is space exploration worthwhile essay

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Space exploration pros and cons: Are space programs a waste of money?

Source: Image : ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA  

Space exploration is a hugely expensive affair. Should we spend money on space exploration when we have so many problems on planet Earth? We debate the pros and cons of space exploration and the reasons for investing in space agencies and programs. 

Should we spend money on space exploration?

The launch of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket into has brought back media attention to space exploration . Elton Musk's private aerospace company is in the process of becoming a major player and a partner for many space programs. However, most of the efforts to discover whats out still depend mostly on public funding. 

Space exploration is costly, and many argue that in times of belt-tightening, we should focus on solving problems here on Earth, especially since the knowledge gained from space exploration has few immediate benefits. On the other hand, pronponents of space exploration argue that the knowledge to be gained is invaluable, and that it is in the very nature of humankind to explore. In addition, proponents of these programs argue that they have had significant benefits and resulted in the discovery or popularisation of many useful new technologies . Furthermore, space exploration could be the only way to escape  human extinction in case living conditions become unsustainable on Earth.

Today there are six big government space agencies with the capacity to create, launch and recover satellites: the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA ), Russian Federal Space Agency ( Roscosmos or RFSA),the China National Space Administration ( CNSA ), the Indian Space Research Organisation ( ISRO ),  the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ( JAXA ) and the European Space Agency ( ESA ) which integrates several European space agencies. Among them only NASA, ROSCOSMOS and CNSA have full capacity for human spaceflights and lunar soft-landing.  In addtition to these there are many other government space agencies with variable capabilities, most of them have only the capacity to operate satellites, a few of them also have launch capabilities and can operate extraterrestrial probes. Some of these space agencies are competing to be the first to send humans to Mars  and investigating if there is intelligent life on other planets .

These space programs and agencies are very costly. It is estimated that the total annual budget of space agencies is $41.8 billion. Among them the highest budgets correspond to:

• NASA (USA, $19.3 billion)
• Roscosmos (Russia, $5.6 billion) 
• ESA (Europe, $5.5 billion)
• CNES (France, $2.5 billion)
• JAXA (Japan, $2.5 billion)
• DLR (Germany, $2 billion)
• ASI (Italy, $1.8 billion)
• CNSA (China, $1.8 billion)
• ISRO (India, $1.2 billion)

Are all these costs justfified? Are there better ways to spend public funding? Should we mainly rely on private investors such as Elton Musk to promote space expliration? Will capitalistic incentives lead the way towards space exploration? In order to help make up your mind we outline next the most important benefits and problems of space exploration.

Space exploration pros and cons

• Knowledge generation.  Thanks to space exploration programs we are discovering many things that help us understand the universe. For instance, learning about planets, comets, stars, etc. can help us find solutions for some of the problems our civilization will face, such as overopulation  and the need to colonize other planets.
• Exploration and discovery are beneficial. Humans have always engaged in exploration to satisfy their sense of curiosity and look for opportunities. During the Age of Discoveries in the 15th and 16th centuries, countries such as Spain and Portugal heavily invested in expeditions, but thanks to them they became super-powers and gained many riches. Later, during the second age of explorations in the 18th and 19th century, the discoveries of pioneers such as Captain Cook or Livingstone heavily contributed to scientific discovery.
• Artificial satellites are crucial tools in modern society. For instance they are used for defence purposes and to fight against terrorism. Satellites help us also monitor the effects of global warming  and detect wildfires. Space agencies are necessary to operate satellites.
• Scientific advancement and by-products. Space exploration programs help introduce and test new technologies. Much of the research carried out to find solutions for space travel have applications elsewhere. For instance NASA research has contributed to develop velcro, fire-resistant materials, medical devices to relieve muscle and joint pain, new precise thermometers, artificial limbs, new air conditioning systems, land mine removal systems, improved radial tires, etc. 
• Space race may save humanity. Life on Earth may be threatened by climate change, pollution, depletion of resources, infectious diseases or nuclear war. Further, space exploration is necessary to find another planet on which humans could pursue their lives. Space programs help also find solutions to adapt human lives to the space or other planets.
• Space industry jobs. The space industry employs directly about 120,000 people in the OECD countries and 250,000 in Russia.
• Few direct benefits to space exploration . True, space technology has helped us launch satellites and introduce many useful products, but do we need to keep pushing forward? The direct intellectual gains from learning about far away planets or satellites such as the moon can hardly compensate the costs. Historical exploration on Earth allowed collect and trade resources. Bringing resources to Earth is not possible with the current technology.
• Space travel is hazardous.  Many lives have been lost in space expeditions. Space missions are very dangerous and can often cost lives and stress to the families of the astronauts or cosmonauts. Should highly qualified professionals and scientists risk their lives traveling outside Earth? 
• Failure is common. Many of the space exploration fail. Probes and satellites crash, exploration robots are lost, rockets blow up in the air, etc. It is frustrating to see how so much money and time are wasted in unsuccessful missions.
• Danger of establishing contact with alien life. One of the main goals of space exploration is to find out if there is life outside Earth. However, establishing contact with other civilizations can be extremely dangerous and could jeopardize human life. If we flag our existence to technologically advanced extraterrestrial civilizations, we may be somehow exposing ourselves to their attacks and invasion. The wanna-be colonizers could be colonized. Primitive life-forms such as virus and bacteria could also provoke epidemic diseases.
• New source of international tensions. The space race is not over. There is a growing international competition to be the first in fulfilling some challenges in space exploration. Sovereignty over other planets and satellites, and over their resources, will become a controversial issue. With the advancement of technology domination of the outer space may tip the balance of power on a bipolar or multipolar Earth.
• Priorities and opportunity costs.  Even if there are benefits to space exploration, spending so much money and effort in reaching other planets is highly questionable. That money and brain power could be used to solve other more important problems for us. For instance governments could invest much more to prevent global warming, reduce crime rates and find a cure for cancer or Alzheimer's Disease.

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Why go to space.

The reasons to explore the universe are as vast and varied as the reasons to explore the forests, the mountains, or the sea. Since the dawn of humanity, people have explored to learn about the world around them, find new resources, and improve their existence.

Why We Go to Space

At NASA, we explore the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all, creating new opportunities and inspiring the world through discovery.

NASA’s exploration vision is anchored in providing value for humanity by answering some of the most fundamental questions: Why are we here? How did it all begin? Are we all alone? What comes next? And, as an addendum to that: How can we make our lives better?

NASA was created more than half a century ago to begin answering some of these questions. Since then, space exploration has been one of the most unifying, borderless human endeavors to date. An international partnership of five space agencies from 15 countries operates the International Space Station, and two dozen countries have signed the Artemis Accords, signaling their commitment to shared values for long-term human exploration and research at the Moon. Through space exploration, we gain a new perspective to study Earth and the solar system. We advance new technologies that improve our daily lives, and we inspire a new generation of artists, thinkers, tinkerers, engineers, and scientists.  

Benefits to Humanity

Space exploration unites the world to inspire the next generation, make ground-breaking discoveries, and create new opportunities.

Technologies and missions we develop for human spaceflight have thousands of applications on Earth, boosting the economy, creating new career paths, and advancing everyday technologies all around us.

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Benefits to Science

The pursuit of discovery drives NASA to develop missions that teach us about Earth, the solar system, and the universe around us.

Science at NASA answers questions as practical as hurricane formation, as enticing as the prospect of lunar resources, as surprising as behavior in weightlessness, and as profound as the origin of the Universe.

Unite with us on our journey to explore.

Discover More Topics From NASA

AIR & SPACE MAGAZINE

The real reasons we explore space.

Ambition, curiosity, and a reason the NASA Administrator admits has nothing to do with economic benefit.

Michael Griffin

I am convinced that if NASA were to disappear tomorrow, if we never put up another Hubble Space Telescope, never put another human being in space, people in this country would be profoundly distraught. Americans would feel that we had lost something that matters, that our best days were behind us, and they would feel themselves somehow diminished. Yet I think most would be unable to say why.

