Space Exploration Persuasive Essay

Space exploration leads to competition and strains relations between nations.

This is shown empirically. The launch of Sputnik and the subsequent race to the moon between the USA and USSR heightened tensions in the Cold War (DeNooyer).

A new space race may start as China and India ascend geopolitically and develop space oriented technologies.

If space exploration elevates tensions, then barring ventures into space may improve international relations.

Some day, despite any international relations, and despite the costs, humans will need to leave Earth. But,

Humanity's long-term needs for space exploration lie so far into the future that they should not be considered.

Earthly resource depletion is not a concern that should be solved by space exploration.

Alternatives like conservation and

The advancements required for space-based solutions to these problems lie so far beyond the horizon that alternatives must be found first.

The Sun will live, and continue to provide us with energy, for billions more years.

Monitoring for asteroids and other celestial objects that may pose a danger to humanities' existence should not be considered space exploration.

The infrastructure to monitor for these objects already exists to a large extent, and any improvements can be made on Earth and in its immediate vicinity.

In 2011, NASA, in accordance with a congressional mandate, has estimated that they have found approximately 90% of potentially dangerous near Earth objects (Masiero et al).

There are no short-term needs for space exploration, and

The cost of Space Exploration exceeds the benefits.

Exploitation of space for communications does not fall under the umbrella of "exploration."

The secondary and tertiary benefits and technologies derived from space exploration are