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Space Exploration: Is it worth the risk?
“Let’s face it, space is a risky business. I always considered every launch a barely controlled explosion.” NASA administrator Aaron Cohen stated. This implies that space is risky as well as extremely hazardous. The government is providing staggering amounts of resources to aid advancement in space. Humanity, however, is suffering the grievous effects of worldwide insecurities, the plethora of dangerous outcomes astronauts are exposed to as well as the extensive amount of research and funding the government is giving to NASA’s space organizations.
The government should utilize our resources to fund world-wide problems that greatly impact people daily. For example, poverty impacts a staggering amount of people and can cause difficulties in a person's life such as malnutrition and lack of access to health care. A statistic from un.org states that 1 in 10 people suffer from poverty, which is approximately 800 million people worldwide. Humanity is spending massive amounts of money to research space while people are suffering because they can’t find an affordable doctor. According to the UnitedNations.org, in 2020, it is estimated that 720 million to 811 million people in the world endured hunger, which was an additional 161 million more than in 2019. Moreover, during 2020, a staggering 2.4 billion people, which is about 30% of the world’s population, were food-insecure, meaning they were lacking access to sufficient food on a regular basis. Secondly, we should also utilize our resources to benefit the environment as well as to create a sustainable future. Newsela states that in 2021, the global average temperature was about 1.1°C more than the years from 1850 to 1900 (pre industrial). Global warming is causing ice caps to melt as well as sea levels to rise; this is harmful to the earth as our planet will soon become scalding and animals will become extinct. To elaborate, massive amounts of money is needed to eradicate this issue. Money provided by developed countries to fund climate projects amounted to $79.6 billion in 2019. Estimates show that an additional $1.6 trillion to $3.8 trillion will be required yearly; “through 2050 for the world to transition to a low-carbon future and avoid warming exceeding 1.5 °” un.org states. In addition, climate change has also grievously impacted humans. As glaciers are melting, climate change has caused flooding and drought. This impacts millions of vulnerable people, because it forces them out of their homes and at times, placing them into poverty and hunger. It also prevents access to essential health and education services. This grows the inequalities between disadvantages and privileges as it prevents them from making a living and having safe, reliable housing and necessary support services.
There are also numerous harmful risks that can cause serious devastations to an astronaut's health. These devastations can impact the astronaut’s physical structure. For example, bone loss as well as vision degradation can occur from being in a low gravity zone. Radiation is also a harmful impact as any exposure to it increases the risk of an astronaut obtaining cancer. Furthermore, other efffects of radiation also damage the central nervous system, altars of cognitive functions, and lowers of motor functions. To elaborate, radiation is considered the most harmful risk in space travel. Another impact that can occur in space is G-force. G force is the stress the body experiences during fast acceleration; experiments indicate G-forces 10 to 20 g range could make internal organs move which could result in injury or possibly death beyond 20 g. Secondly, while in space, astronauts are isolated and confined which can impact astronauts mentally. Sleep loss, circadian desynchronization as well as too much work can lead to performance decrements as well as adverse health outcomes. These serious impacts are extremely harmful. This is why we must find solutions that decrease the risk of these impacts occurring to ensure astronauts are safe during their trips. Lastly, there is also a high risk of malfunction on a spacecraft. Research suggests that there is a 1/100% chance of malfunction on a spacecraft. However, studies suggest that before we start trying to advance further into the depths of space we should improve our technology to reduce the risk of malfunction. Space is such a hazardous place and must be avoided to protect humanity.
NASA is misusing funds to provide unnecessary equipment for the astronauts. Research indicates that NASA is spending an increasing amount of money on facilities which are not used. Studies show, “In 2011, NASA spent $43 million in taxpayer money to maintain33+ “underutilized infrastructure facilities”. An example of poorly used money, NASA wanted to build a rocket test stand that cost $350 million to build, as part of the Constellation program. In 2010, Former President Barack Obama canceled the program when it was a third of the way to go from completion. Congress voted for the project to be finished, even after Obama's cancellation. Congress then gave an additional $57 million to NASA for this purpose. Though the test was finished last year, the article claims that there is no use for it. The cost of maintaining it, for taxpayers, is $900,000 every year. Moreover, NASA is using a substantial amount of resources to provide for its astronauts. This year, $25.4 billion went to fund NASA’s space research. This is an unreasonably large amount of money to provide one space organization. Additionally, NASA spends such an immense amount of money and time to create spacecraft; however, the spacecraft sometimes encounters malfunctions. When building a piece of spacecraft NASA utilizes resources poorly. For instance, 58.706 million was given by the government to NASA to fund the Apollo project in 1964. It takes 10 years to launch a piece of spacecraft. Another example is about a helicopter called Engenuity. It was sent to extract data from Mars however, it was engulfed in martial dust which made the mission unsuccessful. It takes an extraordinary amount of money as well as time to launch spacecraft however, the spacecraft can come across difficulties which then wastes the resources which could have been used to aid families.
