The Apollo 11 mission captivated the country and won the attention of the world. The successful mission provided many answers but also raised a myriad of new questions that humans had never before thought of. The triumph of achievement and intellect left the new consequences unnoticed, however it is important to discuss the ramifications of space exploration from all angles before deciding on a course of action. While curiosity and the expansion of scientific knowledge are significant factors, the ecological impacts and financial implications of space exploration are the most important factors to be considered when taking up space exploration, as they will have the largest effect on our future. The ecological impacts of space exploration are complex and the actions that we take now will effect us for generations, so it is imperative that we make informed decisions in order to preserve our planet and our solar system for the future. The careless exploitation of resources by humans on earth has already had a negative effect on the environment, pillaging “pristine forests” and leaving in its wake “disrupt[ed] migratory routes, soil erosion and species extinction” (Source E). Since the “final frontier” is still pristine and unmolested by humans, we must carefully consider our actions so we don't destroy space as we did Earth. We must avoid exploiting new resources, conserve the life forms we may find there and leave space in the condition we find it in in order to preserve its purity (Source E). Scientific approaches typically favor preservation and conservation, while a corporation's for-profit approach is disruptive and destructive to the natural conditions. Government sponsored, scientific organizations like NASA, who apprecia... ... middle of paper ... ...ings the United States. While some critics may argue that the six percent could be better spent on other programs, it is important to note that nineteen percent of the budget is spent on “national defense” (Source C). Some of this budget could easily be reallocated to the space program to further advance our knowledge of outer space. The pursuit of knowledge is a noble goal, but before fully committing to long-term space exploration, we must use all of the knowledge we currently have to determine if it is safe to do so. The economic benefits are clear and many, however the ecologic consequences are far more important. We do not yet have enough information about the long-term implications of space exploration, both on our planet and the rest of space, but before we continue is is important that we preserve the space in which we are exploring as well as our planet.
Such as poverty and health-care, but in fact NASA 's funding is only a half a cent on the dollar, and the U.S. spends most of its deficit on war and other barbaric acts. About 2.9 trillion dollars are used on health-care alone (Millman). The U.S. government spends a mere $17.7 billion on NASA and spends more than 36 times that on defense $647 billion, with nearly $20 billion alone in 2011 spent on air conditioning tents. Since NASA’s Cold War glory days, the budget has gone from 4.41% of the total budget in 1966, to less than 0.45% today, its lowest ever. NASA helped to usher in a promising new future in the 1960s and it was rewarded with a rapidly-eroding budget. The U.S. should invest more money in NASA and less on unnecessary health care and military. The budget cuts are affecting our technology development. Evidently, Increasing NASA 's to 1 percent of the federal budget will not hurt the economy. But instead it would benefit it by creating jobs here on earth, especially for the next generation of American scientists and engineers. By increasing funds it would support cutting edge aeronautics and space technology innovations, education, and development that will help fuel the nation 's economy for years to
Space travel began in the 1960s with sending humans on single missions into space. Rockets launched into the air and just the tip would land in the ocean after parachuting back to Earth ("Space Shuttle Program," par. 4). The focus of space exploration changed during the 1980s; shifting from the desire for human space flight to the desire to create a reusable spacecraft. Originally called Space Transportation System (STS), NASA created the Space Shuttle Program (SSP) (Heiney, par. 1-2). It wanted a shuttle that was more economical because it could be launched, landed and relaunched and could gather better information. The 1980s began a new era in space exploration and had one the biggest tragedies in the history of space travel.
...uring the age of discovery, it is that environments and ecosystems are fragile and can be easily altered with devastating results. Therefore, as humans continue to discover exciting new worlds, either in the darkest depths of the ocean or on the surface of a strange new planet, it is important that we as humans consider the ecological impacts that may result from those discoveries.
Enduring Understanding: Space Exploration has changed the outlook on space & human existence throughout time as technology has improved.
October 4, 1957: The Russia launched Sputnik into space. Thus began the seemingly-eternal battle for control of space exploration. Who would get the first man into space; to the Moon, to Mars? Everything that could be done by either country was being done to give the edge. It soon became obvious to all that neither country was going to back down from the challenge. However, a lot has changed since 1957, governments have slumped, privatized exploration has taken charge. . . what happened? Where is space exploration going? Where is the human race, today?
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.
It is within man’s blood and nature to explore, and space is our next New World. Man’s first achievement in space travel was the launch of the Sputnik on October 4, 1957. For the next decades, space travel was roaring like a rocket, fueled by man’s desire to explore, man’s desire for knowledge, and man’s desire to beat his enemies. However, these impulses have died out as the well of government funding has been diverted to wars and debts, and the interest of the American people has been diverted to wars and debts. Amidst all these issues it is debated as to whether or not space travel is worth the money and the attention of scientists, particularly since humanity faces so many issues on earth currently. However, because of the past inventions, current services, and future benefits, space travel is indeed worth the money and attention of governments and people. It is within our hands to control man’s advancement, and space travel is the next venue to do so.
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.
People have been venturing out into the universe for many years now. In addition to satellites, both women and men astronauts have traveled into space to collect data about the universe. The first human being, the first animal, and the first spacecraft in orbit, were all achievements of the Soviet Union.
I would like to add that as the contamination of space continues to grow it will increase the risk of collisions that cause damage to the spacecraft. With the existing technologies it is a difficult task of improving the state of the space environment but any reasonable step to preserve space for the future generations will involve steps to reduce pollution.
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.
“Sheltered as we are by Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field, which deflect lethal radiation from space, we are like coddled children who have never ventured into a tough neighborhood” (Folger 2). Humans have been fascinated with space since the beginning of our time. Just like children and rough neighborhoods, we have tackled obstacle over obstacle to make it home again. In the end, we have a better knowledge and strength than before. The future of space exploration can assist us in answering the everlasting question of how the universe came to be. The more we explore the infinite galaxies, the more we can scientifically discover and create new technologies as science advances. As we continue to discover, we can create new fields and occupations for aspiring young students like myself.
...ratosphere and hence should not be ignored. Space tourism is therefore likely to generate significant disquiet among conservationists.
Space exploration is very beneficial to humankind because it creates new technologies, it brings different countries together, and gives people a better understanding of our Earth.
Some may think exploring outer space is simply a human’s curiosity. This is true but on the contrary, people explore to learn about things they may have never known and touch on the essence of the creation of the universe. Another reason for exploring this uncharted area is the technological advancements people have made and immense amount of innovation they have achieved in this field (Wood). Lastly, scientists study the other planets just in case one day humans need to relocate after overwhelming damage has been done to Earth. Suffice to say, it is a vital part of today’s day and age to research outer space (Rothery).