There are many good reasons to continue to explore space, which most Americans have undoubtedly heard. Some have been debated in public policy circles and evaluated on the basis of financial investment. In announcing his commitment to send the country back to the moon and, later, on to Mars, President Bush quite correctly said that we do it for purposes of scientific discovery, economic benefit, and national security. I’ve given speeches on each of those topics, and these reasons can be clearly shown to be true. And presidential science advisor Jack Marburger has said that questions about space exploration come down to whether we want to bring the solar system within mankind’s sphere of economic influence. I think that is extraordinarily well put.

But these are not reasons that would make Americans miss our space program. They are merely the reasons we are most comfortable discussing. I think of them as “acceptable reasons” because they can be logically defended. When we contemplate committing large sums of money to a project, we tend to dismiss reasons that are emotional or value-driven or can’t be captured on a spreadsheet. But in space exploration those are the reasons—what I think of as “real reasons”—that are the most important.

When Charles Lindbergh was asked why he crossed the Atlantic, he never once answered that he wanted to win the $25,000 that New York City hotel owner Raymond Orteig offered for the first nonstop aircraft flight between New York and Paris. Burt Rutan and his backer, Paul Allen, certainly didn’t develop a private spacecraft to win the Ansari X-Prize for the $10 million in prize money. They spent twice as much as they made. Sergei Korolev and the team that launched Sputnik were not tasked by their government to be the first to launch an artificial satellite; they had to fight for the honor and the resources to do it.

I think we all know why people strive to accomplish such things. They do so for reasons that are intuitive and compelling to all of us but that are not necessarily logical. They’re exactly the opposite of acceptable reasons, which are eminently logical but neither intuitive nor emotionally compelling.

First, most of us want to be, both as individuals and as societies, the first or the best in some activity. We want to stand out. This behavior is rooted in our genes. We are today the descendants of people who survived by outperforming others. Without question that drive can be carried to an unhealthy extreme; we’ve all seen more wars than we like. But just because the trait can be taken too far doesn’t mean that we can do without it completely.

A second reason is curiosity. Who among us has not had the urge to know what’s over the next hill? What child has not been drawn to explore beyond the familiar streets of the neighborhood?

Finally, we humans have, since the earliest civilizations, built monuments. We want to leave something behind to show the next generation, or the generations after that, what we did with our time here. This is the impulse behind cathedrals and pyramids, art galleries and museums.

Cathedral builders would understand what I mean by real reasons. The monuments they erected to the awe and mystery of their God required a far greater percentage of their gross domestic product than we will ever put into the space business, but we look back across 600 or 800 years of time, and we are still awed by what the builders accomplished. Those buildings, therefore, also stand as monuments to the builders.

The return the cathedral builders made on their investment could not have been summarized in a cost/benefit analysis. They began to develop civil engineering, the core discipline for any society if it wishes to have anything more than thatched huts. They gained societal advantages that were probably even more important than learning how to build walls and roofs. For example, they learned to embrace deferred gratification, not just on an individual level, where it is a crucial element of maturity, but on a societal level, where it is equally vital. The people who started the cathedrals didn’t live to finish them. The society as a whole had to be dedicated to the completion of those projects. We owe Western civilization as we know it today to that kind of thinking: the ability to have a constancy of purpose across years and decades.

It is my contention that the products of our space program are today’s cathedrals. The space program satisfies the desire to compete, but in a safe and productive manner, rather than in a harmful one. It speaks abundantly to our sense of human curiosity, of wonder and awe at the unknown. Who can watch people assembling the greatest engineering project in the history of mankind—the International Space Station—and not wonder at the ability of people to conceive and to execute the project? And it also addresses our need for leaving something for future generations.

Of course the space program also addresses the acceptable reasons, and in the end this is imperative. Societies will not succeed in the long run if they place their resources and their efforts in enterprises that, for whatever reason, don’t provide concrete value. But I believe that projects done for the real reasons that motivate humans also serve the acceptable reasons. In that sense, the value of space exploration really is in its spinoffs, as many have argued. But it’s not in spinoffs like Teflon and Tang and Velcro, as the public is so often told—and which in fact did not come from the space program. And it’s not in spinoffs in the form of better heart monitors or cheaper prices for liquid oxygen for hospitals, although the space program’s huge demand for liquid oxygen spurred fundamental improvements in the production and handling of this volatile substance. The real spinoffs are, just as they were for cathedral builders, more fundamental.

Anyone who wants to build spacecraft, who wants to be a subcontractor, or who even wants to supply bolts and screws to the space industry must work to a higher level of precision than human beings had to do before the space industry came along. And that standard has influenced our entire industrial base, and therefore our economy.

As for national security, what is the value to the United States of being involved in enterprises which lift up human hearts everywhere? What is the value to the United States of being a leader in such efforts, in projects in which every technologically capable nation wants to take part? The greatest strategy for national security, more effective than having better guns and bombs than everyone else, is being a nation that does the kinds of things that make others want to do them with us.

What do you have to do, how do you have to behave, to do space projects? You have to value hard work. You have to live by excellence, or die from the lack of it. You have to understand and practice both leadership and followership. You have to build partnerships; leaders need partners and allies, as well as followers.

You have to accept the challenge of the unknown, knowing that you might fail, and to do so not without fear but with mastery of fear and a determination to go anyway. You have to defer gratification because we work on things that not all of us will live to see—and we know it.

We now believe that 95 percent of the universe consists of dark energy or dark matter, terms for things that we as yet know nothing about. Is it even conceivable that one day we won’t learn to harness them? As cavemen learned to harness fire, as people two centuries ago learned to harness electricity, we will learn to harness these new things. It was just a few years ago that we confirmed the existence of dark matter, and we would not have done so without the space program. What is the value of knowledge like that? I cannot begin to guess. A thousand years from now there will be human beings who don’t have to guess; they will know, and they will know we gave this to them.

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Planetary Video

Is space exploration worth the money?

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This video is for anyone who has ever asked: "Should we really be spending money on space when there are problems to deal with down here on Earth?” Let's dig in to several reasons why space exploration is worth our money.

Why space exploration is always worthwhile

A toolkit to help you advocate for the value of exploring space even when there are important problems to be solved here on Earth.

Maybe you've heard something like this before: “Should we really be wasting money on space when there are problems to deal with down here on Earth?” It's a good question. So is space exploration really worth it?

With issues like global public health concerns, social injustices, climate change and other urgent topics it may seem like exploring space is a misuse of our funding. While it is important to address these issues, solving these problems doesn't depend on defunding space programs. Here's why.

First, space research isn't as expensive as you might think. Many people think NASA takes up a quarter of the U.S. federal budget, but in fact, NASA's entire budget is about 0.5% of the total budget. In other countries, space budgets are even smaller.

And spending on space pays off. The money that governments spend on space programs positively impacts their economies. It supports highly skilled jobs, fuels technology, advancements and creates business opportunities that feed back into the economy. This, in turn, grows the pool of public money that can be spent on solving the world's most pressing problems.

Which brings us to the next point. Space research directly impacts earthly problems. As we humans apply ourselves to the challenges of exploring space we make discoveries that can help the whole world. Figuring out how we might grow food on Mars can help us grow food in extreme conditions here on Earth, which could help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Medical research on the International Space Station helps us understand the human body in new ways, helping save lives and improve the quality of life for all of us.

And, of course, all the social and environmental progress in the world won't help us if an asteroid impacts the Earth. We have to explore space to find and study asteroids and comets to make sure we can defend our planet if an object ever heads our way.

And then there are benefits that are difficult to put a price tag on. Comprehending the cosmos gives us all a powerful shift in our perspective. Studying other worlds makes it clear that Earth is a precious oasis for life. This cosmic perspective underscores the importance of protecting our planet's habitability and encourages investment in that effort.

On top of all of that, space is inspiring. We may not all get to be astronauts, but to be inspired, to aim for something so grand gives us all drive. Children are motivated to learn science, engineering, medicine, or other fields that benefit humanity. When we marvel at the beauty of Jupiter's clouds or the mystery of the oceans, on Enceladus, we get an opportunity to appreciate the wonder and majesty of this cosmos that we inhabit. The idea that life might exist elsewhere in the universe reminds us that we might not be the only planet struggling to achieve balance, justice and sustainability.

