Space Exploration Essay Example
Space Exploration
GE 2024 Section 07
Professor Ficarotta
10/14/09
Marisa Laggy
Space Exploration
Why should we explore space? Why should we spend money, time and effort researching the great beyond with no immediate benefit? Should we spend resources on space rather than here on Earth? Perhaps the best answer lies in our own history. Past civilizations spent millions on exploring the “New World.” Nearly all successful civilizations have been willing and eager to explore. Isn’t it the very nature of humans to ask questions and seek out new lands? We understand that there could be many dangers associated with exploring space. We could lose lives, squander budgets, and possible waste time and effort. But what would happen if we did not. We learn new things about our planet everyday from space exploration. With a new and better understanding of the dangers we may face, their effects or consequences could be lessened by simply seeing what else is out there. The question of why we should spend money on space exploration seems to always be the first question posed. As we see it, “…for the foreseeable future, space travel is going to be expensive, difficult and dangerous. But, for the United States, it is strategic” (Griffin). The United States government has enough money to work on problems both here and in space and will continue to explore the last frontier. America spends twelve million dollars an hour on the war in the Middle East; meanwhile, NASA is less than 1% of the US budget. While many resources are spent on what seems like a small return, the exploration of space has always allowed for new resources to be created. Also, we need to consider the fact that exploring space is a project that has brought together many nations. “But if no one sees the Moon, Mars and the now mostly constructed International Space Station as baby steps toward the exploration of space on a grander scale, then in the long run such UN etc. intervention
GE 2024 Section 07
Professor Ficarotta
10/14/09
Marisa Laggy
Space Exploration
Why should we explore space? Why should we spend money, time and effort researching the great beyond with no immediate benefit? Should we spend resources on space rather than here on Earth? Perhaps the best answer lies in our own history. Past civilizations spent millions on exploring the “New World.” Nearly all successful civilizations have been willing and eager to explore. Isn’t it the very nature of humans to ask questions and seek out new lands? We understand that there could be many dangers associated with exploring space. We could lose lives, squander budgets, and possible waste time and effort. But what would happen if we did not. We learn new things about our planet everyday from space exploration. With a new and better understanding of the dangers we may face, their effects or consequences could be lessened by simply seeing what else is out there. The question of why we should spend money on space exploration seems to always be the first question posed. As we see it, “…for the foreseeable future, space travel is going to be expensive, difficult and dangerous. But, for the United States, it is strategic” (Griffin). The United States government has enough money to work on problems both here and in space and will continue to explore the last frontier. America spends twelve million dollars an hour on the war in the Middle East; meanwhile, NASA is less than 1% of the US budget. While many resources are spent on what seems like a small return, the exploration of space has always allowed for new resources to be created. Also, we need to consider the fact that exploring space is a project that has brought together many nations. “But if no one sees the Moon, Mars and the now mostly constructed International Space Station as baby steps toward the exploration of space on a grander scale, then in the long run such UN etc. intervention