Space Exploration
Is the United States Wasting Our Money in Space or Would it be Better Used at Home?
ENG 122 English Composition II
Mar 10, 2013
Is the United States Wasting Our Money in Space or Would it be Better Used at Home?
While some may believe that space exploration funding could be better used to solve some of the issues on earth, the United States should continue to fund space exploration. The things learned from space exploration will help further scientific and medical research to find cures for diseases, space exploration also provides jobs and helps to increase the economy in some areas, and some of the products developed for space can help improve how we live on earth. By funding space exploration, the United States is able to solve more of the earth’s problems than if the money were spent in other areas. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the organization in the United States that is responsible for conducting space exploration. The United States Congress established NASA in 1958; it requires the agency to share information about its research. This allows NASA to work with both other government agencies and business to develop products for commercial use. ( Brinson, L 2011). People may believe that funding spent by the NASA on space exploration could be used in a better way. But space exploration has provided us with numerous medical benefits. “Who would have thought that analyzing fluid flow around a Space Shuttle engine would help create a tiny heart pump?” (Knight, M. & Lorie, A 2009). The engineers working on the space shuttle’s engines did not set out to design any type of medical equipment. But they worked with Dr Michael DeBarey in 1995 and were able to develop an artificial heart pump. The LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device) is based on the space shuttle’s fuel pumps. ( Brinson, L 2011). This is a good example of how research done for space exploration can be a benefit to mankind. These artificial
ENG 122 English Composition II
Mar 10, 2013
Is the United States Wasting Our Money in Space or Would it be Better Used at Home?
While some may believe that space exploration funding could be better used to solve some of the issues on earth, the United States should continue to fund space exploration. The things learned from space exploration will help further scientific and medical research to find cures for diseases, space exploration also provides jobs and helps to increase the economy in some areas, and some of the products developed for space can help improve how we live on earth. By funding space exploration, the United States is able to solve more of the earth’s problems than if the money were spent in other areas. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the organization in the United States that is responsible for conducting space exploration. The United States Congress established NASA in 1958; it requires the agency to share information about its research. This allows NASA to work with both other government agencies and business to develop products for commercial use. ( Brinson, L 2011). People may believe that funding spent by the NASA on space exploration could be used in a better way. But space exploration has provided us with numerous medical benefits. “Who would have thought that analyzing fluid flow around a Space Shuttle engine would help create a tiny heart pump?” (Knight, M. & Lorie, A 2009). The engineers working on the space shuttle’s engines did not set out to design any type of medical equipment. But they worked with Dr Michael DeBarey in 1995 and were able to develop an artificial heart pump. The LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device) is based on the space shuttle’s fuel pumps. ( Brinson, L 2011). This is a good example of how research done for space exploration can be a benefit to mankind. These artificial
References: Jones, T. (2003, Feb 13). To John Glenn, rewards of space exploration worth risks. Knight Ridder Tribune News Service Geisler, E. (2003, Feb 04). Space program benefits us all; it would be foolish to pull back from space exploration. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/419632385?accountid=32521 Knight, M CNN Heath.com. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/07/14/space.spinoff.medicine/index.html#cnnSTCText Boen, B (2012, Mar 02) Schnee, J (1983), The Economic Impacts of the U.S. Space Program. NASA website. http://er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/social.html Smith, J (2007) CNN Living. Retrieved from http://articles.cnn.com/2007-10-04/living/nasa.everyday_1_detectors-tires-nasa?_s=PM:LIVING Brinson, L (2011), What breakthroughs in medicine came from NASA? HowStuffWorks.com Majors, D (2009), From cell phones to computers, technology from NASA 's space program continues to touch everyday life Post-Gazette.com