The Space Of Space Exploration

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is perhaps the most well known space agency in the world. Since its formation in 19581, it has pioneered in space science, yet is also renowned for its large budget. NASA has the highest budget of any space agency, $18.6 billion2 in 2015, the equivalent of every American paying $54 towards the agency3, meaning 0.14% of total GDP is spent on NASA3 . This money is spent on the ISS, sending astronauts, probes and satellites into space, astrophysics and planetary science research, maintaining and developing NASA’s space telescopes (the Wide Field Infrared Survey telescope searching for dark energy and exoplanets, the James Webb Space Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope) and developing spacecraft2. Space exploration is an incredibly expensive process with one shuttle launch costing $450 million4 however NASA’s colossal budget benefits the USA greatly; the agency employs 18,000 people5 as astronauts, engineers, scientists and teachers and G. Scott Hubbard, former director of the NASA Ames Research Center estimates that every dollar spent on NASA returns $8 to the economy6.While this figure is an estimate, it demonstrates NASA’s worth and capacity for money making. NASA works on pioneering research and as its patents and licenses return to the US treasury, it

For the social science lens, we will be looking at the shift in the economics for space exploration in the recent years.

In the past 50 years, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has sent out many planned space exploration missions which have lead to numerous advantages in society and culture. NASA’s technologies benefit American lives with the innumerable important breakthroughs by creating new markets that have spurred the economy and changed countless lives in many ways. NASA is a federal agency and receives its fundings from the annual federal budget passed by the United States Congress. However, there are conflicting opinions that consider whether or not funding for NASA is a waste of government spending.

How would you like to explore a never-ending frontier filled with endless potential and possible benefits for humankind? When put this way, space exploration sounds like an enticing adventure. However, is it all that it’s chalked up to be? We’re here to answer that question. There’s a specific issue that we need to consider when referring to space exploration; should we continue to fund NASA? We acknowledge that some people may already have strong opinions on this, and we ask you to keep an open mind and try to avoid bias. After all, we’re discussing our future.

While many people support funding NASA and agree with the organization’s goals, there a good number of people who do not. A common reason for this is that they believe that the space program should focus on discovering things that can benefit us immediately, not in the future. This is a valid argument because there

As President Eisenhower once stated, “Every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed” (qtd in DeGroot). According to Jerry DeGroot, a lecturer in the Department of Modern History at the University of St. Andrews and author of the widely acclaimed biography “Douglas Haig”, every year, the United States federal government funds the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) with over $17 billion. When Keith Yost, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), was asked about government funding on NASA, he replied, “NASA is not only spending money, but also the sweat of our laborers, the genius of our scientists, and the hopes of our children.” As a powerhouse in the work industry, NASA is taking away from the remainder of the country. Before venturing off into space, the US needs to realize the importance of tackling the issues that lie before the citizens here on Earth. As Richard Truly, a retired Vice Admiral in the United States Navy, stated in agreement, “...I didn’t go to NASA for the United States to make international commitments that wouldn’t keep, to design space vehicles that will never be built (or will be then fail), or to make promises to the American people that will never be kept.” It would be in the best interest for the citizens of the United States federal government to cut NASA funding.

With the threat of Congress cutting NASA 's budget, the United State 's sixty year preeminence in space exploration is in serious peril..

The concept of space exploration was first introduced to the American public in 1961 when President John F. Kennedy famously stood before congress and vowed that America would put a man on the moon “within the decade.” With hopes of defeating the Soviet Union in the “Space Race” and gaining a leg-up in the Cold War, NASA funding reached its all-time high in 1965-1966 when about four percent of the federal budget was devoted to exploring space. Since then however, funding dedicated to exploring space has nose-dived to about one-half of a percent of the federal budget (Tyson), with plans to cut that figure by an additional $260 million in 2017 (cite NASA funding cuts). Experts in the space-sciences field argue that increased funding in space exploration would re-ignite the American economy and return America to the scientific prominence it was once known for, while, on the other end of the spectrum, naysayers suggest that exploring space is an economic sink-hole that the United States can no longer afford to deposit to given its own earth-bound troubles.

