space exploration advantages and disadvantages essay

18 Biggest Advantages and Disadvantages of Space Exploration

President Donald Trump announced his desire in 2018 to create a sixth branch of the U.S. military that he colloquially called the Space Force. Although Congress has yet to act on this desire to take the armed forces beyond the atmosphere of our planet, in February 2019, Trump signed Space Policy Directive 4 to have these forces organize underneath the umbrella of the U.S. Air Force.

The directive formally allows the Air Force to organize, train, and equip a corps of military space personnel for actions that take place in space. “Today I’m thrilled to sign a new order taking the next step to create the United States Space Force,” Trump said during the signing ceremony. “It’s so important. When you look at defense, when you look at all of the other aspects of where the world will be some day. I mean, this is the beginning. This is a very important process.”

The initial version of the Space Force will be overseen by a civilian undersecretary and a four-star general serving as the Chief of Staff. Although this structure is not as ambitious as having a separate branch of the military, space exploration experts feel like this is a step in the right direction.

The pros and cons of exploring space are complex simply because we have limited knowledge of what lies beyond our solar system. There are still mysteries to discover about our own planet! These are the key points to consider when we begin to look at what life might look like in the vastness of space.

List of the Pros of Space Exploration

1. It is an opportunity which is available to anyone. If you have a telescope, then you have an opportunity to start exploring space. For more than 300 years, we have looked to the stars with this technology as a way to learn more about our planet and ourselves as a species. When the Hubble space telescope was launched in 1990, it gave us our first views without atmospheric interference on what the vastness of our universe was like.

With millions of images taken and tens of thousands of papers written based on the observations made from simple telescope technologies, we have learned more about the structure of our universe, its age, and the composition of our solar system in the last 20 years than our ancestors would have ever dreamed was possible.

2. It gives us an opportunity to foster genuine cooperation. Because we are a world of nation states, the investments that we make in space exploration tend to have a patriotic feeling to them. Some efforts in this scientific area are still nationally-based, but for most projects there is a spirit of cooperation between the countries of the world who have made this realm of science a top priority. We work together as the human race to operate the international space station, fund research projects, and look outward beyond the stars to see what is there. It is one of the few areas in our lives today where we set aside our boundaries to work together toward a common good.

3. It is an effort which requires us to become innovative. The 100-year Starship Program has the ultimate goal of creating a technology that will allow us to explore space. No idea is off-limits with this project. What we have found in our quest to achieve specific goals in this area of science is that there are numerous discoveries which become possible to improve our lives here at home. Everything from athletic shoes to water purification systems came about because of our push to look beyond our planet. By tackling the technological needs to stay safe in space, we can make life better for everyone down on our planet at the same time.

4. It is an opportunity to explore something new. Although there are still regions of our planet that we rarely study because of technology limitations, the vastness of the universe is a much more significant prize. Only the Voyager spacecraft have gone beyond the first boundaries of our solar system. The information they provide us nearly four decades after their launch continues to enlighten our knowledge of the universe. There are so many unanswered questions when we think about space, especially now that scientists can determine which stars have planets orbiting around them.

Is there life somewhere else in the universe? If so, would those beings look like us? There are numerous technological barriers we must cross before we could travel for long distances in the vacuum of space, but we are getting one step closer every day.

5. It creates numerous employment opportunities in a variety of fields. There are more than 18,000 people employed in the United States by NASA, along with countless contractors, freelancers, and specialists not counted in those figures. The private company SpaceX provides about 7,000 full-time high-skill positions that support the economy. Then there are the astronauts, engineers, and flight specialists who manage the actual mechanisms of space flight to consider.

Numerous indirect employment opportunities are possible because of our efforts at space exploration too. We need caterers, designers, nutritionists, personal trainers, astronomers, scientists, and many other positions to support these activities. Even though the budget for NASA is $21 billion for FY 2020, the economic returns can be five times greater because of these activities.

6. It allows us to understand our planet better. When we can observe the full scale of our planet from a high orbital position, then we can see changes that are not always possible from the ground. It gives us a way to track the changes to our environment, study ozone depletion, and measure the impacts of a warming planet. We can provide accurate prediction models for weather patterns, observe troop movements, and install safety equipment that guards against an attack. When we take full advantage of this benefit, it becomes possible to create a place in the universe that is healthier for many years to come.

