Space Exploration is the discovery and exploration of the astronomical structures in outer space by the means of growing space technology. Space Exploration helps us to understand our universe and how it has formed. It might also help us to predict what may happen in the future. Space Exploration will help us to understand Earth as a whole and will help to find solutions to harmful things that affect Earth’s climate. The government should spend more money on Space Exploration because it is important for our National Security, to look for possible life on Mars, to prevent threats from asteroids, and to learn more about Earth.
To begin with, the government should spend money on Space Exploration because it is important for our National Security. Space Exploration will help us to “detect and prevent hostile nations or terrorist groups from deploying space-based weapons or attacking its navigational, communications, and surveillance satellites.” (Kiger) The government needs to spend money on sending satellites in Space for us to study the military movement of other countries. If the government can access all the military movement of other countries then our military will be prepared for everything that comes towards us. In the military, “Commanders rely on satellites to communicate with the troops in the front line.” (Logsdon) The satellites in space will help the US military to track marine ship and boats. Also, the satellites could track pirates and save the cargo ships from getting robbed. Satellites that NASA sends in space will also help the government to collect images and electronic signals. The images from space systems and satellites will help to identify threatening activities, planning military operation, and monitoring arms-control agreements (Logsdon). The electron signals such as telephones, radio, internet messages, and other emissions can be used to determine the activities that are taking place there.
Next, the money that the government spends on Space Exploration would help us to prevent threats from asteroids. Asteroids are small rocky objects orbiting the sun. Studying asteroids we may learn more about “past Earth impacts and possibly find ways to reduce the threat of future impacts.” (Wiles) Studying asteroids will help us to spot dangerous asteroids before it strikes the earth, therefore NASA can send spacecraft to destroy the asteroid before it can get close to earth. Most scientists believe that an asteroid that struck Earth 66 million years ago had caused the extinction of dinosaurs (Tucci). The impact of the asteroid had caused a layer of dust in the Earth’s atmosphere lowering temperature and causing acidic rain (Tucci). NASA needs to prevent asteroids from getting into the Earth’s atmosphere If humans don’t want to go extinct like dinosaurs one day. “According to NASA, about every 10,000 years, a rocky or iron asteroid size of a football field could hit earth’s surface and could cause tidal waves.” (Kiger) Huge asteroids such as the one that had caused the extinction of dinosaurs are less frequent but are still possible. If an asteroid strikes the Earth’s surface, then it could cause a huge earthquake. If an asteroid strikes the ocean, it could cause a huge destructive tsunami (Tucci). Humans only have to fear about Asteroids that are 100 meters across or bigger. These are the ones that could cover the atmosphere with sun-blocking dust, wipe out forests and farms, and starve humans and animals that it did not immediately kill (Kiger). Asteroids could also tell us about our solar system. “The material in asteroids represent the building blocks of planets.” (Raymond) Asteroids can also tell us about the origin of life (Rowan). According to scientists, the asteroids that hit the earth may have had water in it. The asteroid also might have deposited building block which could have helped start life on Earth. Exploring near-earth asteroids would be used to mine valuable metals. Robotic missions to asteroids will provide us more information about it and also the robots could return with samples of its surface for further evaluation (Wiles). Future Robotic missions to asteroids will help prepare humans for a long-duration space travel and an eventual journey to Mars (Wiles).
Further, the money that the government spends on Space Exploration will help to look for possible life on Mars. “Mars is a rich destination for scientific discovery.”(Daines) “A mission to Mars will help us to see if humans can live for an extended or even permanent time.” (Wiles) Robotic Missions have shown that Mars has similar characteristics and history as Earth’s. “After Earth, Mars is the only Planet with the most friendly climate in the universe.” (Mars, Water, and Life) Mars is said that, a long time ago, it had ice on its surface and a cold atmosphere. To discover possible life in the past, present, or future on Mars, Mars has developed an exploration strategy known as “Follow The Water” (Mars Exploration). The mission “Follow the Water” is for understanding the atmosphere and the surface of Mars. This mission will help us to understand if Mars held a vast ocean in its northern hemisphere (Mars Exploration). NASA needs to send robots to Mars to collect information about its climate and geology. The information about the climate from the Robots will help us to understand if there is life on Mars and how the planet has formed and changed over a long period of time. Evidence from previous research has shown that water liquid flowed on the surface of Mars (Mars, Water, and Life). Mars might still have water liquid under the surface of Mars. Previous research also shows that “the temperature of Mars is too low and the atmosphere is too thin for liquid water to exist on the surface.” (Mars, Water, and Life) The Robots will also help us to understand the geology of Mars as well. The Robots will help us understand Mars by bringing back Mars soil and rock samples. New technologies will help us to explore Mars in a way that we have never been able to.
At this time, it is important for the US government to spend money on Space Exploration to learn about Earth. By sending satellites in space, NASA will be able to learn more about global warming. NASA needs to learn more about global warming and find a solution to it because it is causing a negative effect on Earth. Global warming is a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere caused by an increase in carbon dioxide and other pollutants. Scientists believe that humans are responsible for the increase in carbon dioxide. The increase in temperature and carbon dioxide has caused an increase in severe weather events (Global Warming). This could cause severe droughts, hurricanes, and floods. The rise in the temperature has negative effects on animals, plants, and coral reefs. The change in temperature and climate causes disruption in their food chain (Global Warming). The rise in the temperature causes long-term damage to coral reefs (Global Warming). The satellites in space can also help NASA to gather more information about how pollution affects our environment. Pollution causes lots of diseases such as stroke, heart disease, and lung cancer. Different types of pollution are water pollution, air pollution, and land pollution. Water pollution is caused when dangerous chemicals are introduced to water (Bradford). Water pollution can cause fish’s in the water to die. Air pollution is caused when there is some gas added to air such as when air from burning fuel (Bradford). According to a study, air pollution kills about two million people each year (Bradford). Land pollution is caused by household garbage and industrial waste (Bradford). NASA needs to study pollution and how it affects our environment to stop it from destroying our environment and land. The government should spend money on space satellites to help farmers of America. Satellites will help farmers in America because NASA can track the Earth’s soil control. The farmers would know where there is good soil and enough soil to grow crops. Some people say that the government should not spend money on Space Exploration and focus more on world hunger. If the government focuses more on world hunger, then we would not be able to discover new things and would not be able to focus on things that are important and can affect our day to day lives such as weather and pollution. Weather is another thing that NASA has to pay attention to. NASA needs to predict the weather so that people can have enough time to prepare if a storm is coming their way. The satellites in space can track hurricanes and other storms as they develop (Rayman). The satellites can also help us to understand the temperature of the ocean and how the temperature of the ocean can affect the weather. Space satellites contain other instruments that could be used for weather purposes. There are instruments in the satellites which can measure the wind speed inside a cloud and also measure the amount of water inside the clouds. This can help NASA and the humans know how much precipitation there will be.
To conclude, the government needs to learn more about Earth, prevent threats from asteroids, need to look for possible life on Mars and improve our National security by spending money on Space Exploration. The government needs to spend money to explore Mars to extend human life. Also to improve our National Security, so the US won’t get attacked by other countries military or by a terrorist group. To destroy asteroids in space that might cause a big impact on Earth. Also to predict the weather on Earth and to look for ways on how pollution and global warming have affected our climate and atmosphere.