The Space Race was a 20th century competition between the former Soviet Union and United States for dominion in spaceflight capability and is still an event that generates controversy. Historians and contemporary analysts who claim the United States won the space race frequently cite “the landing of Apollo 11 on the moon” as the sole reason why the nation won. However, while this event was indeed a triumph, it was stimulated by a series of consecutive feats by the former Soviet Union. The U.S.S.R. was the victor of the space race because it successfully launched the world’s first artificial satellite, the Sputnik 1, leading directly to the launch of the first living creature into space with the Sputnik 2. Later, the U.S.S.R launched the first human into orbit inducing future endeavors like the launch of the first woman in space and the first-ever spacewalk. The U.S.S.R. then “kicked off the era of manned space stations with its Salyut series of orbital outposts” as the series fostered the development of the Mir space station. In essence, although these events were paralleled with the prompted creations and developments from the United States, the former Soviet Union’s space accomplishments paved the way for future innovations in space.

Humans have dreamed of leaving the earth and traveling space for many years, and up to this day they have taken many steps in the right direction. Yet, with every new frontier they approach, new problems loom over the horizon. Some of these problems arise right here on Earth. Some of the issues have been resolved, such as escaping the forces of gravity to reach outer space. Most of the problems are far more arduous and the solutions need more time to be worked out properly. In “The Coming Schism” by James E. and Alcestis R. Oberg, they posit that humans can colonize space. Humans need to buckle up and build the technology which will help to solve problems that would arise to

On September 17th, 2007, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin delivered a lecture that addressed the critical role that space exploration plays in the global economy. During this lecture,

The world today revolves around technology and is in an ever upward spiraling path of new advancements. This path is now at what some people call the “final frontier”, or the space age. The discoveries being made on this front are overwhelming in comparison to the technology that the world had only twenty years ago. Space exploration was once left up to the governments, as they battled to be the first country in space, but with national debts raising and the cuts made in response, space exploration is beginning to become new grounds for private business owners. Private companies are already beginning to send off rockets at a fraction of the cost that government does, but if more money was put into the government space program, then they

In the midst of presidential race between many candidates, Ted Cruz was one that stood out because of his many plans and policies on space exploration. Ted Cruz has spoken of what he plans on doing if he were to become president. He plans on developing a rocket and capsule that can take astronauts clear into Mars early as 2030. He adds that this is a crucial part in space exploration and developing NASA in to full capacity. The project which will cost billions of dollars will further advance the United States into the superior space program over any other country in the world. While many of Cruz’s opponents think that spending money on space exploration is an extreme waste of valuable cash, Cruz still defends his ideas and plans on turning this country into the space super power. Cruz seems to care a lot about space exploration and plans on making that a huge part of his run at presidency.

One of the greatest unknowns within our human existence is life outside of our known universe; decades of research, teamwork and funding have manifested phenomenal scientific triumphs in the fields of space exploration and aeronautics. The forefront of this “Space Race” arguably began with the Sputnik, a Russian artificial satellite launched in the late 1950’s. Following the launch of Sputnik 1, the genesis of American competitive space exploration built roots in the formation of NASA under the Presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration was founded in 1958 under a premise of competitive space exploration and continued discovery of truths residing outside of our existence on planet Earth. NASA externally competes with other teams of space explorers, which primarily includes Russia’s Federal Space Agency, commonly called Roscosmos. However, moving away from Cold War competitiveness and the race to build the biggest and best rockets, NASA has fostered over fifty years’ worth of the most fortified and cohesive teamwork in the fields of science and aerospace engineering.

Since the beginning of the Space Race between the US and USSR, human civilization began to step forward into a new era of space exploration. Numerous artificial objects were sent onto the earth orbits for various purposes. Their existence brought human race a broader vision and deeper understanding upon the outer space. However, many of them and parts remain in space. Some were retired and deserted, and some shattered into pieces. More and more have realized that,these out-of-control objects, are nowadays a big concern we cannot ignore for planning our future space missions.