As a result, space exploration is hazardous and humanity’s knowledge is still too poor to take part in this action. The effects of us not addressing these issues rapidly could result in grievous devastations. Furthermore, astronauts are exposing themselves to myriads of dangerous risks. Therefore, to conclude, space is an inherently risky endevour that should not be pursued until larger worldwide problems are solved and astronauts are safe while in space.
The government should utilize our resources to fund world-wide problems that greatly impact people daily. For example, poverty impacts a staggering amount of people and can cause difficulties in a person's life such as malnutrition and lack of access to health care. A statistic from un.org states that 1 in 10 people suffer from poverty, which is approximately 800 million people worldwide. Humanity is spending massive amounts of money to research space while people are suffering because they can’t find an affordable doctor. According to the UnitedNations.org, in 2020, it is estimated that 720 million to 811 million people in the world endured hunger, which was an additional 161 million more than in 2019. Moreover, during 2020, a staggering 2.4 billion people, which is about 30% of the world’s population, were food-insecure, meaning they were lacking access to sufficient food on a regular basis. Secondly, we should also utilize our resources to benefit the environment as well as to create a sustainable future. Newsela states that in 2021, the global average temperature was about 1.1°C more than the years from 1850 to 1900 (pre industrial). Global warming is causing ice caps to melt as well as sea levels to rise; this is harmful to the earth as our planet will soon become scalding and animals will become extinct. To elaborate, massive amounts of money is needed to eradicate this issue. Money provided by developed countries to fund climate projects amounted to $79.6 billion in 2019. Estimates show that an additional $1.6 trillion to $3.8 trillion will be required yearly; “through 2050 for the world to transition to a low-carbon future and avoid warming exceeding 1.5 °” un.org states. In addition, climate change has also grievously impacted humans. As glaciers are melting, climate change has caused flooding and drought. This impacts millions of vulnerable people, because it forces them out of their homes and at times, placing them into poverty and hunger. It also prevents access to essential health and education services. This grows the inequalities between disadvantages and privileges as it prevents them from making a living and having safe, reliable housing and necessary support services.
There are also numerous harmful risks that can cause serious devastations to an astronaut's health. These devastations can impact the astronaut’s physical structure. For example, bone loss as well as vision degradation can occur from being in a low gravity zone. Radiation is also a harmful impact as any exposure to it increases the risk of an astronaut obtaining cancer. Furthermore, other efffects of radiation also damage the central nervous system, altars of cognitive functions, and lowers of motor functions. To elaborate, radiation is considered the most harmful risk in space travel. Another impact that can occur in space is G-force. G force is the stress the body experiences during fast acceleration; experiments indicate G-forces 10 to 20 g range could make internal organs move which could result in injury or possibly death beyond 20 g. Secondly, while in space, astronauts are isolated and confined which can impact astronauts mentally. Sleep loss, circadian desynchronization as well as too much work can lead to performance decrements as well as adverse health outcomes. These serious impacts are extremely harmful. This is why we must find solutions that decrease the risk of these impacts occurring to ensure astronauts are safe during their trips. Lastly, there is also a high risk of malfunction on a spacecraft. Research suggests that there is a 1/100% chance of malfunction on a spacecraft. However, studies suggest that before we start trying to advance further into the depths of space we should improve our technology to reduce the risk of malfunction. Space is such a hazardous place and must be avoided to protect humanity.
NASA is misusing funds to provide unnecessary equipment for the astronauts. Research indicates that NASA is spending an increasing amount of money on facilities which are not used. Studies show, “In 2011, NASA spent $43 million in taxpayer money to maintain33+ “underutilized infrastructure facilities”. An example of poorly used money, NASA wanted to build a rocket test stand that cost $350 million to build, as part of the Constellation program. In 2010, Former President Barack Obama canceled the program when it was a third of the way to go from completion. Congress voted for the project to be finished, even after Obama's cancellation. Congress then gave an additional $57 million to NASA for this purpose. Though the test was finished last year, the article claims that there is no use for it. The cost of maintaining it, for taxpayers, is $900,000 every year. Moreover, NASA is using a substantial amount of resources to provide for its astronauts. This year, $25.4 billion went to fund NASA’s space research. This is an unreasonably large amount of money to provide one space organization. Additionally, NASA spends such an immense amount of money and time to create spacecraft; however, the spacecraft sometimes encounters malfunctions. When building a piece of spacecraft NASA utilizes resources poorly. For instance, 58.706 million was given by the government to NASA to fund the Apollo project in 1964. It takes 10 years to launch a piece of spacecraft. Another example is about a helicopter called Engenuity. It was sent to extract data from Mars however, it was engulfed in martial dust which made the mission unsuccessful. It takes an extraordinary amount of money as well as time to launch spacecraft however, the spacecraft can come across difficulties which then wastes the resources which could have been used to aid families.
As a result, space exploration is hazardous and humanity’s knowledge is still too poor to take part in this action. The effects of us not addressing these issues rapidly could result in grievous devastations. Furthermore, astronauts are exposing themselves to myriads of dangerous risks. Therefore, to conclude, space is an inherently risky endevour that should not be pursued until larger worldwide problems are solved and astronauts are safe while in space.