There's no denying that there are many important issues facing humanity that need fixing. But to deal with those problems doesn't mean we have to stop looking up, stop exploring, and stop making discoveries. We can and must do more than one important thing at a time. Because even in the bleakest of times, there's something beautiful about still striving to achieve something great and discover something that could change how we see ourselves and our cosmos forever.

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The duel: Is space exploration worth it?

Yes—Marcus Chown

Paradoxically, space exploration teaches us about the Earth. And the things that we learn are arguably priceless because they are crucial to our survival.

The critical point is that other planets show us what the Earth would be like if things were different. So, for instance, we can see what the Earth would be like if it were smaller or larger, hotter or colder, if it had a different atmosphere, and so on.

Venus is Earth’s twin in terms of its mass. Yet when space probes visited the planet in the 1960s, they discovered that Venus is actually Hell. Beneath impenetrable sulphuric acid clouds is a surface hot enough to melt lead, and a crushing atmosphere 100 times thicker than the Earth’s. What has happened on Venus is that carbon dioxide, which on Earth is locked up in chalk cliffs, has seeped out into the atmosphere, creating runaway greenhouse warming.

Mars, by contrast, warned us of the danger of catastrophic cooling. When Nasa’s Mariner 9 space probe arrived in 1971, it sent back pictures of an enormous dust storm, reflecting sunlight back into space and dramatically cooling the planet. This caused Mariner 9 scientist Carl Sagan and others to realise that a terrestrial nuclear war would pump smoke from burning debris into the stratosphere and plunge Earth into a devastating nuclear winter.

But not all space insights are so prosaic. The Apollo 8 photograph of the Earth rising above the Moon taken on Christmas Eve 1968 is widely credited with galvanising the environmental movement, burning into our collective consciousness an indelible image of our tiny fragile home lost in the infinite blackness of space.

No—Deirdre Nansen McCloskey

If Elon Musk wants to wander into space at his own risk and expense, great. You can have no more objection to that than to a grocer wanting to stock a new product on her shelves. It may not work out. Hope it does. No sensible economist would want to stop either of them. Trial and error is at the heart of what’s usually called capitalism.

But when the issue is whether “we” should pay for it, I say “no.” Ask what else we should be doing. A bridge to nowhere is a worse use of resources than a bridge to somewhere. Near space is one thing: communications satellites have quickly become commercial enterprises. But in the present state of science and engineering, it’s crazily premature to send rockets into deep space on exploratory missions. Sending people instead of scientific instruments is especially crazy—“Spam in a can,” as the early astronauts described themselves. In two centuries it will be easy to send people to Mars. Now, it is a waste of time and money.

Engineers are trained to be hard-headed about such matters. Is the game worth the candle? Look at the benefits, yes, but also the costs. But space engineers get weepy-eyed and romantic when they speak of the high frontier. They fail to carry out proper cost-benefit calculations.

“In the present state it is crazily premature to send rockets into deep space”

The practice is known to economists as the “Tang Fallacy.” Tang was a horrible faux-orange drink made from a powder to which you added water. It was touted as a spin-off from the space programme (poor astronauts!), which implied Nasa was transforming our daily lives. In reality there was no link. And of course we never saw what technologies might have arrived had ordinary people had that money to innovate with instead of it being wasted on moonshots. Yet High-Frontier romantics try to persuade us to give them trillions by adding Tang to the wonderful benefits of space exploration that we have enjoyed. Let’s not.

Yes— Putting aside the fact that wider knowledge of the cosmos has already alerted us to existential threats to our planet such as catastrophic greenhouse warming, space ventures have provided us with all kinds of things that have benefitted humanity, such as global satellite communication systems and the ability to predict and track hurricanes and forest fires.

Even if the premise is accepted that there are better things to spend money on than space exploration, the question arises: is this really likely to happen? The UK government recently cut foreign aid, in effect arguing “We should spend the money on our own.” But does anyone seriously think that any money saved—whether from axing aid or abandoning space programmes—will be diverted to alleviate child poverty or make food banks unnecessary in the UK?

Human space exploration is, of course, a different kettle of fish to robotic space exploration. For a start, it is a lot more expensive. However, there are things humans can do—like react to unforeseen events—which machines cannot. Maybe AI will be able to do this in the future. But can we wait 200 years? If people had waited until the advent of passenger jets, the world may never have been explored. Technologies build on each other. No castle was ever built without the foundations being laid down first.

Mars once had oceans and rivers and, very likely, simple life. But that has now all gone. “If we are interested in Mars at all,” wrote Ray Bradbury. “It is only because we wonder over our past and worry about our possible future.”

No— You know as much about economics and history as I know about quantum mechanics. But we share a hero, the great physicist Richard Feynman, with whom you studied and whose every book down to his essays on calculation I have tried to study. One of the many things notable about Feynman, you will agree, is that he always asked: How Much? He was never satisfied, to put it technically, with “existence theorems,” such as “There exists a low temperature at which the seals on the Challenger rocket will become brittle,” or in the present case: “There exists something we can learn from deep space.” Feynman would ask How Much.

The refined common sense called economics also asks How Much. You will have none of it. You wave at “all kinds of things that have benefitted humanity,” without looking into costs. In the end you revert to a chorus of praise to the high frontier, on the authority of that learned economist (actually, fantasy author) Ray Bradbury.

I reckon that the rest of us, who pay for this stuff with the pound in our pocket, should question your disdain for vulgar cost considerations. If someone wants to run a private Nasa, good for them. I am enthusiastic about the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake. To quote the poet Wallace Stevens, the “blessed rage for order” does make us human.

But as a society taking practical steps, we need to wait and ask How Much. The jet engine was invented for urgent purposes of war, then it spilled over into commerce. When it was profitable. The Anglo-French Concorde, by contrast, financed with taxpayers’ money, and run by engineers and especially politicians entranced by the high frontier, never justified its cost. It was premature.

Let’s be adult and prudent.

Yes— I am so pleased to discover we share an admiration for Richard Feynman! His nod to pragmatism was always to ask “What can I calculate?” But “What does it cost?” is also characteristic of his nuts-and-bolts view of the world. The cost of space exploration is high, but is nevertheless a small fraction of what the world spends on weapons, which even in 2014 was estimated by the Stockholm International Peace Institute to be $1.8 trillion a year.

But since this is my last contribution, I will venture even further into what you will consider the unworldly. In addition to the tangible benefits of space exploration such as communications and meteorological satellites, there are intangible benefits. How do you put a price on scientific knowledge, inspiration or the expansion of our frontiers?

“What if there had been no Columbus, Shackleton or Scott?”

Space exploration in its widest sense has revealed our place in space and time. Not only do we have a good idea of the extent and content of the universe—we can see all the way to the “light horizon” that forms the boundary of the observable cosmos and count up to two trillion or so galaxies like our Milky Way—but we have a good idea of where it all came from. It burst into being 13.82bn years ago, in a gigantic explosion called the Big Bang.

The big questions remain: are we alone? Is ours the only biology? And that is what the robotic missions to Mars are about. All these intangibles are impossible to cost, and I’ll end with another: what would have happened had there been no Columbus, Shackleton or Scott? In the words of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky: “The Earth is the cradle of humanity, but mankind cannot stay in the cradle forever.”

No— Feynman would have understood that showing space flight is cheaper than an even more foolish expenditure is irrelevant. The drunk justifies his smoking habit by saying: “Well, it costs less than what I spend on booze.” The relevant test is benefit relative to cost. The benefits of near space flight pass the test. How do we know? Private companies are willing to put up satellites. Deep space, and at any altitude human flight, do not pass.

