"China Declares Chang'e 4 Mission Complete Success"
Disclaimer: Special Title Approved by Ms. Caldwell
Disclaimer: Special Title Approved by Ms. Caldwell
Map of moon landing sites
Image of the Yutu-2 rover taken by the Chang'e 4
probe and relayed by the Queqiao satellite
Summary:
China's Chang'e 4 landed on the far side on January 3, 2019. This craft made history as the first object to perform a soft-landing on the far side of the moon. The program is named after the Chinese moon goddess Chang'e and the program began in 2004. Landings on the far side of the moon are vastly more difficult than landings on the near side because of difficulties in communication with the craft. China needed to employ the Queqiao satellite in order to communicate with the rover. This is because there is a large rock in between the earth and the rover.
China's Chang'e 4 landed on the far side on January 3, 2019. This craft made history as the first object to perform a soft-landing on the far side of the moon. The program is named after the Chinese moon goddess Chang'e and the program began in 2004. Landings on the far side of the moon are vastly more difficult than landings on the near side because of difficulties in communication with the craft. China needed to employ the Queqiao satellite in order to communicate with the rover. This is because there is a large rock in between the earth and the rover.
A diagram of the Queqiao satellite and how it communicates
with China
The Queqiao satellite acts as the relay between the Earth and the Chang'e 4 rover. Additionally, China's Chang'e 4 worked in tandem with other countries like Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Argentina in order to develop payloads and other things to be taken to space. China's use of science to befriend other countries improves their diplomatic relations with those countries. Twelve days after the landing of the Chang'e 4, China made history again. The rover brought up many seed varieties and attempted to grow them in a biodome on the moon. One suc(seed)ed.
Cotton seed that sprouted on the moon
A cotton seed sprouted in the bio-dome on the moon. Growing food in space carries large benefits. Right now, food needs to be brought up by rocket, but if food could be grown with the crews it would greatly extend the amount of time people could spend in space.
2017 space spending on national space programs in the
US, China, EU, Russia, and India, respectively
GPS is another space technology China developed. While GPS was first developed by the US, other countries like China have developed similar systems. Their GPS network, BeiDou, was finished in late 2018 and is one more example of China's growing interest in space.
Reaction:
China has been steadily increasing spending on space. This demonstrates their belief in the future of space. Four years ago the famed astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson, once said that the first trillionaire would be the one who capitalized on space exploration. This isn't the only example of humanity's growing interest in space. Elon Musk's company, SpaceX, now carries a valuation of over 30 billion dollars which is nearly 4 times the market capitalization of Snapchat and more than American Airlines or United Airlines. Elon Musk isn't the only one to get in on the growing space business. Sir Richard Branson, owner of Virgin America, started Virgin Galactic a company whose stated goal is to be the "spaceline for earth." Branson said this about space:
"We are at the dawn of a golden age of space exploration which will transform our relationship with Earth and with the cosmos."
The world's richest man, Jeff Bezos, wouldn't be left out either. His company, Blue Origin, is also in the space industry and Bezos, himself, has said it his "most important work." The US is not the only country investing in space. In China, Baidu and Didi Chuxing (which are worth over 100 billion dollars combined), both invested in space startup i-Space. Another Chinese space startup named Spacety also has big goals.
The homepage for Spacety, a Chinese space startup
The French company Safran is another notable space startup. Major asset holding firms like The Vanguard Company and BlackRock both own stakes in Safran. All of these things point to big things for space in the future. We are only at the beginning.
Connection:
This compares to the buildup of technologies that took place during World War II. This includes the race to nuclear energy and to develop better versions of tanks, planes, and ships. Companies like Ray-Ban and Jeep got their start during World War II as well. The investment into technology during World War II parallels the space investment taking place today and predicts the large innovations that might take place in the not-to-distant future.
Questions:
- Do you think that any money should be invested in space when people are still starving on Earth?
- Do you think investment in government funded companies like NASA or private space companies like SpaceX is more beneficial.
- Should the US be more cooperative with foreign countries in space exploration?
Final Thoughts:
The great Arthur C. Clarke once wrote
"The time [is] fast approaching when Earth, like all mothers, must say farewell to her children."
Additional Sources:
1 (Dark side landing), 2 (Spacety), 3 (Youtube), 4 (Little blue men), 5 (Queqiao), 6 (Cotton), 7 (Cotton), 8 (Cotton), 9 (Militarization), 10 (Militarization), 11 (NASA budget), 12 (Investment), 13 (WeChat), 14 (Trillionaire), 15 (SpaceX), 16 (Richard Branson), 17 (Virgin Galactic), 18 (Blue Origin), 19 (Blue Origin), 20 (Baidu), 21 (Startups)
1 (Dark side landing), 2 (Spacety), 3 (Youtube), 4 (Little blue men), 5 (Queqiao), 6 (Cotton), 7 (Cotton), 8 (Cotton), 9 (Militarization), 10 (Militarization), 11 (NASA budget), 12 (Investment), 13 (WeChat), 14 (Trillionaire), 15 (SpaceX), 16 (Richard Branson), 17 (Virgin Galactic), 18 (Blue Origin), 19 (Blue Origin), 20 (Baidu), 21 (Startups)
In current society, rich people get richer and poor people poorer. Wealthy business owners look beyond small scaled profit while people under poverty struggle to serve dinner for the family. However, the world has been operating this exact way since day one. If all money and resources on earth are used to cure starvation, we will soon run of resources. Natural selection is one basis of nature that shouldn’t be forcefully changed. In addition, a comparison between “rich” and “poor” will always be in play even if no one is left literally starving to death.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, funding national and private companies each have their pros and cons. If governments focus on funding organizations like NASA, the country as a whole will be able to invent more advanced technology for space. However, one huge drawback is the lack of opportunity for international cooperation. If two countries are working on similar projects but have unhealthy relationships, public organizations are not likely to cooperate. Private companies, on the other hand, might achieve big goals slower, but foreign relation will not be the biggest concern. I think the U.S. should definitely cooperate with other countries. Teamwork allows the projects to be done faster and in a more accurate manner.
