In the next few years, the United States plans to launch a manned spaceship to Mars to establish a human colony there. While some observers argue that such a mission is necessary for human knowledge to advance, others fear that the costs of such a mission are too high or that it may not even be possible with our present technology. Do you think this is a wise course of action or not?
Write a letter to the President of the United States that expresses your opinion of whether the United States should proceed with this course of action.
Important facts that may be relevant to your argument:
The United States has sent several unmanned missions to Mars. With our present technology, it takes approximately nine months to reach Mars. The estimated cost of a manned mission to Mars is approximately 20 billion dollars.
Mars is about the same size as Earth (a little smaller). Its atmosphere contains no oxygen. It does, however, contain carbon dioxide.
There is no liquid water on Mars today. However, there is abundant frozen water (ice) on the planet's surface. There is also evidence that the surface of Mars once contained oceans of water.
It is currently unknown if Mars ever supported life.
As your write, remember your essay will be scored based on how well you:
develop a multi-paragraph response to the assigned topic that clearly communicates your thesis to the audience. support your thesis with meaningful reasons and sufficient details. address the readers' concerns, opposing viewpoints, or counterarguments. organize your essay in a clear and logical manner, including an introduction, body, and conclusion. use well-constructed sentences and language that are appropriate for your audience. edit your work to conform to the conventions of standard American English.
Use any of the tools available to you, such as the Checklist, Spellchecker, or Graphic