I am very willing to consider the sacred, not only the profane. But we need to get our factual claims about the sacred straight. One can’t just wave at it from afar. “Space exploration in its widest sense has revealed our place in space and time.” No it hasn’t. Telescopes have, from Galileo to Fred Hubble and beyond. The Hubble Space Telescope, corrective specs and all, is in near orbit, not deep space. The lovely photos from Nasa’s journeys out into the solar system are falsely colourised, especially those of remoter objects. Looked at coolly—back to the profane—it’s a PR stunt to extract more trillions.

As to Scott, he was a disastrous idiot. What would have happened without him? Within a few years we could fly to both poles. It beats sled dogs. That’s the point: waiting is prudent on these high frontiers.

11 Pros and Cons of Space Exploration

We’ve put boots on the moon. There are plans in the works to put boots on Mars in this generation. Small spacecraft, such as Voyager 1, have traveled more than 138 AU from our planet since launching, with the goal of discovering what interstellar space may have in store. The pros and cons of space exploration let us explore the final frontier that we currently know. It allows us to see what the universe offers beyond on our planet.

Exploring space is also inherently dangerous. Not only is space a vacuum environment that does not support human life without protection, but we do not know what may be lying in wait for us out there. The conflicts we have here at home could be minuscule compared to the conflicts that may be waiting for us in the stars.

Here are some of the key points to think about when looking at this debate.

What Are the Pros of Space Exploration?

1. It provides humanity with hope for the future. Humans are currently confined to a single planet and facilities that orbit it. Should something happen that changes the environment of the planet, it would have the potential of wiping out the entire human species. A large asteroid, the star going nova, or even a shift in the planetary climate could devastate humanity. Space exploration gives us the chance to begin colonizing other locations, giving us hope that our species can survive.

2. It increases our knowledge. There are many secrets lying in wait to be discovered in space. Asteroids or planets may have new materials that we don’t have on Earth. We can discover more about how the universe was created and why it exists in its current state. These discoveries could then help to improve life on our own planet as we seek out others to explore.

3. It drives innovations in numerous fields. According to the 100-Year Starship Program, the technologies that were created for and made possible because of space exploration have helped to shape, permeate, and are an integral part of who we are today. To travel the stars, we must be able to store large quantities of energy. We must develop closed-loop support systems. Advances in agriculture, computing, artificial intelligence, and manufacturing must happen as well. The framework needed to explore space improves the socioeconomic frameworks we have at home.

4. It can be something that we do at home. According to information provided by the Goddard Space Flight Center, there are over 2,200 active satellites in orbit around Earth right now. One of those satellites is the Hubble Space Telescope. This technology has allowed us to explore our solar system from right here at home. In 2017, this telescope discovered that a dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt, name 2007 OR10, has a moon that was previously unknown.

5. True space exploration requires international cooperation. The foundation of how we explore space was created in 1966 with the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies. It’s easier to call it the “Outer Space Treaty.” By 2017, there were 105 countries who had signed onto the treaty and another 24 who have signed, but not yet ratified it. This treaty forbids placing weapons of mass destruction into orbit, installing them on the moon, or any other location in space. The treaty also disallows any nation from claiming a celestial resource as a national appropriation.

6. The political structures of managing space exploration are already in place. According to Wired, a multistate body that is supported by 193 nations approves the orbits of items that are currently in space. It is called the International Telecommunication Union and it has been in place since the 1960s. With their protocols helping to create a push deeper into space, exploration could become a future way of life.

What Are the Cons of Space Exploration?

1. It could allow other civilizations to know about our own. The idea of finding alien life has been a concept explored in the medium of fiction for more than a century. There is something comforting about the idea that humans are not alone in the universe as a species. That knowledge could come with a price. If an advanced civilization encountered one of the gold-plated records on the Voyager crafts and decided they wanted our planetary resources, we might be unable to stop them. There is sometimes more danger in being part of a community than living by yourself without any neighbors.

2. Exploring space is a costly venture. In 1973, the total cost of the Apollo program was reported to the US Congress as being $25.4 billion. The total cost of the space shuttle program, when adjusted for inflation, was $196 billion. Each mission that was flown came at a cost of $450 million. The Mars One mission budget to bring just 4 people to Mars is over $6 billion. Even as technologies advance, the costs of exploring space are far from cheap.

3. We must consume resources to get people or equipment into space. There are high fuel costs required to launch anything into orbit. Using the US Space Shuttle program as an example, the total mass of all propellants was over 3.8 million pounds. Fossil fuels are refined to create these fuels, used in the manufacturing processes to create the equipment or vehicles, and this creates an environmental cost which must be paid at some point.

4. Exploring space means we’re leaving a lot of litter behind. According to information provided by NASA, there are more than 500,000 items of debris that are currently being tracked as they orbit our planet. This space junk is litter that is flying at a speed of over 17,500 miles per hour, which means an impact could do great damage. Now expand the amount of space junk that exists to other planets or solar systems and the amount of litter we would leave behind is quite enormous.

5. No agreements are in place for rich resources that may exist in space. The current treaties which govern space exploration forbid governments from appropriating territories in space. The amount of materials in a single asteroid could be more than $100 billion. Planetary Resources has evaluated an asteroid called “Davida” to be worth $100 trillion or more. Although the US has brought back hundreds of pounds of rocks from the moon without litigation, there would be a greater fight in grabbing resources that are in the hundreds of trillions of dollars.

The pros and cons of space exploration highlight the current rifts we have in society. Governments are restricted and private organizations with the most resources have the chance to make huge profits. If those profits can be funneled toward a mutual good, then humanity can do more than just survive. It could thrive.

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The Importance of Space Exploration

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Majority of americans believe it is essential that the u.s. remain a global leader in space, despite the increasing role of private companies in space exploration, most believe nasa’s role is still vital for future.

Roughly seven-in-ten Americans (72%) say it is essential for the U.S. to continue to be a world leader in space exploration, and eight-in-ten (80%) say the space station has been a good investment for the country, according to a new Pew Research Center survey conducted March 27-April 9, 2018.

These survey results come at a time when NASA finds itself in a much different world from the one that existed when the Apollo astronauts first set foot on the moon nearly half a century ago. The Cold War space race has receded into history, but other countries (including China , Japan and India ) have emerged as significant international players in space exploration.

And, as the private sector increasingly ventures into space – through companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic – 65% of Americans believe NASA should still play a vital role in the exploration of space, while a third (33%) say private companies will ensure enough progress in this area even without NASA’s involvement.

Strong public support that the U.S. should continue to be at the vanguard of space exploration is widely shared across gender, educational and political groups. Each generational group, for example, expresses nearly equal levels of strong support for continued U.S. space leadership – from Baby Boomer and older generations (71%) who lived through the “Right Stuff” era that pioneered space exploration to Millennials (70%) who grew up during the space shuttle program. Indeed, on most issues regarding NASA and space exploration, there are no more than modest differences among the generational cohorts. See the Appendix for details.

Similarly, majorities across gender, generation, education and political groups see benefits from government investment in one of NASA’s signature projects, the International Space Station (ISS). The findings – support for the U.S. being at the forefront of space exploration and the perception that the space station has been a good investment – are broadly consistent with previous Pew Research Center surveys, which used somewhat different wording and polling methods.

While the ISS has proven to be an enduring legacy of the U.S. space program, it is also emblematic of changing times. NASA currently relies in part on the Dragon spacecraft , built and operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX company, to deliver supplies to the orbiting laboratory. And the Trump administration has been exploring the possibility of turning the space station into a commercially run venture after 2024.

As Americans consider the future of the U.S. space program, most (65%) still see an essential role for NASA, while a third (33%) believe “private companies will ensure that enough progress is made in space exploration, even without NASA’s involvement.” Democrats and independents who lean Democratic are more likely than Republicans and independents who lean Republican to believe that NASA should continue to play a role in space exploration (70% vs. 59%). Conservative Republicans are closely divided on this issue (53% to 47%), though two-thirds (67%) of moderate or liberal Republicans believe a continued role for NASA in U.S. space exploration is essential.

Majorities say monitoring climate or tracking asteroids should be a top NASA priority; only 13% say the same of putting astronauts on the moon

When asked to rate the importance of nine of these missions, majorities of Americans say a top priority for NASA should be monitoring key parts of the Earth’s climate system (63%) or monitoring asteroids and other objects that could potentially collide with the Earth (62%).