While I agree with some aspects of your reply I would like to refute others. "If all money and resources on earth are used to cure starvation, we will soon run of resources." A UN estimate said that it would simply cost $30 billion dollars per year (borgenproject.org/the-cost-to-end-world-hunger/), or less than 1% of the proposed U.S. budget for 2019. Additionally, the world currently produces enough food to feed everyone (https://www.worldhunger.org/world-hunger-and-poverty-facts-and-statistics/) and it is just a logistical matter to feed everyone. Hunger is very damaging. The WHO estimates that over 250,000 go blind each year from vitamin A deficiency (https://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/vad/en/). Finally, international cooperation has its downsides. It can compromise international security and disagreement between entities has been there since day one. It is an important bargaining tool and it breeds competition between those entities to make things better.
DeleteIn society, there will always be some amount of people starving. While it is important to help those who are living in poverty, I believe that people should invest money in space, and that the existence of poverty should not stop people from doing so. Society should not have to completely solve the issue of starvation before being able to make advancements in technology. Technology is meant to improve people's lives and it would be a poor choice to downplay its importance. In fact, not only are the Chinese studying the growth of cotton seeds on the moon, they are also studying the growth of potato seeds in the Chang'e-4 lander(https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-46873526, BBC). This leads to advancements in space colonization and helps solve the issue of starvation. I believe there is a lot of potential in space and that starvation should not hinder technological developments.
ReplyDeleteThrough the same logic as Alex, I also think that starvation is no reason to stop space exploration. I think that government companies are more likely to achieve their goals, but if private companies get more funding, I think they would do a better job. Private companies are formed by people who are interested in a particular subject (in this case, space). From my experience, when people enjoy their work, they generally are more active in participation and work harder than others. I also agree with Celine in saying that the US should cooperate with other countries. Working together makes projects more efficient and makes life easier for everyone. Also, with so many people working towards a common goal, there will be plenty of ideas to go around. The technological advances would be beneficial to everyone.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, world population is expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050. If, through space, we can find a way to find more space (no pun intended) and efficient and reliable ways to support/feed the growing population, then there is no need to pause on exploring more of the unknown. It’s rather beneficial for our society as space might just be the answer to the increasing number of people on Earth.
ReplyDeleteOne could make the argument that there is faster innovation in competition, as countries want to reach a common goal first. However, working together with countries can sometimes make the process more efficient and if we can all live in a cooperative atmosphere, then collaboration is the solution. We are all living on one planet (as of right now) and we need to find ways to survive and ensure that society can maintain the new numbers of people.
Link: http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/news/population/2015-report.html
I don't think that current world issues should dissuade people from spending billiones in space exploration. People like Elon Musk get a lot of hate for using their money to fund space exploration, but in reality it is their money and they have the right to spend it on whatever they want. A big problem with investing in space exploration is that there is no return on the investments. A Forbes article says that, "We understand that knowledge has value for its own sake and that we often cannot predict how that knowledge may have additional practical value at some later time." The point of this is that through space exploration there only thing we get is knowledge about our universe. Although this is important and can be very valuable in the future, it currently doesn't help much when people are looking to make profits in space exploration. Until we employ space mining on a grand scale or create a consumer market around space travel, there is no monetary profit being made from sending billion dollar rockets into space. When it comes to private verse public space exploration it seem as though now private space exploration is beginning to thrive. Up until the appearance of Space X, Blue Orgin, and other private space companies, it was hard for private companies to get funding from investors when there was nothing to give back to investors in return. Now however, we see some of the worlds richest people investing huge sums of money into their own private companies. This turn has definitely put private space exploration at an advantage. Overall, I think space exploration is very cool, but we are very far from a time in which space exploration is a profitable industry.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2017/04/04/the-pros-and-cons-of-privatizing-space-exploration/#26a2b7683319
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DeleteLately, it has been a hot topic on deciding if governments should continue to invest so heavily into space exploration. In my opinion we should continue to invest in space exploration for many different reasons. For starters, space exploration is the new frontier for humanity and can spark many new inventions and ideas. If we never even attempted to go to the moon, we wouldn't have inventions like the microwave. While we do have many issues occuring on Earth that should be attended to, space exploration should not be put on hold. It is the hope by even 2023 that a group of brave people, will be sent on a one way trip to Mars and begin colonization. (https://www.space.com/22616-mars-one-martian-colony-volunteers.html) If it is true that humans are able to grow plants in space, that could lead to humans traveling to more and more planets in our solar system. But for humans to successfully land on mars and colonize it, all countries will need to come together and work together. If humans can slowly perfect travel to Mars and set up bio-domes and farms, we can send more and more people from Earth to this red giant. Having a “second earth” can solve the population issue here on Earth. Overall, I feel it is very beneficial to fund space programs all around the world for the sake of humanity.