7. It gives us a new perspective on our place in the universe. It took several centuries for the scientific world (back by religious zealots) to accept the fact that the Earth was not the center of the universe. When we saw that first picture from a distance of what our planet looks like from a distant point in our solar system, it became clear to see that a small, pale blue dot in the middle of the vastness of our universe puts our daily issues into a new perspective. Until we discover otherwise, this is the only home that we have. It is up to each of us to share resources, reduce conflict, and work toward a common good.

8. It allows us to identify potential dangers before they strike. The asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars is only one source for these deadly rocks in our solar system. There may even be threats that travel through the universe to interact with our region of space from time-to-time. It would only take one significant impact to change life on our planet forever, which is why space exploration makes threat identification a top priority. If we can locate and move threatening asteroids or comets before they threaten an impact, we could stop the apocalypse before it ever gets a chance to begin.

9. It would give us access to new minerals, precious metals, and other useful items. Thanks to the asteroids which occasionally make it to the surface of our planet, we know that many of them contain iron and carbon. We also know that there is nickel, cobalt, silicon, magnesium, calcium, and several other elements present. Some might have water or oxygen contained beneath their surface. There may even be gold, platinum, and other precious metals there. We might even discover something that we’ve never encountered before.

Space exploration gives us an opportunity to access new mineral resources, allowing for the privatization of this venture. It would also give us an opportunity to start building in space because the raw materials are easy to haul and transport.

10. It gives us an opportunity to see what lies beyond in the final frontier. Unless circumstances change somehow, there will come a point in time when our species will outgrow our planet. We must begin to look for colonization opportunities in our solar system and beyond to help support the future of our race. As our scientific and technological discoveries begin to open up opportunities to visit distant stars, we can start to discover even more mysteries that will help us to answer the meaningful questions in life.

11. It could change our approach to medicine. Discovering new organic elements in space could help us to discover cures for some of our worst diseases. We really don’t know what is possible in our universe beyond the scope of basic physics. There could be untold treasures just waiting beyond our solar system to discover. Although there is always an element of risk to any exploration venture, there are great rewards often waiting for those who embrace their courage to start pressing forward. At the rate of development that we’ve seen in the 21st century, we could be looking at a very different human race in our children’s lifetimes based on the possibilities of discovery.

List of the Cons of Space Exploration

1. It could cause us harm or provide harm to other species in space. We know from experience what happens when one group of humans comes into contact with another group after generations of isolation. The diseases that transferred back and forth between Europe and the New World devastated some cultures. There were times that smallpox would kill over 90% of the local population by itself. If we encounter life on a different planet (or if they visit us), the threat of disease transmission is real. Their viruses, bacteria, and potentially unknown invaders could do as much damage to us as we could to do them. First contact would be an exciting experience, but it could also be a deadly one even though no one has any ill intent toward the other.

2. It creates high-level pollution events. We must consume fossil fuels when we launch rockets into space, which means we’re creating a significant level of pollution every time we expend fuel for exploration purposes. Even on a light load, it costs about $300,000 to fuel a rocket. Larger models could hold a half-million gallons of fuel that would be used during an entire mission. That means we are creating roughly 4 million pounds of carbon pollution with every action that we take to reach space. Then we must find a way to place these fuels safely into orbit to make our exploration efforts useful, creating even further potential problems for our atmosphere.

3. It gives us more ways to be paranoid about what others are doing. There are only five treaties which currently govern how we operate in space. Our original goal as the human race was to make it so that no one could claim a territory in orbit or our solar system that could give one nation a distinctive advantage. The creation of a Space Force could work to upset the balance that we’ve worked to create for the last 50 years. We’re already using satellites to spy on one another, monitor communications networks, and potentially target cities with weapons.

This paranoia will only increase as we push further into the stars. The only real solution to this disadvantage is to start thinking of ourselves as a planetary nation instead of one that is built on nation-states alone.

4. It will create a large amount of garbage that we must manage. Did you know that NASA tracks over a half-million pieces of space junk that orbits our planet right now? Unless we physically remove these items in some way, this garbage will linger until it falls into our atmosphere to burn up. Every item we leave behind creates a future risk for someone else. If we are going to start exploring space, then we must begin to look at ways to clean up our act before we get going. It’s bad enough that we’ve polluted our oceans with microplastics. Should a spaceship encounter that debris, it could be a deadly experience.