Slightly fewer than half of Americans (47%) believe that conducting basic scientific research to increase knowledge and understanding of space should be a top priority, with 40% saying such research is an important but lower priority. Some 41% say developing technologies that could be adapted for uses other than space exploration should be a top priority, and 44% characterize it as an important but lower priority for NASA. And 38% believe NASA should make it a top priority to conduct scientific research on how space travel affects human health, while 41% see it as an important but lower priority.

Around one-third of U.S. adults say that searching for raw materials and natural resources that could be used on Earth (34%) or searching for life and planets that could support life (31%) should be top priorities; 22% and 27% of Americans say, respectively, that these missions are not too important or shouldn’t be pursued.

Missions for human astronauts to explore Mars and return to the moon are among NASA’s most high-profile programs. The Trump administration has expressed strong support for these initiatives, saying that exploring the solar system should be NASA’s core mission, beginning with a return of astronauts to the moon.

Some space experts argue that the life support systems required to sustain astronauts on a long interplanetary journey would be so expensive that it would be more cost-effective to send robotic probes. 1  With regards to future expeditions into space, a majority of Americans say they would consider it essential that humans, not solely robots, make the trip. Overall, 58% of U.S. adults believe it is essential to include the use of human astronauts in the U.S. space program, while 41% say astronauts are not essential.

Republicans and Democrats tend to agree about the relative priorities of NASA’s efforts. For example, about six-in-ten of each party say that monitoring asteroids should be a top priority for NASA (61% of Republicans and 63% of Democrats, including those who lean to each party). But Republicans tend to put monitoring the Earth’s climate system as a lower priority for the agency, consistent with long-standing political divides over climate issues . Fewer Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (44%) than Democrats and Democratic leaners (78%) believe that monitoring the Earth’s climate system should be a top priority for NASA. Some 38% of Republicans say that monitoring the Earth’s climate system should be an important but lower priority, and 17% say this is not too important or should not be done.

Republicans are also less likely than Democrats to see basic scientific research to further knowledge of space as a top priority. Some 38% of Republicans and those who lean to the GOP consider this a top priority for NASA, while 46% call it an important but lower priority. About half (53%) of Democrats and leaners consider basic scientific research a top priority for the agency.

The new survey finds men more likely than women to consider several of these missions a top priority for NASA, including conducting basic scientific research (54% of men vs. 40% of women say this should be a top priority). While a minority considers putting astronauts in space a top priority for NASA, more men (25%) than women (11%) consider human exploration of Mars a top priority.

In addition, while about half or more of men and women believe human astronauts are essential for the U.S. space program, more men (63%) than women (54%) hold this view. This finding is in keeping with a 2014 Pew Research Center survey , which used somewhat different question wording and polling methods. (Also see Appendix for views on these issues by gender.)

Men also tend to express more interest in space and astronomy news, according to a 2017 Pew Research Center survey as well as surveys conducted for this year’s Science and Engineering Indicators report .

There are no more than modest differences by education level in agency priorities. One exception is that those with at least a postgraduate degree are more likely than those with high school or less education to consider basic scientific research a top priority for NASA (63% vs. 38%). See Appendix for details.

Most Americans express confidence that private space companies will be profitable, but are skeptical that those companies will minimize hazardous space debris

Although most Americans believe that NASA still has an essential role to play in the exploration of space, they also express confidence that private companies can make meaningful contributions in such areas as developing safe spacecraft and conducting research to expand scientific knowledge.

For instance, about one-in-four Americans say they have a great deal of confidence that private companies will build safe and reliable rockets and spacecraft (26%), and around half of Americans (51%) have at least a fair amount of confidence that space companies will be able to do so.

Americans are by and large confident about the ability of private companies to control the costs of developing rockets and spacecraft – 24% have a great deal of confidence and 41% have a fair amount of confidence, compared with 34% who have “not too much” confidence or no confidence at all. Moreover, 23% have a great deal of confidence and 47% have a fair amount of confidence that companies will conduct basic research to increase knowledge of space, compared with 29% who don’t have much confidence or have no confidence at all.

Americans, however, tend to be skeptical about whether private companies will minimize human-made space debris, which increasingly poses a hazard to orbiting satellites and space stations. Only 13% of U.S. adults have a great deal of confidence that companies will minimize that problem, with 35% saying they have a fair amount of confidence. By comparison, about half of Americans (51%) have not too much or no confidence that private companies will minimize human-made space debris.

Men express more confidence than women in private space companies’ abilities in most of these areas, particularly when it comes to building cost-effective and safe spacecraft. For example, 74% of men but 56% of women have at least a fair amount of confidence these companies will control costs, and 85% of men vs. 69% of women have at least a fair amount of confidence that private companies will build safe and reliable spacecraft.

Americans most attentive to space news especially value U.S. global leadership but are closely divided over importance of NASA in future space exploration

Those most attentive to space news stand out from other Americans for their strong support for the U.S. being a world leader in space exploration and their belief that the International Space Station has been a good investment for the country. For instance, 88% of those who have heard a lot of space news believe it is essential for the U.S. to be a global leader in space exploration, compared with 60% of those who have heard nothing about NASA and private space companies. And 94% of the most space-attentive Americans consider the space station to have been a good investment for the country, compared with 67% of those who have heard nothing about space news.

When thinking about priorities for NASA, Americans who are highly attentive to space news put more priority than other Americans on research missions such as basic scientific research and learning about the health effects of space travel. For example, three-quarters (75%) of those highly attentive to space news believe basic scientific research should be a top priority for NASA versus 31% of those with low attention to such news. Indeed, the share of this space-attentive group that considers basic research a top priority is similar to the shares who say the same about monitoring objects in space that could collide with Earth (69%) and monitoring the climate system (68%).

But, while those who pay a lot of attention to space news tend to put more priority than other Americans on NASA’s research missions, they are more closely divided than other Americans over the importance of NASA’s role in space exploration going forward. Among the most attentive, 55% say it is essential that NASA continue to be involved in U.S. space exploration, while 45% say private companies will ensure enough progress even without NASA’s involvement. Among other Americans, the balance of opinion leans more clearly toward NASA remaining involved. For example, 66% of those who pay a medium level of attention to space news say it is essential for NASA to remain involved, as do 68% of those with low attention to space news.

Those who have heard a lot about space news also tend to express more confidence in private space companies to handle key aspects of space exploration, especially building safe and cost-effective spacecraft. For example, 95% of Americans who are most attentive to news about NASA and private space companies have at least a fair amount of confidence that those companies will build safe and reliable rockets and spacecraft; 58% of this group has a great deal of confidence in companies to do this. By comparison, 60% of those who have heard nothing about NASA and private space companies have at least a fair amount of confidence in private companies to build safe and reliable spacecraft.

Space tourism? A majority of Americans say it’s not for them, but 63% of Millennials are interested

As the public considers the possibilities ahead for ordinary citizens to orbit the Earth in a spacecraft, more Americans say they would not want to orbit the Earth than say they would (58% to 42%).

Interest in orbiting the Earth is greater among younger generations, men and those who are more attentive to space news. Some 63% of Millennials (born 1981 to 1996) say they are definitely or probably interested in space tourism, compared with 39% of Gen Xers (born 1965 to 1980) and 27% of those in the Baby Boomer or older generations. Across all generations, men are more likely than women (51% vs. 33%) to say they are interested in traveling into space as tourists.

Those who have heard or read a lot about NASA and private space companies are much more likely (74%) to say they are interested in space tourism than those who have heard nothing about such space news (30%).

Among the 42% of Americans who would be interested in traveling into space, 45% of them say the main reason for their interest would be to “experience something unique.” Some 29% of this group say they would go so that they can see the view of Earth from space, while 20% want to “learn more about the world.”

The 58% of U.S. adults who say they wouldn’t want to orbit the Earth aboard a spacecraft believe that such a trip would be either “too expensive” (28% of those asked) or “too scary” (28%), or that their age or health wouldn’t allow it (28%). Some 16% of those not interested in space travel offered reasons other than the three options in the survey.