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Alex and Josh on how the government should continue prioritizing its funds on space exploration because of its massive potential. Starvation, like what Alex stated, will always be prevalent in any society. According to top NASA rocket scientist Ernst Stuhlinger (https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2017/10/26/even-while-the-world-suffers-investing-in-science-is-non-negotiable/#578ca5261647), space exploration, in the long run, will contribute more to the solution of these grave problems we are facing here on earth than many other potential projects of help which are debated and discussed year after year, and which are so extremely slow in yielding tangible results. Starvation, poverty, disease, persecution, and natural disasters have occurred throughout history yet no one has been able to make any huge contributions to cure/stop all these disastrous events. As stated by (http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/about-us/150-people-in-astronomy/space-exploration-and-astronauts/general-questions/921-how-much-money-is-spent-on-space-exploration-intermediate), first world countries and other regions of advanced technology such as the US, Japan, Europe, China, Russia, and India spend only an average of 0.055% of their national budget on space exploration, while the US spends 11% on assisting those in poverty. As stated by my peers, the possibility of space travel and the production of food in space will greatly benefit mankind as we will be able to solve our population/hunger issues. Working together with other foreign countries will greatly increase our chances in improving our methodology regarding space exploration. In addition, countries should learn to set aside differences/prejudices in order for us to make any real progress. Space exploration needs massive amounts of research. Not investing in it right now doesn’t mean that you will magically discover something 50 years down the line. It’s better to start right now than later when you have to face the growing population issue. Overall, we should invest into the space programs around the world.
ReplyDeleteI think it is easy to overlook the importance and significance space exploration has overtaken. I believe that spending money to help decrease poverty vs spending money to encourage space exploration should be seen as two separate topics. Who ever said that we have to choose one over the other? While continuing to put money towards space programs, there can also be encouragement in the involvement of improving conditions for those who live in poverty. Both have immense pros and cons, but it shouldn't be a this or that choice. Obviously, space exploration has gotten more attention, but that doesn't mean people don't want to help others in need. It is relatively easy to declare one's opinion on space exploration or put money towards it, but many people express uncertainty on the topic of people living in poverty. Many people see this only as a problem for which has to be solved throughout the entire world. Although that is the goal, it is easy to forget how many people could benefit from help in one's own country, state and even city. Space exploration is working on technological improvements, and they should get the funding and support to do so, but that doesn't mean people can't also work to improve the lives of others.- Nina Wade
ReplyDeletePersonally, I don't believe that we should spend as much on space exploration as we do. That's not to say that we shouldn't be exploring space, just that we may be diverting too many funds to it with the amount of still pervasive problems we still have on Earth. We still have major environmental problems like global warming, pollution, and rising tides that are still pervasive problems that we currently don't have many working solutions for. We also still have so many government issues and cultural issues and economic issues already down here on Earth. There certainly are pros to investing in space exploration, such as discovering new potentially habitable planets and uncovering new solutions to real-world problems (like growing cotton in space in the article for example). However there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of answers for problems we still have on Earth that could potentially be solved if we could buckle down on them like we do for space exploration. It's not that space exploration isn't important; it's that we have other problems on earth that are just as important, if not more so, that also deserve the spotlight that space exploration gets.
ReplyDeleteIn response to the first question, I feel that no, money should not be invested into space exploration while there are still people on Earth starving. While space is an extremely interesting, and captivating place, the humans here on Earth should be the first priority. According to: http://curious.astro.cornell.edu, BILLIONS of dollars are spent every year in space-related fundings. If NASA, and other space companies, contributed that money towards real-world problems, such as poverty, medical research, etc., our world would be a much better place. I believe that there is already a lot of information about space at the moment, and it is not necessary that we learn any more information on it, until other issues, such as starvation, have been adressed.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of space exploration captured the minds of Americans in the 60's, although interest has declined over time. The biggest crippling factor, though, was the US government significantly reducing NASA's budget, effectively no longer giving NASA its full support. China, on the other hand, has its space program funded by the government. In response, space travel in America has become more and more privatized, with companies like Space X providing services to those who wish to travel into space. However, unlike the Chinese, these private companies don't have nearly as much money to fund their activities. One of NASA's greatest strengths and the Chinese government's space program is the ability to pour stupid amounts of money into research, training, and development. As of now, China has a good chance of overtaking the US as the space giant, if the American government continues to neglect space travel. However, in order to do so, the American people need to have the desire to go to space, as we did back in the 60's. Space X has done a good job rekindling the novelty of space, although there is still much to be done if we ever want to return to the moon or go beyond.