5. it may cause our planet to face unknown perils. A common theme in many science-fiction novels, shows, and movies is the idea that an alien race is hostile towards us. It is widely believed that water may be one of the scarcest commodities in the universe, but here we are with a planet that is more than 70% water. If we start venturing out beyond our solar system, it is entirely possible that we could encounter a species who decides that our resources are ripe for the taking. We assume that an advanced culture who could invent real-time space travel would be peaceful, but there are no guarantees. Exploring space could become an invitation for interstellar war.

6. It will always entail risk. Human beings were not meant to be in the vacuum of space. We must wear extensive protective gear to survive those conditions. Even one small leak or crack in a helmet or suit would be enough to create an adverse health condition. This issue applies to the planetary environments which we know of right now as well. Then there are the health issues to consider when the human body experiences a lack of gravity for an extended time.

NASA studied identical twins Scott and Mark Kelly when Scott took a long trip to space. Scientists monitored their bodies to see how being in a weightless environment could change the physical chemistry of a person. They discovered that genomic instability occurs, including gene expression changes, and spending a year in that environment caused a thickening of the carotid artery, DNA damage, and reduced cognitive abilities.

7. It is expensive to start exploring space. Even though the budget for NASA has not changed that much in recent years, we are spending about $200 billion per decade on our current space exploration efforts. Privatization of the industry has helped to reduce some costs, especially as SpaceX continues to work on a recoverable rocket. When you add in the costs from other countries and their space programs, our planet spends about $60 billion per year on this effort. In comparison, the United Nations suggests that it would only take half of that amount to end global hunger permanently. Should exploring space be our top priority if we’re struggling to take care of ourselves here at home?

When we examine these space exploration pros and cons, there is a certain nobleness to the idea of seeking what lies beyond the next horizon. Our society was built on the desire to explore the planet where we live. Now our culture has the itch to start pushing beyond the next boundary. Whether that means we colonize the moon, establish a community on Mars, or push toward Alpha Centauri, there is something waiting to be discovered. We’re closer than ever before to finding out what that might be.

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Space exploration pros and cons: Are space programs a waste of money?

Source: Image : ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA

Space exploration is a hugely expensive affair. Should we spend money on space exploration when we have so many problems on planet Earth? We debate the pros and cons of space exploration and the reasons for investing in space agencies and programs.

Should we spend money on space exploration?

The launch of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket into has brought back media attention to space exploration . Elton Musk's private aerospace company is in the process of becoming a major player and a partner for many space programs. However, most of the efforts to discover whats out still depend mostly on public funding.

Space exploration is costly, and many argue that in times of belt-tightening, we should focus on solving problems here on Earth, especially since the knowledge gained from space exploration has few immediate benefits. On the other hand, pronponents of space exploration argue that the knowledge to be gained is invaluable, and that it is in the very nature of humankind to explore. In addition, proponents of these programs argue that they have had significant benefits and resulted in the discovery or popularisation of many useful new technologies . Furthermore, space exploration could be the only way to escape human extinction in case living conditions become unsustainable on Earth.

Today there are six big government space agencies with the capacity to create, launch and recover satellites: the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA ), Russian Federal Space Agency ( Roscosmos or RFSA),the China National Space Administration ( CNSA ), the Indian Space Research Organisation ( ISRO ), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ( JAXA ) and the European Space Agency ( ESA ) which integrates several European space agencies. Among them only NASA, ROSCOSMOS and CNSA have full capacity for human spaceflights and lunar soft-landing. In addtition to these there are many other government space agencies with variable capabilities, most of them have only the capacity to operate satellites, a few of them also have launch capabilities and can operate extraterrestrial probes. Some of these space agencies are competing to be the first to send humans to Mars and investigating if there is intelligent life on other planets .

These space programs and agencies are very costly. It is estimated that the total annual budget of space agencies is $41.8 billion. Among them the highest budgets correspond to:

NASA (USA, $19.3 billion)
Roscosmos (Russia, $5.6 billion)
ESA (Europe, $5.5 billion)
CNES (France, $2.5 billion)
JAXA (Japan, $2.5 billion)
DLR (Germany, $2 billion)
ASI (Italy, $1.8 billion)
CNSA (China, $1.8 billion)
ISRO (India, $1.2 billion)

Are all these costs justfified? Are there better ways to spend public funding? Should we mainly rely on private investors such as Elton Musk to promote space expliration? Will capitalistic incentives lead the way towards space exploration? In order to help make up your mind we outline next the most important benefits and problems of space exploration.

