Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Spending money on space exploration
The advantages of space exploration
Advantages of exploring space
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Spending money on space exploration
U.S. Federal government support of space exploration is NOT the most effective way to engage in scientific discovery Space exploration can be dated back to the age of European Renaissance, a historic age when arts and cultural transformation began. It was the same era when there gradual but widespread transition in educational reforms. Since then the flourishing art and science of stars and planets transformed in to the minute details of comets and meteors. The study, which started as the fundamental physical laws, governing the motions of planets around the sun, gave a great insight of not just our planet earth but also of millions of galaxies, which exist, in the world beyond us. Though much advancement has been made in this regard, there is so much yet unrevealed. The question of concern is whether it is worth investing in space exploration or is it a simple waste of tax-payers money? The objective is to answer this question by providing enough evidence to support the U.S. Federal government’s space exploration program. This paper will dwell on the many reasons as to why U.S. Federal government support of space exploration is not the most effective way to engage in scientific discovery. We intend to prove that there are other, more efficient ways to engage in scientific discovery rather than space exploration. Through the analysis of arguments for and against this cause, towards the end, I will give a conclusion not based on my own opinions but on the authenticity and credibility of the arguments. Arguments For Space Exploration As said by Frank Borman “Exploration is really the essence of the human spirit.” Until human beings explore and find out what is beyond, there is seldom satisfaction on part of them.... ... middle of paper ... ....com The Benefits of Space Exploration/ http://socyberty.com/author/Quovodus/Quovodus (September 14, 2008) The positives for the people of the United States to use our resources to further the exploration of space. Retrieved February 25, 2010 socyberty.com ScienceFair/ NASA Unveils First Space Images From WISE Telescope(2010) Retrieved February 25, 2010 content.usatoday.com Coalition for Space Exploration/The Benefits of Space Exploration(2010) Retrieved February 25, 2010 www.spacecoalition.com BNet/Sun seekers: advances in space exploration technology could herald the answer to the global energy crisis and the search for emission-free sources to replace fossil fuels. Helen Knight and Jon Excell report. February 24 2010. Retrieved February 25, 2010. www.findarticles.com Technology Transfer Programme/ Pierre Brisson. Retreived February 25, 2010 www.esa.int
NASA Funding The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was booming in the late 1960s because the U.S. invested over 4.5 percent of the Federal Budget (Bolden). Unfortunately, in the recent years, the Government has slashed funding for many of NASA’s projects in an attempt to cut back on the deficit and boost the economy. Despite the plummet in NASA's budget, the program has proved that it's prominence in the U.S., space programs like NASA continue to face difficulty in increasing its funds. Although, NASA leads evidently, the government doesn’t think NASA is worth more than 0.47 percent of the federal budget.
Bill Nye, the “Science Guy,” asserts, “NASA is an engine of innovation and inspiration as well as the world's premier space exploration agency, and we are well served by politicians working to keep it that way, instead of turning it into a mere jobs program, or worse, cutting its budget.” The United States of America’s government is currently in an economic debt encompassing billions of US dollars. Unfortunately, the government has attempted to balance finances by cutting the funding for most programs, including NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA, in over half a century, has brought the most economic, technological, and social benefits than any other program held here in the USA, as well as any other extraterrestrial program in the world. The last thing this nation needs is the cutting of NASA finances. NASA should be receiving more funding because the Earth will not last forever and humans will need a place to live, there’s a curiosity within humans about the vast universe they live in, there is evidence to suggest life on other planets, the USA’s superpower status will be improved, and the economical income NASA brings is more efficient than any other governmental or educational program.
Dubner, Stephen. "Is Space Exploration Worth the Cost?." Freakonomics: The Hidden Side of Everything. New York Times, 11/1/2010. Web. 18 Jul 2010. .
These are the reasons why I believe there should be more investment in space research and technology. It would be a time consuming and financially draining quest, but the pay off in new technology, applications, resources, and expansion opportunities make it a goal to strive for. As our rate of consumption of Earth’s natural resources continues to increase, it is imperative that we invest in the research of outer space as a possible solution to sustaining the human race.
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.
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.
When considering this topic, one might ask themselves why explore space? We explore space to compare other planets with the earth and to study the sun, to explore the universe while finding if intelligent life exists, for satellites to improve communications, weather forecasting, navigation, resource monitoring, and “to create a focal point for a new intellectual renaissance” (Ruzic).
Since the beginning of time, mankind has sought after learning about and exploring the universe. This yearning drove us to achieve such great things as the journey to the moon and the discovery of water on mars. Nowadays, several people argue as to whether or not space exploration is worth the effort. I believe that it is humanity’s instinctual nature to pursue a better understanding of ourselves, and our universe. Further understanding of our universe will lead to the discovery of new technologies and ways to secure humanity’s survivability. As such, this essay will argue that space exploration is a necessity to our kind and that NASA should be progressively more financed.
Human fascination with the stars is as ancient as Babylonians and has been suggested to be older than Stonehenge. From “be fruitful and multiply” to “live long and prosper,” the instinct to protect and propagate the species has manifested in religion, art, and the imaginations of countless individuals. As human understanding of space treks out of the fantastical and into the scientific, the realities of traveling through and living in space are becoming clearer. Exploring, investigating, and living in space pose an expansive series of problems. However, the solutions to the problems faced by mankind's desire to reach beyond the horizon, through the night sky, and into the stars are solutions that will help in all areas of life on Earth.
Mankind has always been fascinated with exploring the unknown. From sailing to distant lands to someday setting foot on other planets, the spirit of exploration is the same. Bur now with the current economic situation and the high cost of sending people to space, NASA is being looked at as a way to free up some much needed funds. Although, there is many problems here on planet Earth that need addressing, the benefits of space exploration far out weight the disadvantages. Space exploration has given us more advanced technology, advances in the medical field, and a boost to the economy and these facts cannot be disputed.
Curiosity and exploration are hardwired into our basic human nature. We strive to understand and explore the environment around us. From individuals climbing Mt. Everest, to those journeying deep into the Amazon Rainforest, it is our innate desire to discover and be adventurous. It is natural that this desire would eventually turn to areas beyond our planet. In the late 1950’s the escalation of the Cold War led to the space race. It started with the launch of the satellite Sputnik I by Russia, and produced amazing feats such as the United States putting a man on the moon. During the height of the space race, NASA was receiving 4.31 % of the national budget (Office of Management and Budget), and it took only eight years for NASA to reach the
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.
Space exploration is amazing in my opinion, and I feel that we should have more. Space exploration is when we explore outside of the Earth. We have learned a great deal from space exploration.
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).