ReplyDeleteSpace expansion is extremely crucial for the development and the preservation of the human species, that is if done correctly. Humans must learn from their mistakes while on Earth to stop the cycle of decay and destruction that we are currently in right now. An example of this would be global warming and pollution in general. Having humans possibly live on another planet will increase the chances of the longevity of the human species since we are currently depriving Earth of its natural resources. Furthermore, with the advancement of technology comes the longer lives and therefore a larger and increasing human population. I agree with the author of the blog post, especially with the quote from Clark saying how humans must sooner or later leave Earth. This will prevent overpopulation within growth and help to keep up with the supply and demand needed to sustain human life. Having humans focus on other planets for their natural resources will help prevent the destruction of natural habitats for organisms on Earth as well.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Times, Stephen Hawkings believes that “the potential of commercial space travel, both for exploration and the preservation of humanity.” http://time.com/4507656/stephen-hawking-richard-branson-virgin-spaceshiptwo-space-travel/
Additionally NASA article describes Pulitzer Prize winning historian William Goetzmann stating that “‘a culture of endless possibilities that, in the spirit of both science and its component, exploration, continually looks forward in the direction of the new’” and that “space exploration vision must be seen in that context.” https://www.nasa.gov/missions/solarsystem/Why_We_01pt2.html
Regarding whether or not the US should be more cooperative with foreign countries in space exploration, I think that collaboration between nations when working on technological advances will be a great benefit. Take the Silk Road for example; each new invention that crossed the Silk Road was hugely advanced by the other cultures it was exposed to and many of these inventions have been able to continue to grow and develop into major and essential products today. If Iraq’s camera obscura had never made it’s way to Spain, it wouldn’t have been so quickly realized that the camera could be used for artwork, rather than merely scientific experiments. When contrasting people are able to contribute their own unique ideas and opinions, it is easier for technology to change and advance, as opposing cultures may able to see different uses for the same item depending on their own way of life. Looking at the Chang’e-4 mission alone one can tell that without the help of various nations besides China the mission itself may have never succeeded in the impeccable way it did. Even though China developed and ran the mission, without the Russian and Chinese collaboration of a radioisotope and group station in Argentina, the Chinese would’ve never achieved this unprecedented landing today. One of the biggest results of international cooperation of space agencies is the International Space Station, or ISS. The principal agencies that are involved in the creation and operation of the ISS include agencies from Russia, Europe, Japan, Canada, and the US. The ISS, one of the most complex space endeavors, could not have been successfully achieved in this time without the help of the many contributing nations, as seen in the over 18 countries that have sent astronauts to the station. The ISS, Chang’e-4, and even the ancient Silk Road all serve as proof of the great, beneficial impact of international cooperation when it comes to technology, and for the latter examples, more specifically space. All nations, not only the US, should contribute more to space explorations, as it is clear that our own Earth cannot sustain humanity’s existence forever.
ReplyDeleteSorry- I forgot to mention that I used nasa.gov as a source.
DeleteWhile I do feel that money should be put into space exploration and looking to the future, I feel that there are more relevant problems on our own planet. I do believe that looking to the future and discovering possibilities is vital to future generations thriving but the fact that people are currently starving is something that can not be overlooked. While it is nearly impossible to solve world hunger, there are still many issues in our current society that would greatly benefit from the kind of money that NASA is getting, like homelessness. In the past week, states in the midwest suffered an extreme spell of cold, with temperatures in Chicago dropping as low as -20 degrees. While people in the city did reach out to help the homeless find somewhere to stay, I have no doubt that there were still many homeless people left out in these devastating conditions. I have no problem with money being put into NASA and the future but I do believe that there are other issues that don't get enough coverage. I also think that the US should be more cooperative with other countries in space exploration because space is not just the future of the US, but the future the entire world.
ReplyDeleteI believe that both space exploration and the topic of starvation on Earth are two very different topics. Though both are very important, I believe that space exploration will help benefit our species in the future. As we see the population on Earth will only be getting bigger and bigger, and many countries currently are using space exploration to help find a solution for the future. But I do also believe that starvation on Earth is also very important but shouldn’t influence a governments choice on space exploration.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that the US should be more cooperative with foreign countries in space exploration. As shown by the Chinese, if different countries do collaborate together and help one another, it will help our progress in space exploration. I do believe that some governments want to be able to say that they were the ones that successfully did this exploration. But the more important thing is that we currently all are living on Earth, and eventually will need to find different solutions to allow our species to thrive.
Investments in private funded companies such as SpaceX are extremely beneficial to humankind. Some space companies need to explore space without restrictions from the government. Private companies will have the freedom to do as they choose and disregard the quote “the sky's the limit” or “the governments the limit.” At the moment, so much of space is unknown. Understanding the universe as a whole will further human civilization. Private companies will only complete this task faster because they won’t have limitations to their curiosity. We shouldn't stay on earth because eventually, our civilization will be restricted by the earth's resources. There is something called the Kardashev scale, which has three levels of human civilization. As the years go by, we might eventually have complete control over the earth which is called a Type I civilization. Next is a Type II civilization, the ability to harness the sun's energy. This could possibly work through a Dyson sphere which will use millions of solar panels to encompass the sun. Finally, a Type III civilization is where humans have complete control of the galaxy. These types of civilization may never become true, but if we never try to accomplish these goals, our civilization will never advance. According to https://www.sciencealert.com/what-will-happen-after-the-sun-dies-planetary-nebula-solar-system, the sun is going to die approximately 10 billion years. I understand that 10 billion years is a ton of time, but if we do survive for that long, we better find another planet to live on. The exploration into space will help us advance into higher levels of civilization and give us enough power to control the universe.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think the money used to fund space should be used to cure starvation on Earth. There are already multiple organizations today already dealing with the starvation problem even though it’s still a serious issue. Additionally, I think we should start on our progression into space earlier so that the human society can begin taking advantages of resources outside of Earth. I also think that government funded companies like NASA are more beneficial than private companies such as SpaceX since funded companies are more focused on development and research while private companies like SpaceX are only doing this for the sake of money and profit. However, because NASA is not getting funded as much as it wants by the government, it isn’t able to perform space progression at a very fast rate. I think the US should be more cooperative with foreign countries for space exploration since there can be more accomplishments achieved with more people in space. With the cooperation of multiple countries, space exploration should advance at very quick rate. However, the only thing preventing this is that all countries have their own interests and desires for themselves.
