenting the foreign world (Dunbar, “Part I”). Skylab Space Station was a revolutionary development in the history of space exploration with its many missions and daily life for its astronauts.
Making theory become fact was NASA’s main purpose in creating Skylab (Starflix, NASAflix). During the Skylab missions, NASA assured humans could live in space for a long duration of time without major effects on the human body (Dunbar, “Part I”). But Skylab also served a purpose as a microgravity and medical lab (“Skylab Space Station”, Skylab Space Station). Since Skylab had a bird’s eye view of Earth, it was logical to have Skylab also function as an Earth observatory (“Skylab Space Station”, www.aerospaceguide.net). Built in 1973, NASA helped expand the knowledge of the Sun due to Skylab’s solar observatory (“Skylab Space Station”, Skylab Space Station). Skylab, once a dream, became a record breaking invention that would carve the path to success for future space life.
May 14, 1973 marked the beginning of the Skylab mission trips (Howell, “Skylab”). Launched by a Saturn V rocket, Skylab 1 was the first unmanned American space station to enter orbit (O'Callaghan, “The Story of Skylab”). But about sixty seconds after liftoff, Skylab went awry when a meteoroid shield fell off which caused overheating inside the s...
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In the mid-1980’s, the shuttle space program was the focus of the political media since it had failed to deliver on its exp...
During the age of space exploration, many new types of technology were created and introduced for public usage based on technology used for space exploration related research. These types of technology include artificial limbs, anti-icing systems for planes, firefighter gear, enriched baby food, and portable cordless vacuums4. These forms of technology became popular due to how useful they were and became essential parts of people's lives across the world. Another way that space exploration influenced social change was is how it created unity amongst the world. Events such as the moon landing in 1969, the first American women astronaut by the name of Sally Ride being launched into space in 1981, or even the tragic event that happened in 1986 where Challenger burned up and killed all crew members on board in a mere 73 seconds after lift off inspired the entire world to put aside their differences and unite together in order to fully appreciate the accomplishments and advances in technology and information that had been being made rapidly right before their very eyes5, 6. Space exploration led to many new discoveries about the world around us and outside our reach, and led to the creation of many new forms of technologies that are now essential parts of our lives, thus having a major impact on social change both during the past and in the
John F. Kennedy - Presidential Library and Museum. Space Program. 2014. 16 April 2014 .
On July 20, 1969, three brave American astronauts, “Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, became the first humans ever to land on the moon” (1). The Space Race changed the American people by climaxing tensions between America and the USSR during the Cold War, gave hope to the American citizens that the nation could withstand and challenge, changed American culture and also gave many engineers and scientists of the age work and stability.
Since the day of NASA’s greatest triumph on July 20, 1969, there has been a sense among many American people and politicians that the once-unimaginable goal of conquering space has been accomplished, and that much of what NASA has done since are simply unnecessary frills of the federal budget. In order to attempt to justify its own existence, NASA has felt the need to engage in projects that can thrill the public and thus keep people interested in space exploration. In doing so, a significant portion of their budget, which has been cut over the years, is spent on public relations, decreasing the budget for actual space-related activities. By using its resources to “bring public and political support to the program”1, NASA has been looking at the problem backwards. By operating more efficiently and spending less on making their projects “sexy” they could actually accomplish their goals, which would implicitly grab the public’s attention. It is time for NASA to move into a new era, where the goal is to pick those projects that will actually succeed instead of those that sensationalize space, those that appeal to the scientist instead of the average American.
Humans have dreamed of leaving the earth and traveling space for many years, and up to this day they have taken many steps in the right direction. Yet, with every new frontier they approach, new problems loom over the horizon. All problems involved with space exploration may not directly involve space itself. Many of those problems surface right here on Earth. Some of the easier issues have been resolved, such as escaping the forces of gravity to reach outer space. More of these problems are far more arduous and the solutions need more time to be worked out properly. In “The Coming Schism” by James E. and Alcestis R. Oberg, humans have already begun colonizing space, yet there are still new problems arising. Major problems such as financing, communication and culture conflicts are important in the journey to space, because they all have the potential to disrupt progress.
Surprisingly, the United States’ space program started with the Cold War. The Cold war pushed the United States and the Soviet Union into a space race in which both nations rapidly developed space programs and tried to best each other in space exploration (Cold War 1). The Kennedy Space Center was built in Florida as a control center which handled many of the shuttle launches into space (NASA 1). The Space Center was built in Florida for many specific reasons including climate and location (Matson 1). The rapid development of the Space program and the Kennedy Space Center significantly changed the development of the surrounding communities in various ways. The development of NASA and the Space Center was undoubtedly one of the most ambitious and influential undertakings of its time.
...ghts of inventors and integrators of the research and technology on the ground, we can anticipate continued space station benefits for humanity.” (Dunbar). Even though funding for the space program has been dramatically reduced here in the United States, space programs all over the world are still using the ISS. It is securely funded through the year 2020 and could even be used and operated until 2028. Research papers are written monthly, concluding new finds that are credited to the research and exploration that takes place on the ISS. It has definitely been an incredible undertaking and is a remarkable piece of equipment that truly shows what us, as humans are capable of accomplishing. The legacy of the International Space Station continues, and there is no telling what we might be capable of discovering, through the use of the station, in the next few years.
As such, this essay will argue that space exploration is a necessity of our kind and that NASA should be progressively more financed. To begin with, space research has helped bring several developments to modern science, affecting the quality of our everyday lives. With issues like climate change, and population overgrowth, our species faces the risks of major extinction (4). Climate change has been a man-made problem in recent years that threatens our planet. It will take huge mitigations from current and future societies to even come close to reversing climate change.
Space has always been a pivotal and utmost important subject for many years. In the past, scientists have made monumental advances in this field such as sending people into orbit and landing a man on the moon. Of course, this has only barely been explored and we still have a lot more to see of the ever-vast outer space. One of the most significant topics of all of science has only been touched and there’s still more to come.
Anderson, E., Piven, J. & Tito, D. (2005), The Space Tourist's Handbook: Where to Go, What