Privatization Is The Future Of Space Exploration Essay

1485 Words3 Pages

Randy Colon Professor David Mathews English 121-060 11 May 2015 Privatization Is The Future of Space Exploration Mankind’s exploration of space is approaching its 60-year anniversary. In its splendor, space exploration is a very expensive task. Just recently, the government has begun to allow private corporations to bid on and compete for the job of putting Americans in space. NASA is coming to realize that for us to progress in space, we need to do it more efficiently, and for less money. It all started when the Soviet Union launched a small satellite the size of a basketball into orbit. Sputnik was launched on October 4, 1957 (Darling 412). On April 12, 1959, the Soviets put the first human, Yuri Gargarin into space (Darling 145). In those first few years of human space exploration the Soviet Union distanced itself from the United States. It would take the United States two additional years to send astronaut Alan Shepard, Jr. into space aboard Freedom 7 (Darling 272). In May 1961 President John F. Kennedy outlined the goal of sending a man to the moon by the end of the decade. He stated, “This nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before the decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth” (Kennedy). That speech set into motion a chain Perhaps when my children are my age, a trip to Mars or even to the moon will be something that the average citizen can look forward to. After our nation has spent trillions on learning how to get into space, it is time to pass the torch. It may very well be that only through privatization, competition and collaboration, that the price tag of orbiting the Earth will finally become reasonable. Until then I can only close my eyes and picture the sign on our first extra terrestrial colony. It could very well read, “Welcome to Mars Colony, Sponsored by PNC

Show More
Related

  • Sputnik's Effects

    1414 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Soviet’s were responsible for putting man on the moon, rovers on Mars, and launching the Hubble Space Telescope. Indeed, it was the United States’ foes that drove the U.S. to accomplish perhaps the greatest feats of the twentieth century. Following the defeat of Germany and Japan in World War II, tensions between former allies, the United States and the Soviet Union, began to grow. In the following decades, the two superpowers would duke it out in competitions and tremendous shows of nationalism. They formed unmatchable rivalries in politics, economics, sciences, and sports. These rivalries would become clear when two countries competed in the space race, a competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union concerning achievements in the field of space exploration. The Soviet’s took the early lead as they put the first satellite, Sputnik 1, into space. The launch of Sputnik 1 established a sense of fear into the American Public, resulting in the creation of NASA in the late 1950’s which opened the door for space exploration today and for future generations.

    Read More

  • John Fitzgerald Kennedy - JFK

    1271 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... “of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth” The space program fascinates the American people. In the early 1960s whenever space flights were launched during school hours students would gather in gyms and auditoriums to watch the lift offs on television. The race to the moon continued through the 1960s. It is one of the nations single most expensive projects of the decade, costing $56 billion.

    Read More

  • Space Race in the 1960's

    1167 Words  | 3 Pages

    Early on in the race, the USSR was very successful. In 1957, the Soviets launched Sputnik, which triggered the start of the space race (John F. Kennedy). The United States began to scramble, trying to catch up with the Soviets. However, soon after, the Soviet Union completed another huge success. They sent the first man to orbit Earth (John F. Kennedy). In 1961 the USSR’s Yuri Gagarin became the first human to ever orbit the Earth (John F. Kennedy). The United States was still unsuccessful and beginning to look weak. After that, America got serious. On May 25, 1961, President Kennedy asked Congress for around eight billion dollars to build up the space program over the next five years (John F. Kennedy). The president declared, “This nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before the decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth” (John F. Kennedy).

    Read More

  • The Space Race

    761 Words  | 2 Pages

    The race originally started when the USSR launched Sputnik I, which sparked the race. JFK made his claim, and it had begun. The United States made NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Agency, and started on Project Apollo. After a lot of hard work, and mishaps, the United States were able to prevail, and launched Apollo 11, the first manned mission to ever land on the moon. The total cost of the Apollo project: more than twenty four billion dollars. Bragging rights won by getting to the moon first: priceless.

    Read More

  • Race To Space Dbq

    641 Words  | 2 Pages

    On the day of May 25, 1961 the president(John F. Kennedy) has announced that he(NASA) wanted to accomplish sending a man to the moon and having him return safely back to Earth by the end of the century. And finally, eight years after he made this speech NASA had made an Apollo program and in July 20, 1969 they had successfully met the presidents challenge. The astronaughts that we’re sent to space were Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” they were the first people to have ever step foot on the moon. One quote that everyone has hear is “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for man kind”.

    Read More

  • Budget Cuts: The Dwindling Future of NASA

    1328 Words  | 3 Pages

    “In a fraught fiscal climate, NASA should focus on what it does best and on what offers the best return on investment. Solar system exploration meets both criteria: the U.S. has long led the interplanetary charge, and the resulting scientific benefits have come at a relative bargain. This year NASA 's planetary science program cost about $1.5 billion -- less than what NASA spent designing a congressionally mandated rocket, the Space Launch System, which appears more likely to satisfy aerospace contractors than to aid the cause of space exploration. Such directives from lawmakers all too often land in NASA 's lap without the funds to carry them out (To The