ReplyDeleteI believe the US should be cooperative with other countries in space exploration. Although countries can attempt it alone, the help and aid of others would be very beneficial. From NASA "The International Space Station Program brings together international flight crews, multiple launch vehicles, globally distributed launch, operations, training, engineering, and development facilities; communications networks, and the international scientific research community." This quote shows how by working together, with many different countries on ISS, it can improve scientific research for all. The ISS has been visited by astronauts and scientists from 18 different countries. This is important as it demonstrates how international relations and communication are beneficial, even beyond Earth! Although it can be difficult to manage so many different groups, the final product, of working together, is worth it. Thus I believe international relations are very important for space exploration. (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/cooperation/index.html)
ReplyDeleteI think investment in private companies such as SpaceX is a more useful form of future space travel for multiple reasons. For one, private companies can focus more on themselves as a business and build up money for expeditions, whereas (according to https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/02/health/china-lunar-rover-far-moon-landing-intl/index.html)NASA is finding trouble holding funding, and international relations affect the viability of the ISS in the years to come. Having multiple private space scompanies may also lower the cost that each trip takes because they will be more concerned about cost efficiency if they are not as comfortable with just receiving government funding. Competition between companies will also allow them to offer expeditions (and later commercial ones) at a lower price to maintain business. In this way, private space travel may be superior and more sustainable than government funded divisions.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree that private companies definitely bring a long their own benefits, I believe that investing in government funded companies is a much safer and better way of investing in space. The problem I have with private companies is that they are ultimately after money which means that they will not be putting the people first, whereas a government funded company like NASA works to improve people's lives. This means that government run companies will give the fairest prices because they won't prioritize the money like the private companies will. In addition, being a government run company will ensure that they will strictly follow guidelines set by the government. It is impossible to know if the private companies will do the same. For example, in 2014, Michael Gass, the head of United Launch Alliance, accused SpaceX of "cutting corners" (https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/ula-chief-accuses-elon-musks-spacex-of-trying-to-cut-corners/2014/06/18/a7ca0850-f70d-11e3-8aa9-dad2ec039789_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.c3da8521eb36). To be clear, this accusation didn't turn out to be anything substantial, nevertheless I worry that this could actually happen. As you said "Competition between companies will also allow them to offer expeditions ... at a lower price to maintain business." I worry however, what will these private companies be willing to do in order to lower their prices? In the end I think that government run companies is a safer option especially for something as important as space travel.
DeleteI believe that funding space exploration would have many positive impacts on society, but only as a last resort. Like many have said above, hunger will continue to be an issue in society and the environment is continuing to deteriorate as humans continue advancing technology on earth. It is important to fund exploration in space because of all the benefits including innovation of technology, creating global partnerships (common peaceful goals), inspiring the next generation and enabling economic expansion (https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/Benefits-Stemming-from-Space-Exploration-2013-TAGGED.pdf). However, some of these issues may not be as urgent as issues on earth. We should focus more on saving the planet we have before seeking refuge somewhere else. According to fee.org (Foundation for Economic Education), NASA's annual budget is $19.3 billion. This budget could be spent in various other ways on Earth and improve life for everyone. We should learn more about the current condition of Earth rather than just abandoning it.
ReplyDeleteI think that space exploration should still continue as although there are people starving, it is nearly impossible to solve the problem with limited space. If we can expand into space and develop other celestial objects, hunger could be solved using imports of food from those places. Not only could it potentially solve hunger problems on Earth, but space exploration could help further develop our technology and create new innovations to better help humanity. I think that countries should work together for space exploration as cooperation could possibly accelerate our technology's growth. Cooperating could also unite more of the world to prolong world peace.