• See “ Pathways to Exploration: Rationales and Approaches for a U.S. Program of Human Space Exploration ,” National Research Council, National Academies Press, 2014. ↩
• This sentence was corrected June 20, 2018 to say that, “About a fifth of Americans (22%) have heard “nothing at all” about both of these … “ rather than “ either ” of these. ↩

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Table of contents, religious americans less likely to believe intelligent life exists on other planets, most americans believe in intelligent life beyond earth; few see ufos as a major national security threat, how americans see the future of space exploration, 50 years after the first moon landing, as debris piles up, americans are skeptical enough will be done to limit space junk, many in u.s. have confidence in what private space companies will accomplish, most popular.

About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

Why explore space?

Why should we explore space? Why should money, time and effort be spent researching something with apparently so few benefits? Why should resources be spent on space rather than on conditions and people on Earth?

Perhaps the best answer lies in our history. What made our ancestors move from the trees onto the plains? Did a wider distribution of our species offer a better chance of survival?

Nearly all successful civilisations have been willing to explore. In exploring, the dangers of surrounding areas may be identified and prepared for. Without knowledge, these dangers have the ability to harm us. With knowledge, their effects or consequences may be lessened.

While many resources are spent on what seems a small return, the exploration of space allows new resources to be created. Resources translate into success at survival. Resources may be more than physical assets.

Knowledge or techniques acquired in exploring or preparing to explore always filter from the developers to the general population.

Techniques may be medical applications, such as new drugs or ways of living to increase the quantity or the quality of time lived. Techniques may be social, allowing the people in a society to better understand those within or outside that culture.

ESA’s space programme is a strategic asset. ESA does what individual European nations cannot do on their own.

Scientists from European nations can function at world-class level in their specialist fields, in co-operation rather than competition.

By studying alien worlds, such as Venus, Mars or Saturn’s moon Titan, we can place our own world in context. ESA’s exploration of the Solar System is focused on understanding the Earth’s relationship with the other planets, essential stepping stones for exploring the wider Universe.

While space may hold many wonders and explanations of how the universe was formed or how it works, it also holds dangers. The chance of a large asteroid or comet hitting the Earth is small. But given time, it will happen.

Some explanations for extinctions and evolution include strikes by asteroids or comets. Our technology is reaching the point where we can detect such a threat and might be able to do something about it.

The dangers exist and knowledge can allow us as a species to survive. Without the ability to reach out across space, the chance to save ourselves might not exist.

Earth is the only planet known to sustain life, but our ability to adapt could eventually allow us to inhabit other planets and moons.

Our lifestyles would be different, but human life and cultures have adapted in the past and surely could in the future. Space allows us to expand and succeed.

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Stay up to date:, emerging technologies.

I don’t suppose that readers would expect me to contradict the title of this article – that would be tantamount to signing my own redundancy notice. But, given an environment where phrases such as “pay restraint”, “austerity package” and “falling service provision” are bandied around, it might be thought somewhat profligate to suggest that millions of pounds (euros, dollars) are spent on exploration of space.

Why do we need to go to Mars? How many pictures of galaxies do we need? Surely that money could be better spent on more worthy areas, such as health and education?

But the millions do not go up in smoke: they are used to pay for jobs and services.

Rockets and spaceflight instruments do not assemble themselves. They are designed and built by people, who get paid. They are fabricated from components which have to be manufactured and then purchased. The community engaged in the space industry includes specialist scientists and engineers, designers, graphic artists and IT professionals, as well as a vast support system: HR, catering, cleaning, etc.

This is where much of the space budget is spent – on salaries that in turn generate a market for other goods and services (houses, clothing, food) – as well as returning funds to the government through taxation. In fact, the European Space Agency might be regarded as a massive money-spinning operation, in which every euro contributed by the government is returned ten-fold to the nation in terms of the value of the jobs generated.

How the space budget is spent is just one of the major benefits which comes from the UK’s space industry, one of the fastest-growing sectors of the UK economy.

There are other spin-offs, because “space” is much closer than is generally thought. When talking about space, people usually think about stars and galaxies, wonderful images from telescopes, Neil Armstrong walking on the Moon, the rings of Saturn, and so on.

Looking much closer to home, the armada of satellites orbiting the Earth that, among many other things, beam information to satellite navigation systems, broadcast television programmes and monitor the weather are part of a global space network. Where would we be now if we didn’t have the internet? These are daily services which we take for granted, and are rarely, if ever, considered as “space exploration”.

Along with an understanding of what goes into space exploration comes an appreciation of the people who help to make space exploration happen: teachers. Without their inspirational support and guidance, we would not have succeeding generations of engineers, scientists and other specialists who make the UK’s space industry so successful.

But the UK has been so successful in growing its space industry, it doesn’t have enough “homegrown” specialists to employ. So we need more teachers, more trained scientists and engineers – and more space industry.

Is space a waste of money? Certainly not.

This article is published in collaboration with The Conversation . Publication does not imply endorsement of views by the World Economic Forum.

To keep up with the Agenda  subscribe to our weekly newsletter .

Author: Monica Grady is Professor of Planetary and Space Sciences at The Open University.

Image: The Falcon 9 rocket, to be launched by SpaceX on a cargo resupply service mission to the International Space Station, sits on launch pad. REUTERS/Scott Audette.  

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World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

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Argumentative Essay On Space Exploration

There has been a long debate over whether space exploration is worth the cost. Supporters of space exploration argue that the benefits outweigh the costs. They point to the scientific discoveries that have been made as a result of space exploration, as well as the potential for future discoveries. They also argue that space exploration helps to inspire people and promotes international cooperation.

Opponents of space exploration argue that the costs are simply too high. They point to the billions of dollars that have been spent on space exploration without any clear return on investment. They also argue that there are more pressing priorities here on Earth that should be funded instead.

So, what do you think? Is space exploration worth it? Let’s take a closer look at the arguments on both sides.

Supporters of space exploration argue that the benefits outweigh the costs. They point to the scientific discoveries that have been made as a result of space exploration, as well as the potential for future discoveries.

One of the key benefits of space exploration is the opportunity for scientific discovery. NASA has funded countless research projects that have led to new discoveries about our universe. For example, the Hubble Space Telescope has provided scientists with valuable information about the origins of the universe and the evolution of galaxies.

Space exploration also has the potential to yield further discoveries. In recent years, there has been a lot of interest in exploring Mars and other planets in our solar system. Scientists believe that there may be valuable resources on other planets that could be used to help improve life here on Earth.

In addition to the scientific benefits of space exploration, supporters also argue that it helps to inspire people. Space exploration is an awe-inspiring endeavor that captures the imagination of people around the world. It promotes international cooperation and inspires people to pursue science and engineering careers.

Opponents of space exploration argue that the costs are simply too high. They point to the billions of dollars that have been spent on space exploration without any clear return on investment.

There is no doubt that space exploration is a costly undertaking. NASA’s budget is currently about $19 billion per year, and exploratory missions can cost billions of dollars more. Given the current state of the economy, some people believe that this money could be better spent elsewhere.

Opponents also argue that there are more pressing priorities here on Earth that should be funded instead of space exploration. They point to the many problems that we face here on our planet, from poverty and disease to climate change and terrorism. They believe that we should focus our resources on solving these problems rather than exploring space.

We are all explorers, motivated by an elemental yearning to understand the unknown. We have been exploring for centuries. That indomitable desire has most likely become humanity’s greatest strength. As a result, we must ask ourselves if it is worthwhile. Is looking into the infinite expanse of space worth our time and energy?

There are a few things we must consider when answering this question. Firstly, what is space exploration? Simply put, it is the investigation of outer space by means of spacecraft. That includes everything from manned missions to robotic probes. Secondly, what does exploring space entail? It involves learning about everything out there: the planets, the stars, the black holes. It also means traveling and investigating these places. Finally, what are the benefits of space exploration? There are many potential benefits, both tangible and intangible. Some of these include new technologies, increased scientific knowledge, and international cooperation.

