Polish science fiction author and philosopher, Stanislaw Lem, once said, “ Man has gone out to explore other worlds and other civilizations without having explored his labyrinth of dark passages and secret chambers, and without finding what lies behind doorways that he has sealed (Lem).” When thinking of the vast and unexplored universe, people are eager to jump in without thinking it all through. It is for this reason along with safety issues, political issues, and neglect of other scientific discoveries that space exploration should not continue being funded.
Space exploration initially began with Germany’s use of missile rockets in the 1930s and 1940s for World War II which sparked the creation of other missile programs in the U.S. and Soviet Union. In 1957, the Soviet Sputnik was the first manmade satellite to reach space. The U.S. followed a year later with the Explorer 1 satellite and in April of 1961, Russian astronaut Yuri Gagarin was the first man to reach space (Chronology). This became another area of competition and rivalry during the Cold War which was known as the space race between the U.S. and Soviets. Following this, space shuttles were invented, the U.S. landed on the moon, and the International Space Station was created. Many other accomplishments followed but so did many catastrophes; in 1986, seven crew members were killed on board the Challenger 1 which became a heavily criticized event in the news. However, spaceflight continues and according to NASA, its purpose is to, “ explore the unknown, discover new worlds, push the boundaries of our scientific and technical limits, and then push further”(Wiles). Cognitive anthropologist Bob Deutsch explains spaceflight instigates a “reverie to help people feel they are more fully alive and participating in a quest beyond the mundane” (Deutsch).
Space exploration has overshadowed the funding of equally valuable scientific exploration on Earth. August 12, 2012, the Mars Rovers landed as everyone enthusiastically watched along; meanwhile, in March of that year, the Challenger Deep traveled more than 36,000 feet below the ocean but was met with little excitement and publicity (Jonathan). Additionally, humans have yet to discover 90% of the ocean and its species, yet we have larger and more detailed maps of the surface of Mars (Jonathan). Many are set on the idea of finding resources in space yet, the ocean provides us with an abundance of vitamins and minerals, important ingredients for marine biology and pharmaceuticals, and the largest source of protein (Jonathan). Meanwhile, the idea of mining rare metals from asteroids in space has provided us with nothing but space rubble. The imbalance in funding can be seen in 2013 when the funding for NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) was 23.7 million for exploration whereas NASA received 3.8 billion (Space). Sadly, the US is falling behind and missing opportunities to lead in the exploration of the spectacular oceans of this earth while countries like China are funding yearly missions to explore the Pacific.
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Furthermore, the funding and supervision of the U.S. space program lacks direction and concrete goals because of political chaos. The annual budget for NASA could be spent in several ways: paying for nearly two million students to attend college, providing health care for 1.8 million people, or it could be used to fund NASA (Neville). As part of the Constellation program founded by President Barack Obama, 350 million dollars was given to NASA to build a rocket test stand in the Stennis Space Center, however, Obama canceled the program in 2010. Congress did not agree and paid an extra $57 million to NASA to finish the project (Cobb). This is one of many examples and just in the past six years, the visions for NASA have changed three times: first for the space shuttle program, then the Constellation program, and now the mission to Mars. Even Paul Martin, NASA inspector general has said that the constantly changing space policies “have increased the difficulty of determining which facilities NASA needs” (Cobb). Now under the new President Donald Trump, policies have changed as well; he has recently signed the Directive 1 policy to launch crewed missions to Mars and return astronauts to the moon. Trump is also supporting an “America First” policy and plans to militarize satellites as well as create a private sixth branch of the military though the whole point of the ISS (International Space Station) was to create international communication and strengthen relationships (Space). Though this has not yet happened, China, Russia, and the US all have anti-satellite missiles and are developing newer technology so this could escalate the conflict further (Skibba). Space Exploration has become an area used for personal gain and is directly influenced by the people who wield great political power, not those who are involved in science. Perhaps the President and Congress are more at fault than NASA, but either way, this disbalance of power has created a poor sense of leadership for the future of space exploration which must be dealt with more effectively.
Imagining a future in space seems exhilarating, but the effects and safety must also be considered. If life is found, how would this life form be viewed? Of what value would it be? Would leaving samples, metal parts, or drilling the planet be disrespectful to their environment? What value would be placed on their environment? Currently, there are laws and agreements like the Outer Space Treaty that govern space exploration but they could quickly be disposed of if a discovery was found (Space). Only in the last century have humans been in space but they have already managed to pollute it; more than 2,000,000 kg of space debris currently orbit the Earth. In short terms, space debris is any man-made object with no function that is usually dropped or thrown away during missions in space and it remains in orbit for thousands of years; the dropped glove of Ed White in the 1965 Gemini 4 mission even managed to return to earth (Crowther). Many are also proposing the idea of sending humans to Mars with nuclear power like the cryogenic propulsion system because it will help long-term space missions. However, this is incredibly unsafe; in 1978 Soviet Kosmos 945 was powered by nuclear reactors and came crashing down in Canada, spreading radioactive debris everywhere (Grossman). Yet taxpayers are being asked to endanger the lives of many people by paying for nuclear missions; Dr. Michael Gruntman, professor of aerospace engineering stated “If we want solar system exploration, we must utilize nuclear technology, without the risk, there will be no reward” (Grossman). NASA also states that there are many dangers of space travel for humans like space radiation which alters functions of the body and the harsh impact on cardiovascular systems in the body when spaceships blast through the atmosphere (Whitting). All of these safety issues must be examined and dealt with before they become a problem left for future generations.
Although space exploration should not continue to be funded, many disagree. First off, NASA has produced numerous inventions including the kidney dialysis machine, pacemakers, and heart monitors so, many argue that these have been important scientific breakthroughs. Additionally, some think it is a necessary achievement to help inspire Americans because, since the first moon orbit of 1968, there has been more awareness and benefits on the human spirit (Prechtl). Though these machines are vital to our healthcare, the inventions could have been created by other means and despite initial enthusiasm, space exploration no longer results in the same benefits. After the completion of the Apollo 11 mission, interest declined and funding cuts shortly followed which led to the cancellation of the next 3 missions of the Apollo program. As astronomer Phil Plait said, “Some space advocates call Apollo a 'flags and footprints' mission: get there just to get there. That's what a space race tends to do. Once you win, what then? Well, you're done. You've won (National). There is no longer a need to fill the void, the initial intrigue of manned space flight is over and that must be accepted.
Nothing can diminish the brilliance of achievements made in space but the flaws and issues in the current funding of space exploration cannot be ignored. Whether it’s the dangers of space travel, political turmoil, or unfair funding, people must understand that there is a problem. Space exploration is not a destiny but a choice we must make for a better future on Earth One that can only be made if people are willing to put forth the change and consideration necessary to ensure a brighter future, not just for mankind, but for the entire universe.
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