ReplyDeleteSpace exploration is important, we need to know what is out there and who. However, focusing on those on this earth that is not doing so hot, as well as the people on it, is still important. The idea of expanding past our planet earth sounds amazing, but as we are still on it, shouldn't we try to undo all the damage we've done? It's no secret that we the human race have caused a number of things to happen to Earth, global warming, several species going endangered and extinct. Since we have created such a mess, should we not try to solve our problems instead of running out on this planet the first second we can? It would be interesting to explore beyond our solar system, to branch out and try to find other forms of life, but we shouldn't ditch planet earth all together. If we put our minds together, we could try to think of a way to save our home. On science.com, an article talks of converting the sun rays deserts get to solar power and powering the world with good clean energy. It also talks of wind and geothermal energy that can be harnessed from several locations, such as California's Mojave Desert, and many more. Space exploration is important and should be looked into yes. But it comes second to saving this planet and helping those on it. Or at least it should.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the first question, If private companies don't put their money towards space exploration they will find another cause. Preventing companies from putting their money towards space exploration won't make them obligated to contribute it towards world hunger. While I believe starvation is a big issue their are many organizations such as save the children (https://www.savethechildren.org/us/what-we-do/emergency-response/helping-starving-african-children) working to reduce it. However the companies should oblige to putting a fraction of money towards leaving earth in a better state before trying to find a new home whilst leaving their old one a mess. This includes not only helping with starvation but also with wildlife, the pollution, and global warming. Overall, I think companies should continue with their exploration but also have a thought in mind about their current home. This doesn't mean they should totally shift gears onto a new project (starvation). In my opinion the US should continue to collaborate with other countries, but to keep the "sharing" limited to about space. When I thought about it there are national competitions where states compete against each other but in the end the whole country unites in competitions like the Olympics. Similarly if extraterrestrial life is found the planet needs to be united.
ReplyDeleteI believe money should be spent in space while there are people starving on Earth for several reasons. Primarily, space exploration is a new possible solution to the food shortages shown in starving populations. We can use food grown in space to feed starving people. Although this may take a while, space exploration and research could one day lead to the end of starvation. Another reason we should pursue space exploration while there are people starving is that without an increase in fertile land on Earth, it will become increasingly difficult to feed the ever-growing population. We will need to explore other alternatives for growing food, such as in space (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/meals_ready_to_eat). I believe private companies are more beneficial than government companies because they are not obligated to keep any information from the people. Furthermore, they focus more on cheaper and more affordable space travel in order to keep business going, which could eventually lead to space travel becoming accessible to most people. Finally, I believe the U.S. should be more cooperative with other countries in space exploration. Although it could be viewed as dangerous to have other countries, which could turn up as future enemies, controlling part of space, I think the human race benefits from sharing knowledge. In my opinion, openness between scientific communities of different countries would lead to more efficient and quick discoveries, as well as new technologies that could benefit all people.
ReplyDeleteSpace exploration has a rightful place among government spending. The immensity of space, and the limitlessness of things to discover, keeps the human race intrigued in discovery and science, and encourages a common collaborative goal that unites nations. World hunger is a complex issue that doesn't have a sustainable solution resulting from simply throwing money at the issue, and much of the effort from nonprofits actually goes into mobilizing economies of poverty stricken nations (https://www.thp.org/rethinking-solution-ending-world-hunger/). Diverting funding from space exploration isn't immediately going to create and lasting benefits for any complex issue. In my opinion, the scientific developments that come out of space research are well worth the money invested.
ReplyDeleteI believe that countries should communicate more about space exploration. Although friendly competition often boosts productivity, knowledge shared about a common research topic may also increase productivity. Where one country may be stuck, another may be able to help. With shared information about space across the world, we may be able to increase the standard of living on Earth by capitalizing on the beneficial differences between the cosmos and our home planet. Organizations, like NASA, realize the benefit of international communication and have created organizations dedicated to the upkeep of a positive and mutually benefiting relationship with other countries.(https://www.nasa.gov/ames/partnerships/international)
ReplyDeleteEven though people are still starving on Earth, it should not be the reason that stops money from being invested in space because this can further our society and help benefit everyone. Starvation cannot just go away, it will take time and during this time, I think it can be used to explore the space. In the article, "China Declares Chang'e 4 Mission Complete Success," it mentions how some countries are cooperating and working together to help further lunar exploration, and to give us more knowledge about Earth. To pay for costs and be able to face risks shows how serious China and other countries are in exploring the moon. Further research can help solve or answer unknown questions and I believe this is worth it.
ReplyDeleteThis project is one that needs to be funded on a national scale. Although it is a great triumph for China and they should completely earn bragging rights to this, this project should be opened up to other countries. If China could do all of this work then I do believe that when we collaborate with other we have a higher chance of successful missions and we can achieve even greater things. If we were to collaborate on an international space farm or something along those terms the overall mission expectancy would have a significant increase and that could be the start of further space exploration such as human exploration that is.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many humanitarian problems that need to be fixed in the world. Whether it is to help stop starvation, or poverty or even gun violence. But according to Forbes, (/www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2017/10/26/even-while-the-world-suffers-investing-in-science-is-non-negotiable/#4926a6131647) "There is a continuing great need for new basic knowledge in the sciences if we wish to improve the conditions of human life in earth." I agree with both sides of the argument. I think the world should invest more money into countries who suffer from poverty, starvation and for us to focus on our own problems in the U.S like gun violence and natural disasters. But I also agree that we should invest our knowledge into sciences that will eventually help the world in a long term investment.
