In class, we have been practicing writing argument essays. We got to choose a topic, and I chose space. We researched for a week and then began to write our essays. My essay shows why we should stop researching space…
Should We Really Be Investing Billions In Space?
For over 50 years, mankind has explored space. Ever since the time the first human soared into the vacuum of space, humankind has hungered to travel to the deepest reaches of the cosmos. We’ve put people on the moon, launched tons of rovers, and invested $154,000,000,000 as of 2004, according to Ask An Astronomer. But, is it really worth it to keep spending money and resources on space travel? We could have done something else with that 154 billion bucks. We definitely should stop pouring our money into space, for multiple reasons. For one, there are dangers out in the cosmos. Also, the ocean is waiting! There would be many benefits if we invested 154 dollars in ocean research. Lastly, our space programs are beginning to fall apart. “Space exploration does not provide enough information to society. It is only effective to the astronaut and the scientist involved. It cost BILLIONS of dollars and mostly puts the countries in millions of dollars in debt…” says a responder on Debate.org.
So, what are the dangers in space? Well, for one there is radiation. Exposure to high amounts of radiation can cause physical health problems or even death. So, even with protection, Astronauts are walking into a void of radiation. Also, micrometeoroids pose a danger. They zip through space at 70,000 to 160,000 miles per hour. That’s about 575 times as fast as a race car’s max speed! When a swarm of micrometeoroids crashes through a spaceship, it could cause vast amounts of air to leak from a huge hole in the spacecraft! That puts astronauts in danger of suffocating! Also, the journey aboard spacecraft can put astronauts in weak physical and emotional condition. The result can vary from something as small as a dispute to life-threatening behavior. In addition, BBC says “…But even once they reach space, astronauts are not out of danger. Instead they are exposed to a new set of risks which we are only just beginning to understand.”, in the article What Makes Space Travel So Dangerous. We really don’t want humans in this type of danger, do we?
Also, the ocean might be a more important (and less dangerous!) to research. For, one, the ocean can help us learn about global warming. Also, much of the ocean remains unexplored. We’ve been to the dark side of the moon and back, but the technology to search specific parts of the ocean floor is still being developed. Doesn’t something just feel, wrong about that? Also, the article Should We Be Exploring The Oceans Instead Of Space? states “…some 95% of Earth’s oceans are unexplored…” In addition, Etzioni, Special to CNN states “Exploring the ocean, much of which is uncharted, is an urgent priority…” Now does the ocean seem important?
In addition, our space programs are dwindling! NASA’s budget has been going down for a long, long time:
NASA’s budget, starting from the year 1958
Also, according to Geek Wire, NASA’s budget for 2016 was 260 million dollars less than 2015. In addition, as of 2011, one of our best programs, space shuttles, ended. Also, to follow up the shutting down of the space shuttles, the IIS will be shut down in 2024. So, do we really want to continue investing in space if there is nothing left to build on?
So, all in all, it’s probably best to stop pouring billions of bucks into space. The space program is faltering, and the dangers in space are great. And what’s more, the ocean is left unexplored. There just doesn’t seem to be any direct reason to pour billions of dollars into space exploration. So, what do you think? Should we withdraw from exploring space?