    Read More

  • Soviet Union Dbq Essay

    520 Words  | 2 Pages

    For example in 1957 of October 4, Sputnik which is the first artificial satellite was launched into space (document F). The poster is from Fatherland, it's from a race of stars. Therefore more about who went to space on Nov. 3, 1957, the first dog goes to space his name was Laika. After that in 1961 April 12, the first astronaut man named Cosmonaut Yuri. It was two years since the first guy became into an astronaut that in 1963 of June 16, Valentina Tereshkova the first woman goes to

    Read More

  • The Space Race

    737 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Soviets took a lead by launching the first successful satellite into space. On October 4, 1957 the Soviets launched the first successful satellite into orbit. It was called Sputnik I and it successfully entered Earth’s orbit. This first success started the Space Age. The Soviets successful launch shocked the whole world, giving the Soviet Union the respect for putting the first man-made object into outer space. The Americans successfully launched their first satellite four months after Sputnik I, called the Explorer I. The US would have had the first satellite in orbit if they were allowed to use military rockets from the beginning. But, Eisenhower was worried he would be called a warmonger if he used military rockets for launching a satellite into orbit. He told the sci...

    Read More

  • The History And Impact Of The Space Race

    808 Words  | 2 Pages

    On May 25, 1961, just two weeks after the US had successfully got an American into space, John F. Kennedy gave a speech addressing it and exclaimed, "I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth. No single space project...will be more exciting, or more impressive to mankind, or more important...and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish..." (Kruse). The Space Race became an important event for all of humanity during the 20th century because it improved our knowledge of space, improved and inspired new technology, and improved our education. It sparked a mix of both friendly and non friendly competition between the Capitalist United States and the Communist Russia (USSR) from the launch of Sputnik in 1957, all the way to the Apollo-Soyuz project that ended the race in 1975 .

    Read More

  • Space Exploration: The Space Race

    687 Words  | 2 Pages

    In 1959, Luna 2, a Soviet space probe, became the first probe to hit the moon. In 1961, Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet cosmonaut, became the first person to orbit Earth. He achieved this in a capsule-like spacecraft called the Vostok 1. The USA’s effort to send a human into space was called Project Mercury. The NASA scientists had created a different design of spacecraft for the trip, one with a smaller, more cone-shaped capsule that was lighter than the Vostok 1. On May 5th, 1961, Alan Shepard went into space, earning the title of first American in space. He, unlike Yuri Gagarin, did not orbit Earth. The first American to orbit the earth was John Glenn, who did this in February 1962. President Kennedy stated later that May that the US would land a man on the moon before the end of the...

    Read More

  • Space Technolgy Programs

    1157 Words  | 3 Pages

    As a country we need to start investing more money and research into space technology. Programs currently exist for this effort, but the potential for research and progress is limited by a lack of funding; compared to other government funded programs, aerospace funding is pitiful. Continued research in space technology is a necessary step in our growth and development not just as a country but also as entire human race. If we are to achieve this goal, it is necessary to increase funding for space research and technology and consider the possibility of colonizing outer space. If we limit our existence to the planet Earth, and continue to drain the resources on this planet, we will destroy the only home we have.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Speech On Space Exploration

    2129 Words  | 5 Pages

    When talking about the current space program, Neil Degrasse Tyson once said, “I got angry with America, because advancing is not just something you do incrementally. You need innovation as well, so that your advances are revolutionary, not merely evolutionary” (Tyson 3). America used to have the top space program in the world. Being first to the moon excited the country and gave everyone a sense of pride and fulfillment. Lately, though, we have been falling behind in space exploration. A successful space program is needed in America, and here’s why: we are losing our grip on the title as the world superpower and a new age of economics and politics is coming faster than we are prepared for. To be prepared for this new age we need the funds,

    Read More

  • Apollo 11: The Greatest Achievement in Human History

    1305 Words  | 3 Pages

    “On July 16, 1969 the world watched in anticipation as three men were hurtled skyward in a rocket bound for the moon.” (news.nationalgeographic.com). This was the Apollo 11 spacecraft, the first successful manned mission to the moon. This mission was the product of the space race (race to see who would go into outer space first, against the Soviet Union). This goal was set by President John F. Kennedy on May 25, 1961 and he promised that we would be the first to step on the moon by the end of the decade. The Apollo 11 mission is often cited as the greatest achievement in human history. (news.nationalgeographic.com)

    Read More

  • Why Should Humans Explore Space?

    1412 Words  | 3 Pages

    NASA’s research and innovation looked promising, but it came at a cost. Money, resources, and spacecraft accidents, most famously Apollo 13 all hindered NASA’s research. In the 21st century, the debate over funding for NASA is at its peak since the birth of the organization in 1958, especially when there are numerous problems throughout the world. Is the money spent on space exploration worth the advantages and advances it contributes to society? When considering this topic, one might ask themselves, why explore space?

    Read More

  • Should Money Be Spent on Space Exploration?

    591 Words  | 2 Pages

    Most people think that the costly downside to funding space exploration is a reason to avoid spending money on sciences and instead spend it on problems here on earth, but such funding for space exploration actually promotes economical as well as scientific benefits. Space exploration is an important expenditure for the high cost because of the potential for numerous benefits such as the possibility to find useful resources to cultivate, space exploration and satellites produce many thousands of jobs in our economy, and it creates and discovers newer and better technologies through research and development.

    Read More

More about Privatization Is The Future Of Space Exploration Essay

Open Document