ReplyDeleteWhile I do agree that starvation, along with many other challenges, must be tackled on Earth, I do believe that progression of exploration in space is vital for solving many problems. For instance, there has been recent concern regarding overpopulation on Earth. Although humans have not reached that stage just as yet (and the consequences of reaching such a stage is yet unknown), the recent increases in human population is contrary to the norms and is raising concerns for many. http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20160311-how-many-people-can-our-planet-really-support Global Warming is yet another issue that the world currently faces. On the contrary to the previous issue stated, the Earth is already facing the consequences of it. The ocean levels are rising, there are more floodings, wildfires are increasing, military bases as well as national landmarks are also at risk, and much more. https://www.ucsusa.org/our-work/global-warming/science-and-impacts/global-warming-impacts#.XFvH7apKiHs Investing in space can help these issues in a long term process. Although more research is currently needed to be done, space has potential for new habitats for life, which may contribute to a solution to the problem of overpopulation and a refuge from the harming affects of global warming in the future.
ReplyDeleteI believe space exploration is necessary for humans to understand our world. Money is justly spent when it involves furthering science and progress. Space offers resources such as an abundance of minerals that could help us advance our technology, and we should do our best to obtain these resources(http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160103-the-truth-about-asteroid-mining). Asides from what can be discovered in space, satellites offer reliable global communication and help people keep in touch with the world. Like on the Silk Road, ideas and information can be spread through them especially when more and more information about the universe is being discovered. NASA and space X's newest mission(https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/03/us/nasa-astronauts-commercial-crew/index.html) shows how the US is preparing more space ships. The more space expeditions funded the more information and resources can be shared with the world.
ReplyDeleteHuman civilization should explore its curiosity to the limit. However whilst there is still starvation and hunger prevalent in most nations, its almost impossible to eliminate it all together. Although there are many wealthy people to help support the starving around the world, no matter what there will never be a way to feed each person. This should not stop investments to help for space exploration. However there are ways to save money and the United States has the opportunity to interact with foreign countries to explore space with mutual funds. This could help expedite how long it would take to travel through space, allowing countries to budget money that could be used to help the needy around the world. Adding on to this, United States may have some resources that other countries may not have and they could benefit from helping one another.
ReplyDeleteWhile I do believe that starvation and many other problems on Earth should be dealt with, I think it is beneficial to invest in the exploration of space. Space has infinite amounts of potential and possibility, Mars has yet to have an astronaut set foot on the planet. In addition, the push for space exploration allows for competition between countries to help evolution of technology to speed up. I think cooperation with the US and other counties about space can be beneficial in that sharing ideas and data can help boost knowledge of space travel and more. However, without competition for space travel, technological advancements in space exploration can be slowed because there is no competition to push these advancements.
ReplyDeleteHenry Louie
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ReplyDeleteI think being more educated about what's happening in space has its benefits. One being that we may need space in the future or understanding how space may affect Earth. Otherwise, I feel that people's main focuses should be devoted to improving the issues we have here. There are many global issues of course and a lot of them could be lessened if we balanced some of the money that's used for space exploration with other any global issues. Some issue may be starvation, lack of clean water in poverted countries, and housing. These are issues that impact people greatly and we, as a society, should be paying more attention to. I am aware that these companies do more than just explore. They create technologies that may potentially benefit our society which is why I think that it's important to provide them money. This would contribute to the moral of benefitting our world/ society. Although it is important to explore and discover new things because it may help people in different ways, we should prioritize the issues we've had trouble solving.
ReplyDeleteI believe that this expensive space exploration has a very insignificance relationship with poverty. Currently, our modern technology is rapidly developing on both cellular and universal scales. The immense and mysterious universe around us has been questioned for the entirety of humanity. Landing on our moon is major advancement, but also at the same time a small step in space exploration. Consequently, this advanced exploration requires billions of dollars to achieve, however, if these projects turn out successful, the money spent will definitely be worth it. Like a point Erika mentioned, our population is quickly increasing and habitable land and resources on the moon will be very beneficial. According to JPL Infographics from https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/infographics/infographic.view.php?id=11218, the total estimated cost of colonizing onto the moon is $57.8 billion, but is described as “moondust” when “compared to the $398.6 billion being spent on the latest US warplane”. This emphasizes how the cost of space exploration seems very expensive, but in reality it isn’t and it is also more beneficial to humankind compared to other major expenses in our world. A large portion of our wealth is distributed in different businesses and industries other than companies dedicated to space exploration. Also, I believe that poverty is almost inevitable, and if we do want to conserve money, we could do so by other means.
ReplyDeleteThere should 100% still be money invested into space exploration even if there are people in poverty on Earth. However, it definitely is not a one or the other type deal. As Aidan brought up, it's estimated that it'd cost annually 30 billion a year to stop world hunger which is not a large enough sum to holdback humanity's provision for the impoverished but also space exploration especially if accounted for on a worldwide scale. That's why private companies exist, to not be tied to the government financially and focus on their mission at hand because for government organizations, their funding could be removed at any moments notice for a different purpose. The US should definitely be more cooperative with other countries in the name of space exploration as it would rebolster their image as forerunner of space technology. Great things are happening and the world should definitely seek to get a working plan B due to how some things are going here globally.
