Is Space Exploration Worth The Cost

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Recommended: The long term physical effects of space flight

The controversial question being debated right now is “Should the U.S Federal government increase space exploration beyond the earth’s mesosphere?” The mesosphere is the middle layer of the earth’s atmosphere. Increasing space exploration would be a terrible idea. Space exploration takes a major toll on astronauts’ physical health, takes away the precious time they would have on earth and on a larger scale it takes away much needed money from problems on earth. Astronauts physical health is highly affected when in space for long periods of time. Based on the data from the video “5 Ways Space Travel Affects the Human Body”, space travel increases risks for a person’s health. In space there is no gravity causing loss of muscle mass and density. The amount of pressure on the head causes permanent eye damage. When in space the heart is under less stress making it lose muscle mass causing it to form a more spherical shape leading to …show more content…

Although it might answer many questions, space exploration comes at a high price. Based on data from the video “5 Ways Space Travel Affects the Human Body”, the NASA budget in 2007 was $16.3 billion. Some valid points were made in the article “The Space Race is a Pointless Waste of Money” by Jerry DeGroot. He stated “...seems like lunacy when terrestrial frontiers such as disease, starvation and drought cry out for cash.” We must solve these problems before we start to explore for fun. DeGroot quotes President Eisenhower, who could not have said it better, “‘every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed’.” Before spending money on space exploration the U.S Federal government must put money into taking care of the U.S

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