So then, should we explore space? The answer is yes. Space exploration is worth it because it provides us with a wealth of opportunities and benefits.

One of the primary benefits of space exploration is that it gives us access to new technologies. In order to explore space, we have to develop new technologies. And these technologies often have a multitude of applications here on Earth. For example, NASA’s Curiosity rover is helping us to learn more about Mars. But the technology that was used to build the rover can also be used in other ways, like developing better medical imaging devices. So space exploration not only helps us to understand and explore the universe, but it also helps us to improve our lives here on Earth.

Another benefit of space exploration is that it increases our scientific knowledge. By exploring space, we are able to learn more about our universe and how it works. We can study the planets, the stars, and other objects out there. This increased knowledge can help us to solve problems here on Earth, like climate change. It can also help us to develop new technologies.

Finally, space exploration helps to promote international cooperation. When different countries work together on a space mission, it helps to build trust and cooperation between them. This is important because it can lead to better relationships and cooperation in other areas as well.

Humans have recently enjoyed a burst of technology, innovation, and knowledge that has been extremely fortunate. We’ve been stuck in the Stone Age for thousands of years, so our intellect hasn’t caught up to our accomplishments because we’ve experienced this tremendous change in our lifestyle. We confront today’s issues with the wisdom of our forefathers.

This is the root of all our conflicts, whether we realize it or not. One day, future generations will judge us in the same way. They will ask themselves whether we were good stewards of the resources and opportunities we were given. They will ask whether we explored space to its fullest potential and made the most of our time on this Pale Blue Dot.

The answer to that question is complicated, but it comes down to one simple fact: yes, space exploration is worth it. It has been proven time and again to be an invaluable investment, both in terms of scientific knowledge and technological advancement. For centuries, humans have gazed up at the stars, dreaming of discovering new worlds. Now, with modern technology, we have the ability to turn those dreams into reality.

Space exploration has led to some of the most significant scientific discoveries of our time. It has helped us to better understand our place in the universe and the nature of the universe itself. It has also led to advances in technology that have made our lives better in countless ways. From the development of GPS systems to life-saving medical treatments, space exploration has had a profound impact on humanity.

In conclusion, space exploration is worth it because it provides us with many opportunities and benefits. It helps us to develop new technologies, gain scientific knowledge, and build international cooperation. We should continue exploring space because it has the potential to improve our lives here on Earth.

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Space Exploration Essays

by Arvind Sharma (India)

Space exploration is much too expensive and the money should be spent on more important things. What is your opinion? In many countries, a big proportion of expenditure is being spent on exploring the space. It is argued that this expenditure should be spent on other important things rather than on space exploration. However, in my opinion, keep other significant things in mind, space program is very crucial and important for the whole world and should be funded due to the fact that it will help to improve the communication between countries in the world and also helping to search a new alternate to live. To begin, a reason to support funding space program is communication between all over the globe. Because business and organizations are being expanded geographically, they need a communication channel to run these businesses in an effective manner. It has become possible after launching satellites in the orbit. For instance, NASA, which is a reputed space organization has launched many satellites in the orbit, which are being used to broadcast the signals in the form of audio and video to across the globe. Moreover, the satellite television has only become possible due the space programs, and people are able to watch the global events instantly from anywhere. Thus, it can be said that by doing the space exploration, world communication has utterly been changed and for this reason it should be financially aided. Furthermore, As global warming has become a serious concern for the whole world, scientist have started to find the alternate planet to live. Due to this fact, there are going to be conducted more space programs and eventually more money is needed to support these programs. For instance, ISRO, which is an Indian space research organization has been funded by the Indian government. As a result, they have managed to launch own satellite without help of other countries. In addition, there is a need to resolve the problem of global warming and this could only be possible if more space programs will be aided financially. Thus, it has been important for every country to give financial support to these programs so that the next generation can live in a better place. In conclusion, I firmly believe that space program should be supported financially as there is need to get together the whole world to improve the communication and fight against the environmental problems. *** Please can you check my essay on space exploration.

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Spending Money on Space Exploration

by sayali vilas jadhav (pune)

Money spent on space exploration is a waste and can be put to better use on earth. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Nowadays, most of the countries in the world are giving more importance to space exploration because it is a thing of pride for a country to achieve success in space exploration. According to me, money spends on space exploration is worth as this gives us a chance for us to know new things around us. space exploration gives us a chance to innovate new things for the welfare of people.As we know, we found out that there is water on the moon. Due to this scientists planning for sending people to the moon to minimize population and to provide quality life to people. But sometimes I feel that the money which we are spending on space exploration can be minimized and put into the welfare of poor people. due to this roadside children may also get an education and poor people may get jobs. The bottom line is there should be a balance between both things as both things are good for the welfare of people. space exploration is also important like minimizing the poverty from the country.

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Contacting Aliens Essay

by LennyBoyyy

Some Scientists think that there are intelligent life forms on other planets and messages should be sent to contact them. Other scientists think it is a bad idea and would be dangerous. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. The opinions of scientists go apart when it comes to the topic of other life forms. Some say there exist other life forms and that they should be contacted, while others would not do that because it could be dangerous. There are without a doubt pros and cons regarding this topic, but in my opinion it would not be a good idea to contact them, because I would find it better to gain some knowledge about the other life forms before you contact them. On the first hand would It be an unbelievable success to get to know other life forms. Scientists are searching for other life forms probably since decades, but never got any signs. Millions of Dollars were spent to reach these goal. It would change drastically people’s lives. In addition, the technology could in cooperation with the other life forms, advance massively. On the other hand, could the contact with other life forms become very dangerous, because of the lack of knowledge the humanity has regarding other life forms. Not knowing how your communicating partner looks like, functions or thinks could be very risky. Additionally, it could be also the case that there don’t exist other life forms and that huge amounts of money were spend without any sense. Summarized, I would not try to contact other life forms, because the cons in form of the uncertainty if other life forms exist and the danger in which humanity could be exposed exceeds in my opinion the pros in form of the probability that other life could be found and that a stable communication could be build.

Spending Resources to Explore Space

by Nidhi Pareek (Ahmedabad )

Some people think that space exploration is a waste of resources while others think that it is essential for human kind to continue to explore the universe in which we live. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. It is an undeniable fact that over the past few years space exploration has become one of the most discussed topics in today’s society. As a result, some people think that studying space is crucial for humanity, others argue that it is a waste of resources. In this essay, I would like to put forth my views on both the sides with a valid opinion in the conclusion. Firstly, space research has many benefits such as latest technological advancements in satellite communications which include smartphones, satellite television and radio broadcasting are all breakthrough of space research. Furthermore, space research is important for getting minute-details of weather conditions and it also provides the future predictions of climatic conditions. Moreover, space scientists are keen to find the possibility of life on other planets like Mars and if they get success then growing population problem of earth will be solved. Finally, having well developed space research organisation in any country is a matter of prestige for government and it's citizens. However, we seldom give a thought to ponder over the other side of this essay so there are some drawbacks of space research and that is why some people are against the exploration of space. Foremostly, space research requires colossal amount of budget and it is a time consuming study. Furthermore, success ratio of space research is very low. In addition, risk of life is always there with space explorations. For an example, in the year 2006 a prominent astronaut of NASA, Ms. Kalpana Chawla and her team travelled to space for research but unfortunately their space-shuttle crashed while they were returning back to earth. The seemingly inexorable description about the space research can keep on going. Nevertheless, showing a deep reverence and observing the finer nuance of the matter mentioned above I espouse the notion of supporting that space research is an essential part for an economic development but as we all know it is considered as the most expensive scientific discovery so countries should collaborate and there should be a joint efforts for space studies to make it cost effective.

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The Morning

America’s affordable housing crisis.

The housing crisis is likely to be solved in cities and states, not Washington.

By Conor Dougherty

President Biden worries about high housing costs. So do Republicans in Congress. The consensus reflects a major problem: Tens of millions of families, across red and blue states, struggle with rent and home prices. The reason is a longstanding housing shortage.