ReplyDelete(borgenproject.org/the-cost-to-end-world-hunger/)
ReplyDeletePeople should continue to invest in space. Just because we, the human race, are behind in some aspects of life, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t continue to improve in others. Poverty is a huge issue, but not the only issue. By investing in space exploration, we are investing in the future. The investigation of space is the investigation of the unknown. By exploring out into the atmosphere, we can learn so much more about the Earth, other planets, and how they came to be. Investing in space exploration is not so much investing in an object or something that could return the investment with money, but it’s rather investing in knowledge. In return for the billions spent on furthering the exploration of space, we are learning so much more than what we knew before leaving our little planet and going out into the atmosphere. These continuous improvements can lead to many amazing discoveries and advancements, such as potentially expanding our inhabitable land or finding ways to grow plants on the moon. By learning all of these new things, we can create new ideas to old problems such as poverty or overpopulation. Overall, I don’t think that funding for space exploration should be paused and rerouted to finding a solution to poverty. While I wholeheartedly agree that poverty is an issue that desperately needs to be fixed, it shouldn’t determine whether or not we should continue to improve our technology and research the unknown. I mean, who knows? Maybe the advancements in technology created through the research of space could help solve poverty and other worldly problems.
People should continue using money towards space even while poverty takes such a huge toll on the Earth today. Poverty has been on this Earth forever and has increased and decreased over time. It has always been an issue that people have been investing in for a long time, but this is not the only thing that we have to worry about. Companies like NASA work towards developing technology that will benefit the future on Earth, which is an equally important investment in my opinion. While I believe that poverty is still an issue that people should have done more to improve, gaining knowledge that could improve technology for the future may be able to resolve poverty. Researching the unknown and gathering knowledge leads to a vast understanding of many concepts or problems, which could easily be poverty. By investing in space and technology, people are benefitting the future of society that could very well be the solution to poverty. Although, more focus and dedication could definitely be put towards decreasing poverty.
ReplyDeleteI think that if the issues on earth can be solved by more funding towards space exploration, we should focus more heavily on that because then we could use the same research and knowledge in other fields. As long as the problem on Earth doesn't get to the point that more than a quarter of the population is at risk of starving or dying. There are differences between government funded programs and private businesses and I think that these differences are absolutely needed in order to efficiently move forward with our research. The funding and power of having a government funded program will help speed up the process while private businesses help encourage competition and new ideas in the field. These private businesses also ensure that the government cannot withhold information from the public. I think the US is already pretty well integrated into the international scope of things when it comes to space exploration and that more involvement could potentially eliminate the competitive nature of exploring new frontiers. Space exploration is one of the most interesting and fascinating things going on for me because there is just so much out there that we don't know and probably will never know. It's a constant reminder of our insignificance in the universe but is also a source of motivation to learn and to explore.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that the existence of current problems in the world should deter companies and countries from pushing science and looking for a stable future for the human race. Should there be more efforts into helping people currently under the poverty line and starving? Yes. Are there a lot of organizations combating this problem? Yes. Do countries and companies waste money on seemingly useless things just because they can? Yes. Societies have developed to be able to tackle multiple problems at once, so just because one exists, doesn't mean that people should put 100% of their time and focus onto it. I believe that funding government and private space exploration organizations are overall beneficial. I would say that investing into a private company is more beneficial because that company is solely focused on the goals that they state and not controlled by a larger body. In the case of NASA, its effectiveness is based on how much the US government wants to allow it to do its job by the annual budget it gets.
ReplyDeleteAs the superpower of the us we should be the superpower in all aspects of the world. There shouldn't be any reason that we don't fund the space program, because the world is already facing the issue of overpopulation. As one of the world superpowers we have a responsibility to fund programs for living on places other than this overpopulated planet. Funding private and federally run programs will also be important to keep our advancement in technology moving in a forward direction. We can't hinder our ability to advance.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is great that there is such a big interest in space exploration, however the countries on Earth need to get there priorities straight. I don't understand why countries don't help their people first. Why spend billions on space exploration when billions of people on Earth are living in poverty? While there are organizations and companies trying to help these people and solve other world problems, it is not being done at a fast enough rate and many people still aren't receiving help. The thought that humans will live on Mars isn't very realistic. If everyone were to be treated equally and have the opportunity to be brought to another planet. How would one transport 8 billion people. I understand that space exploration could help answer these questions, but still even if it were possible to bring people to another plant many people would get left behind most likely the poor people. Therefor I believe that these countries should only spend a fraction of what they do on space exploration and the rest should be used to help those in need.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I believe that money should still be invested in space, even while people on Earth are still starving, because the environmental situation is getting worse at a quick pace and we need to find another home before our mother Earth is destroyed by her own children. There are many theories out there, of how Earth will end, and it is more important for the common good, to explore space for that our species may survive and not become extinct from our own doings.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I believe that NASA is more beneficial, because after Elon Musk departs from SpaceX, the company will no longer have a very clear goal as to what it will do in the future. (https://www.spacex.com/) So far, Elon Musk has claimed several unrealistic goals for his space projects, such as being able to get a million people into mars within 50 years. Though these claims give us hope for humankind, they are very unrealistic and we still don’t have the technology to look that far ahead. NASA is more realistic as they are still doing research to better understand space before sending so many people out there. They are doing research through space telescopes, which they are still currently trying to develop further. The US isn’t the only country doing research and engineering aiming to move mankind to the red planet; the other countries with this same goal are Russia and China. Even though they all have the same aims, I don’t believe the US should work with other country due to foreign relation complications. Would our scientists need to come together to do research together? Who would get the money that all three countries make? How would they split the work and profits? (https://www.nasa.gov/)