ACCENT JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS ECOLOGY & ENGINEERING
Peer Reviewed and Refereed Journal IMPACT FACTOR: 2.104ISSN: 2456-1037 (INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL) Vol.04,Special Issue 02, 13th Conference (ICOSD) February 2019, Available Online: www.ajeee.co.in/index.php/AJEEE
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IS SPACE EXPLORATION REALLY NECESSARY?
Arshma Anwar (Student, B.Ed. II Year) Om Kothari Institute of Teacher’s Training, KOTA
Abstract- The paper seeks to answer the question raised: Is space exploration really necessary? Some people consider spending too much money on space exploration less important over other problems like poverty, malnourishment, unemployment, global warming etc. and uncertainty in successful completion of space venture gives extra weightage to their concerns. But if one get to know the advantages of space program, all their objections and concerns will end. The knowledge we acquire from such expeditions is the most valuable thing. It has gifted us many medical facilities and technologies. Exploring other planets for life (presently MARS for this purpose) could resolve population problem.
Along with space is also a huge reservoir of natural resources. All we need to find a way to bring them to the Earth. As human we are great explorers in this world. Whatever development we have made since the Old Stone Age, it is all due to our exploring characteristic and most of all this space program gives us hope for better future and better life.
Key Words: -Space, exploration, technologies, natural resources, explorers 1 INTRODUCTION
“The outer world, the area which surrounds the planets and stars, where there is no oxygen, no any other gases (i.e. vacuum) is known as space.” Space exploration is all about understanding the outer world. What’s happening in our solar system? To know about the Sun and energies coming from it. What mechanism is taking place in space and to discover if there is something for humankind?
We all know the fact that science has made our lives easier, but still question of spending millions and billions of dollars on space exploration is kept rising. Some people find it very expensive and unnecessary. As there are many people around the world who have nothing to eat, who have no shelter, no clothes to wear and rather than helping those we are spending more and more money on exploring other planets like Moon, Mars. Isn’t it unfair?
Today, world’s leading countries give a lot of priority to space exploration and research. First, we sent rockets, satellites into the space to orbit around the earth and now we have been exploring other planets (like MARS) for life.
According to Wikipedia budgets of different space agencies-
Agency (country) Budget (in millions
of US $)
NASA (USA) 19,500
CNSA (China) 11,000
ROSCOSMOS (Russia) 3,272
CNES (France) 2,600
JAXA (Japan) 2,030
ISRO (India) 1,500
Humankind is struggling with so many problems like poverty, increasing population, global warming, undeveloped countries, unemployment, corruption, malnourishment and many more. In such situations spending that large amount on space exploration is questionable for some people.
Is space exploration really necessary over above mentioned problems? What are the benefits of the space programs? We will discuss its advantages in detail. I hope this paper will be helpful to you for understanding the necessity of space exploration very well.
Here are following reasons which support such expenditure on space program-
1. Encourage Medical Research: - The international space station (ISS) has become a perfect place for some specific medical researches which can only be done under weightlessness condition (i.e. no gravity). These researches could cure many diseases and ensure healthy human lives. Following are some of the milestones achieved in space research-
ACCENT JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS ECOLOGY & ENGINEERING
Peer Reviewed and Refereed Journal IMPACT FACTOR: 2.104ISSN: 2456-1037 (INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL) Vol.04,Special Issue 02, 13th Conference (ICOSD) February 2019, Available Online: www.ajeee.co.in/index.php/AJEEE
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Digital imaging breast biopsy system
Breast cancer detection
Laser angioplasty
Programmable pacemaker
Water purification system
Voice controlled wheel chair
Ultra sound skin damage assessment and many more.
So we can say that space exploration could save our lives.
2. Technologies: - Knowledge acquired during space programs has helped us creating so many technologies that have made our lives easier.
Scientists worked very hard to create cameras small enough with high quality to fit on spacecraft which are later being used in almost all leading mobile phones. Similarly scratch resistant lenses, LEDs, athletic shoes, water purification systems, air thermometers, wireless headsets, freeze dried food, artificial limbs, portable computers, etc. are some of the technologies which have been invented for ease of space programs that now have made our lives better. We couldn’t have GPS navigation system, accurate weather forecasting system which alerts us before any natural disaster like tsunami, earthquake, flood, etc.
without space exploration programs.
3. It could reduce population problem: - Currently the Earth’s population is about seven billion.
We are facing the problem of large population on our planet Earth. If something like asteroid impact happened to earth, humans could be extinct. Exploring other planets (presently MARS for this purpose) to relocate humans could solve population problem and in future if something happens to earth, the human species will survive on another planet.
4. Space resources: - We are using the Earth’s natural resources very
quickly. Out in space there are asteroids, other minor planets and some other “near-earth objects”, which are full of natural resources like gold, iridium, silver, osmium, palladium, platinum, iron, tungsten, etc. Scientists and some startups are trying their best to find a way of mining them and bring them to our planet Earth. If they succeed, problem of extreme exploitation of natural resources and minerals could be resolved.
5. We humans are born explorers:- One of the most important reasons of continuing space exploration is
“WE ARE BORN EXPLORERS”. What if our European ancestors did not dare to explore the new world on wooden ships? People who consider space exploration as expensive and unnecessary, think about that only for once.
Some people suggest this money could be used to reduce unemployment. I want to tell them if we shut down the space program, then all jobs related to it will be vanished leaving science graduates unemployed and creating jobs at one place by reducing from another place can’t be the solution of unemployment.
2 CONCLUSIONS
Space exploration is really necessary for humankind. Today we have internet, strong communication system, weather forecasting system, many medical facilities and technologies, T.V. and radio broadcast, etc. We can go anywhere by using GPS only because of the satellites which are orbiting around the Earth and it’s not like that we are exploring space just for curiosity. It is being done for making human lives easier and better.
The technologies which have been developed for ease of space programs now have made our lives easier and most of all space exploration gives us HOPE FOR BETTER FUTURE.
