Argumentative Essay: Is Space Exploration Worth It?
Is Space Exploration Worth It?
Space, the final frontier. We are born with an elemental eagerness to make the unknown known, to discover the undiscovered. Since ancient times, we have ventured far and wide. That inexorable vigor has perhaps become humanity’s greatest virtue. And so then, the question is, are we done? We have explored the extremities of our planet, and space is mankind’s next giant leap. Therefore, we must wonder, is it worth it? Is exploring the infinite stretch of space worth our effort and our time?
Humans have had the fortunately unfortunate burst of technology, innovation and knowledge all in an incredibly short span of time. For thousands of years, we remained almost entirely primitive, and so, this dramatic shift in …show more content…
Space exploration is not only expensive, but difficult; it is more challenging than the hardiest of our troubles. The colloquial phrase: “it’s not rocket science,” is no misnomer. Even if NASA and other space agencies have the necessary resources to fund their research, they will hit the next mantle head on. It is time we discuss the scientific and environmental lenses.
The best place to begin would be to explore the engineering technicalities. Space exploration has a multitude of issues in this area. The weight of the spacecraft and the cost of sending materials into space is astronomical; for each kilogram of payload and spacecraft itself, it costs $10,000 and $22 000, respectively (“Paving the Highway to Space”). The reusability, or lack thereof, also poses another obstacle. As of now, we have yet to create even one fully reusable space shuttle (“Reusability”), but it has the potential to reduce costs “[by] as much as a factor of a hundred.” …show more content…
To put it briefly, think of the ozone as the peel of an orange, and as the layer becomes feebler, consequently, it becomes more susceptible to damage. Since there are many future rocket launches planned – for longer durations of time, and with a greater frequency, a deeper understanding of the effect that rocket launches have is needed. Currently, only by a few hundredths of one percent, do global rocket launches deplete the ozone layer (Ross). However, this figure is expected to exacerbate with the increase in space exploration. A single radical (highly reactive trace-molecule) can decimate upwards of 10,000 ozone molecules (Ross).
Outside the Earth, just as intriguing a process is occurring: the orbiting of a copious amount of debris around Earth. The NASA Orbital Debris Program Office defines debris as “all man-made objects in orbit about the Earth, which no longer serve a useful purpose.” Examples of such, include: decrepit fragments of spacecraft, upper stages of launch vehicles, debris created as a result of explosions or collisions and solid rocket motor
Space, the final frontier. We are born with an elemental eagerness to make the unknown known, to discover the undiscovered. Since ancient times, we have ventured far and wide. That inexorable vigor has perhaps become humanity’s greatest virtue. And so then, the question is, are we done? We have explored the extremities of our planet, and space is mankind’s next giant leap. Therefore, we must wonder, is it worth it? Is exploring the infinite stretch of space worth our effort and our time?
Humans have had the fortunately unfortunate burst of technology, innovation and knowledge all in an incredibly short span of time. For thousands of years, we remained almost entirely primitive, and so, this dramatic shift in …show more content…
Space exploration is not only expensive, but difficult; it is more challenging than the hardiest of our troubles. The colloquial phrase: “it’s not rocket science,” is no misnomer. Even if NASA and other space agencies have the necessary resources to fund their research, they will hit the next mantle head on. It is time we discuss the scientific and environmental lenses.
The best place to begin would be to explore the engineering technicalities. Space exploration has a multitude of issues in this area. The weight of the spacecraft and the cost of sending materials into space is astronomical; for each kilogram of payload and spacecraft itself, it costs $10,000 and $22 000, respectively (“Paving the Highway to Space”). The reusability, or lack thereof, also poses another obstacle. As of now, we have yet to create even one fully reusable space shuttle (“Reusability”), but it has the potential to reduce costs “[by] as much as a factor of a hundred.” …show more content…
To put it briefly, think of the ozone as the peel of an orange, and as the layer becomes feebler, consequently, it becomes more susceptible to damage. Since there are many future rocket launches planned – for longer durations of time, and with a greater frequency, a deeper understanding of the effect that rocket launches have is needed. Currently, only by a few hundredths of one percent, do global rocket launches deplete the ozone layer (Ross). However, this figure is expected to exacerbate with the increase in space exploration. A single radical (highly reactive trace-molecule) can decimate upwards of 10,000 ozone molecules (Ross).
Outside the Earth, just as intriguing a process is occurring: the orbiting of a copious amount of debris around Earth. The NASA Orbital Debris Program Office defines debris as “all man-made objects in orbit about the Earth, which no longer serve a useful purpose.” Examples of such, include: decrepit fragments of spacecraft, upper stages of launch vehicles, debris created as a result of explosions or collisions and solid rocket motor