But action in Washington won’t make a huge difference. America’s affordable housing crisis is likely to be solved in cities and states. In today’s newsletter, I’ll explain how many are already doing so in bipartisan fashion.

Local laboratories

Home prices are up about 60 percent over the past decade, adjusted for inflation. About a quarter of renters — some 12 million households — spend more than half their income on housing, far in excess of the one-third level that is considered healthy. Homeless camps have expanded, and “ super commuters ” — who drive for 90 minutes or longer to work — have migrated well beyond the expensive coasts to smaller cities like Spokane , Wash., and fast-growing metropolitan areas like Dallas and Phoenix.

Generally, Republican-led states have been more affordable than Democratic-led ones. They tend to have fewer construction and environmental rules, which allows the housing supply to expand faster. But as rent and home prices climb beyond middle-income budgets in more places, states are racing to add housing.

The legislation in each state varies. But in general it removes permitting and design barriers so new construction can be approved faster. States are also trying to alter zoning rules to allow a greater diversity of units in more neighborhoods.

One way is to allow more backyard homes — known as granny flats. That way, homeowners can build a space for a renter or family member. Another is to shrink lot sizes so several smaller cottages can be built on parcels currently reserved for only one larger home. Cities and states are also altering zoning rules so duplexes and triplexes can be built in neighborhoods that are currently designated for single-family homes. All these methods aim to increase density within a city’s existing footprint.

Already, Democrats and Republicans in Montana and Arizona have united for housing legislation. A similar coalition has taken shape in other states, including Texas, Minnesota and North Carolina . Even in California and Oregon, whose governments are both dominated by Democrats, Republican votes have helped pass housing bills.

“Some issues become a horseshoe,” said Cody Vasut, a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives who wants to drastically restrict abortion — but also liberalize land use laws. “We have different views of government, but sometimes we arrive at the same conclusion.”

These coalitions are not always successful. Last week, for instance, the Arizona governor, Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, vetoed a bill that would have allowed smaller homes and lot sizes. She called it “a step too far.”

Most of these laws are too new for us to know their ultimate outcomes. But there’s ample evidence that building more housing reduces prices. In Austin, Texas, for instance, a surge in rent and home prices during the pandemic led to a boom in construction. Now prices are falling, and landlords offer months of free rent to fill empty units.

New coalitions

Why can political parties cooperate on this issue but so little else? Housing politics are hyperlocal and don’t hew to neat ideological lines. Neither party has a hard position that members feel beholden too.

One thing most people agree on is that America has too few homes. According to Freddie Mac, the mortgage finance giant, the nation is short about four million units . The deficit is particularly acute in both low-cost rentals and the entry-level starter homes favored by first-time buyers.

Economists say much of the blame falls on local governments. City councils hold most of the power over where and what types of housing get built, but they are beholden to homeowners who often pack meetings to complain that new developments would destroy nature and snarl traffic.

This is called NIMBYism, short for “Not in my backyard.” The remedy, in both red and blue states, has been to pass laws that strip cities’ power to say no.

State legislatures are close enough to voters to share their concerns about rising housing costs — but far enough that they don’t have to answer for every new local development. They are the Goldilocks level of government for housing reform.

Related: I want to hear from readers about their housing situations. You can submit stories here .

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Baltimore bridge collapse.

The cargo ship that collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore lost power shortly before the crash, officials said. See how the bridge collapsed .

After the ship put out a distress call, workers stopped cars from driving across the bridge. “These people are heroes,” Maryland’s governor, Wes Moore, said.

The Coast Guard is searching for the bodies of six of the eight construction workers who were on the bridge. Two were found alive; the others are presumed dead, an official said.

Biden said that the collision appeared to have been an accident and that he wanted the federal government to rebuild the bridge.

Several automakers said that they would reroute their shipments.

Supreme Court

Most of the Supreme Court justices sounded inclined to reject a bid to restrict nationwide access to an abortion pill , mifepristone, during arguments.

Several justices seemed skeptical that the plaintiffs, doctors who don’t prescribe abortion pills, had a right to challenge the F.D.A.’s approval of the drug. Read more takeaways .

The female justices had candid exchanges about women’s health, The Washington Post reports.

2024 Election

The Biden campaign joined TikTok to try to reach younger voters. The videos have prompted jokes and criticism.

Barack Obama regularly calls top Biden aides to strategize about Biden’s re-election campaign .

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NBC News cut ties with Ronna McDaniel , the former Republican Party chairwoman, after hosts criticized the network for hiring her as a commentator. A Times review found that she had helped Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election .

Trump’s social media company surged on its first day of trading on the Nasdaq, adding billions to his wealth .

The judge overseeing Trump’s Manhattan criminal trial imposed a gag order prohibiting Trump from attacking witnesses or prosecutors.

Trump posted a video urging his supporters to buy the “God Bless the USA Bible,” priced at around $60. Trump gets royalties from sales .

A new law in Florida will prohibit children under 14 from having social media accounts, The A.P. reports. It is set to take effect next year.

Israel-Hamas War

An Israeli hostage said she had been sexually assaulted and tortured in Gaza. Read her story .

Hezbollah and Israel fired at each other across the border with Lebanon. At least one person died in Israel and seven were reported killed in Lebanon.

Top Israeli and U.S. defense officials met to discuss Israel’s plan to invade Rafah .

Israel is deploying facial recognition to conduct surveillance in Gaza, according to Israeli military and intelligence officials.

The authorities in Gaza said 12 people drowned while trying to retrieve airdropped aid that had fallen into the Mediterranean.

Other Big Stories

A British court ruled that the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange could not be extradited to the U.S. until the American authorities made more assurances about his treatment , including protection from the death penalty.

Russia extended the detention of Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal.

China’s capable workers and cheap parts helped pull Tesla back from the brink of failure. This may give Beijing leverage over Elon Musk .

The terrorist attack at a Moscow concert hall shows ISIS is far from defeated , Bret Stephens writes.

Colleges’ optional standardized tests hurt the students they are supposed to help, Emi Nietfeld writes.

Here is a column by Ross Douthat on progressives’ new definition of sexual liberation .

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Holi: The Indian festival is becoming more popular worldwide. Read about the tradition .

Scams: A woman posed as a down-on-her-luck Irish heiress. The man she conned out of thousands started a podcast to track her down .

The Great Read: A legal pot pioneer was busted in Idaho. He has a plan .

Lives Lived: Lee Berry was one of the Panther 21, members of the Black Panther Party who were prosecuted in New York in 1970. His account of abuse in jail was a catalyst for Leonard Bernstein’s Park Avenue fund-raising party that Tom Wolfe satirized in a withering magazine takedown. Berry died at 78 .

N.F.L.: League owners approved significant changes to kickoff rules, which will go into effect this season.

College basketball: Iowa and West Virginia drew an average of 4.9 million viewers for their second-round women’s N.C.A.A. tournament game, a pre-Final Four record.

ARTS AND IDEAS

French identity: Aya Nakamura, one of France’s most popular singers, might perform at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. The choice has become a flashpoint in the nation’s culture wars. Nakamura was born in Mali and raised in a Parisian suburb, and her music mixes French lyrics with Arabic and West African dialects.

“In a country often ill at ease with its changing population,” Roger Cohen and Aurelien Breeden write , “she stands on a fault line.”

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Beyoncé’s coming album, “Cowboy Carter,” is an extension of the artist’s exploration of how Black creativity fuels all corners of popular music. Read Jon Caramanica’s essay .

Stephen King’s “Carrie” was published in 1974. Margaret Atwood explains its enduring appeal.

“Trump is mashing together the Bible and the Constitution like it’s a Pizza Hut-Taco Bell”: The late-night hosts discussed Trump’s latest business venture .

THE MORNING RECOMMENDS …

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Here is today’s Spelling Bee . Yesterday’s pangram was adjourn .

And here are today’s Mini Crossword , Wordle , Sudoku and Connections .

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Conor Dougherty covers housing and development, focusing on the rising costs of homeownership. He is based in Los Angeles. More about Conor Dougherty