What and Why Space Exploration?

Jan Lord F.
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IIIBEED1
WHAT AND WHY SPACE EXPLORATION?
I. INTRODUCTION
Is space exploration really desirable at a time when so much needs doing on
Earth? It is often-asked and serious question that requires a serious answer. One could
present many arguments, from jobs and education to technology development and
national security, for undertaking a robust space program. In an ideal world only one
argument is necessary, though in the real world some would argue it is not sufficient.
That argument is exploration, and that we should undertake it for the most basic of
reasons- as self-preservation as a creative, as opposed to a stagnating society (Steven
J. Dick, NASA’s Chief Historian).
From the dawn of man until very recently, humans have been Earthbound,
unable to reach even the clouds—let alone space. It's only within the last hundred
years or so that the advent of manned flight and rocket ships has made the heavens
attainable. In that time, we've sent people to the moon, rovers to Mars, and space
probes deep into the reaches of our solar system. And advanced telescopes that orbit
Earth are bringing even the most remote edges of the universe closer to home.
II. DISCUSSION
1. What is Space Exploration?

Space exploration is the
ongoing discovery and exploration of celestial structures in outer space by means of
continuously evolving and growing space technology. While the study of space is
carried out mainly by astronomers with telescopes, the physical exploration of space
is conducted both by unmanned robotic probes and human spaceflight.
While the observation of objects in space, known as astronomy, predates
reliable recorded history, it was the development of large and relatively
efficient rockets during the early 20th century that allowed physical space exploration
to become a reality. Common rationales for exploring space include advancing
scientific research, uniting different nations, ensuring the future survival of humanity
and developing military and strategic advantages against other countries.
Space exploration has often been used as a proxy competition for geopolitical
rivalries such as the Cold War. The early era of space exploration was driven by a
"Space Race" between the Soviet Union and the United States, the launch of the first
man-made object to orbit the Earth, the USSR's Sputnik 1, on 4 October 1957, and
the first Moon landing by the American Apollo 11 craft on 20 July 1969 are often
taken as landmarks for this initial period. The Soviet space program achieved many of
the first milestones, including the first living being in orbit in 1957, the first human
spaceflight (Yuri Gagarin aboard Vostok 1) in 1961, the first spacewalk (by Aleksei
Leonov) on 18 March 1965, the first automatic landing on another celestial body in
1966, and the launch of the first space station (Salyut 1) in 1971.
After the first 20 years of exploration, focus shifted from one-off flights to
renewable hardware, such as the Space Shuttle program, and from competition to
cooperation as with the International Space Station (ISS).
With the substantial completion of the ISS following STS-133 in March 2011,
plans for space exploration by the USA remain in flux. Constellation, a Bush
Administration program for a return to the Moon by 2020 was judged inadequately
funded and unrealistic by an expert review panel reporting in 2009. The Obama
Administration proposed a revision of Constellation in 2010 to focus on the
development of the capability for crewed missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO),
envisioning extending the operation of the ISS beyond 2020, transferring the
development of launch vehicles for human crews from NASA to the private sector,
and developing technology to enable missions to beyond LEO, such as Earth/Moon
L1, the Moon, Earth/Sun L2, near-earth asteroids, and Phobos or Mars orbit.
In the 2000s, the People's Republic of China initiated a successful manned
spaceflight program, while the European Union, Japan, and India have also planned
future manned space missions. China, Russia, Japan, and India have advocated
manned missions to the Moon during the 21st century, while the European Union has
advocated manned missions to both the Moon and Mars during the 21st century.
From the 1990s onwards, private interests began promoting space tourism and
then private space exploration of the Moon.
2. Why Space Exploration? (Janet Wood, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador)
 It is part of our nature as human beings that we want to explore and try to better
understand the world in which we live. Space exploration is the logical extension
of that need.
 Through the exploration of the solar system, we can begin to unravel the
mysteries of our universe, and to better understand our place in the cosmos.
 Space exploration provides us with knowledge about the origins of our solar
system, our own planet Earth, and about human origins, and helps to answer
questions that have intrigued humankind throughout the centuries.
 Solar system exploration is important because it provides us with an unparalleled
opportunity to make advancements in science and technology which can be a
benefit to all of humankind, such as in the areas of communications and remote
sensing.
 Space technology has become an integral part of our daily lives. Cellular
technology, for example, is dependent on satellite communications, Satellites are
also used to monitor changes in Earth's climate and ocean circulation, for weather
forecasting, in aviation and marine navigation, and for military reconnaissance.
 The space program provides an opportunity for nations to work together in
international cooperation through participation injoint missions, thereby
promoting peace and understanding between governments and their people.
 Many governments are currently involved in the development of space technology
including Russia, Japan, the European nations, and India. In the near future, other
nations will be added to this list. It is vital to our national interest that the United
States remain the leader in developing new space technologies in order to
insure the peaceful exploration of space by all.
III. SUMMARY
For as long as there have been people on Earth, we have looked up at the
sky and wondered about the Sun, Moon, stars, and occasional dramatic events we
saw there. But it is only in the past 40 years that we developed the technical
ability to leave our planet and actually visit other bodies in the universe.
After World War II, both the United States and the Soviet Union created
programs to improve the design of rockets which would make space travel
possible. What then followed was a race to travel into space
with unmanned probes and manned spacecraft.
During the last four decades, hundreds of satellites, probes and space
shuttles have been launched, which have explored near-Earth space, travelled to
the Moon, the Sun, and to all the planets except Pluto. And, with permanent space
stations already in orbit around Earth and telescopes exploring more and more of
our universe, space research is still continuing. Talk of future developments
includes building a colony on Mars, searching for life in other galaxies, and other
exciting programs.
IV. REFERENCES
http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/space-exploration/
http://www.planetaryexploration.net/why.html
http://www.nasa.gov/missions/solarsystem/Why_We_01pt1.html
http://www.windows2universe.org/space_missions/overview.html
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) official website,
www.nasa.gov.

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Jan Lord F.

WHAT AND WHY SPACE EXPLORATION?

1. What is Space Exploration?

2. Why Space Exploration? (Janet Wood, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador)

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