In the past half a century, space exploration had a significant scientific, strategic, military and economic contribution. Space exploration allows many new discoveries. Never before has mankind achieved as much in scientific research. Such exploration is of crucial importance in this technological era. Why space exploration? In President Obama’s words,
…because broadening our capabilities in space will continue to serve our society in ways that we can scarcely imagine. Because exploration will once more inspire wonder in a new generation - sparking passions and launching careers. And because, ultimately, if we fail to press forward in the pursuit of discovery, we are ceding our future and we are ceding that essential element of the American character. [3]
The space race generated by the Cold War brought a significant improvement in people’s life. Space flight required highly developed computers and miniaturization. Humanity owes the existence of many gadgets, contributing to life improvement, to space exploration. For example, the development of sophisticated personal computers allowed the evolvement of distance learning: An online education in Space Studies was made possible by the existence of such advanced technology. It is also fair to say the progress made in medical technology has the same sources. Space exploration is also a wonderful opportunity for international cooperation in various missions. Since the end of the Cold War in 1991, such joint missions brought significant scientific discoveries. To give only an example, Cassini-Huygens, a joined mission between the American, European and Italian space agencies NASA, ESA, and ASI, has provided the scientific community with important information on planet Saturn and its moons.
Both robotic and manned exploration means are of significant importance in space exploration. Robotic missions are crucial in exploring places humans cannot reach yet. Astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson underlined this importance by referring to one of the most useful non-human tools scientists have for space exploration:
“The greatest explorer today is not even human. It’s the Hubble Space Telescope, which for nearly two decades has offered us all a mind-expanding window to the cosmos”. [4]
Human space flight has both and immediate and long-term importance. Direct exploration offers closer insights, familiarizing the human species with life in space, and it is likely to provide further survival on other celestial bodies when planet Earth will be no longer suited for human habitation.
To summarize, there seem to be a few good reasons to add to the inherent human trait of curiosity and need to discover new territories, as to why space should be explored:
- understanding and discovering the unknown
- unravel the secrets of the universe and understand our place in it
- further survival of the human species when Earth will no longer be habitable
- defense on a national, but also global basis
- advances in technology
- international cooperation by sharing a common goal.
Finally, in the process of space exploration, humans have re-discovered Earth. One of the most remarkable experience by a crew in space was that of Apollo 8 watching the Earth rising. In the documentary “In the Shadow of the Moon”, Jim Lovell shared this amazing experience as follows:
…We learned a lot about the Moon, but what we really learned was about the Earth. The fact that just from the distance of the Moon, you can put your thumb up, and you can hide the Earth behind your thumb. Everything that you have ever known, your loved ones, your business, the problems of the Earth itself, all behind your thumb. And how insignificant we really all are. But then how fortunate we are to have this body, and to be able to enjoy living here amongst the beauty of the Earth itself. [5]
Notes:
[1] Dordain, Jean-Jacques. “Space exploration in the 21st Century: Global opportunities and challenges”. http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oce/appel/ask/issues/38/38i_space.html (accessed September 19, 2011), 2.
[2] Ibid, 2.
[3] Martin, Rachel, Travers, Karen. “On the Defensive, President Obama Pledges Commitment to NASA, Space Exploration”. ABC News, 15 Apr. 2010. http://abcnews.go.com/WN/president-obama-touts-billion-budget-boost-nasa-potential/story?id=10387427 (accessed September 19, 2011), para. 4.
[4] Tyson, Neil deGrasse. “Why America
[5] Sington David. In the Shadow of the Moon. Discovery Films, 2007.
References
Dordain, Jean-Jacques. “Space exploration in the 21st Century: Global opportunities and challenges”. NASA Project Management Challenge 9 Feb 2010. http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oce/appel/ask/issues/38/38i_space.html (accessed September 19, 2011)
Martin, Rachel, Travers, Karen. “On the Defensive, President Obama Pledges Commitment to NASA, Space Exploration”. ABC News, 15 Apr. 2010. http://abcnews.go.com/WN/president-obama-touts-billion-budget-boost-nasa-potential/story?id=10387427(accessed September 19, 2011)
Sington David. In the Shadow of the Moon. Discovery Films, 2007.
Tyson, Neil deGrasse. “Why America
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