Space exploration pros and cons

Knowledge generation. Thanks to space exploration programs we are discovering many things that help us understand the universe. For instance, learning about planets, comets, stars, etc. can help us find solutions for some of the problems our civilization will face, such as overopulation and the need to colonize other planets.
Exploration and discovery are beneficial. Humans have always engaged in exploration to satisfy their sense of curiosity and look for opportunities. During the Age of Discoveries in the 15th and 16th centuries, countries such as Spain and Portugal heavily invested in expeditions, but thanks to them they became super-powers and gained many riches. Later, during the second age of explorations in the 18th and 19th century, the discoveries of pioneers such as Captain Cook or Livingstone heavily contributed to scientific discovery.
Artificial satellites are crucial tools in modern society. For instance they are used for defence purposes and to fight against terrorism. Satellites help us also monitor the effects of global warming and detect wildfires. Space agencies are necessary to operate satellites.
Scientific advancement and by-products. Space exploration programs help introduce and test new technologies. Much of the research carried out to find solutions for space travel have applications elsewhere. For instance NASA research has contributed to develop velcro, fire-resistant materials, medical devices to relieve muscle and joint pain, new precise thermometers, artificial limbs, new air conditioning systems, land mine removal systems, improved radial tires, etc.
Space race may save humanity. Life on Earth may be threatened by climate change, pollution, depletion of resources, infectious diseases or nuclear war. Further, space exploration is necessary to find another planet on which humans could pursue their lives. Space programs help also find solutions to adapt human lives to the space or other planets.
Space industry jobs. The space industry employs directly about 120,000 people in the OECD countries and 250,000 in Russia.
Few direct benefits to space exploration . True, space technology has helped us launch satellites and introduce many useful products, but do we need to keep pushing forward? The direct intellectual gains from learning about far away planets or satellites such as the moon can hardly compensate the costs. Historical exploration on Earth allowed collect and trade resources. Bringing resources to Earth is not possible with the current technology.
Space travel is hazardous. Many lives have been lost in space expeditions. Space missions are very dangerous and can often cost lives and stress to the families of the astronauts or cosmonauts. Should highly qualified professionals and scientists risk their lives traveling outside Earth?
Failure is common. Many of the space exploration fail. Probes and satellites crash, exploration robots are lost, rockets blow up in the air, etc. It is frustrating to see how so much money and time are wasted in unsuccessful missions.
Danger of establishing contact with alien life. One of the main goals of space exploration is to find out if there is life outside Earth. However, establishing contact with other civilizations can be extremely dangerous and could jeopardize human life. If we flag our existence to technologically advanced extraterrestrial civilizations, we may be somehow exposing ourselves to their attacks and invasion. The wanna-be colonizers could be colonized. Primitive life-forms such as virus and bacteria could also provoke epidemic diseases.
New source of international tensions. The space race is not over. There is a growing international competition to be the first in fulfilling some challenges in space exploration. Sovereignty over other planets and satellites, and over their resources, will become a controversial issue. With the advancement of technology domination of the outer space may tip the balance of power on a bipolar or multipolar Earth.
Priorities and opportunity costs. Even if there are benefits to space exploration, spending so much money and effort in reaching other planets is highly questionable. That money and brain power could be used to solve other more important problems for us. For instance governments could invest much more to prevent global warming, reduce crime rates and find a cure for cancer or Alzheimer's Disease.

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19 Advantages and Disadvantages of Space Exploration

One of the reasons why fictional universes like those in Star Wars or Star Trek are popular is because they show us a reality where hope is possible anywhere. In the former, space exploration leads to an independent spirit where the fate of one’s culture and identity are at risk of being overrun by a zealous government. In the latter, humanity overcomes its core problems of conflict, hunger, and poverty to become great explorers of space.

Numerous science-fiction novels and stories over the years show us that exploring space could be exciting and profitable. What we don’t always discuss are the potential dangers and expenses that such an action would bring to us as well. When European settlers came to the Caribbean as explorers, some tribes lost up to 90% of their population because of the introduction of new diseases.

If we were to begin exploring alien worlds or encountering new life, our entire planet could experience the same problems as those island tribes.

That is why it is critical to examine the advantages and disadvantages of space exploration before launching these missions to ensure that we can all achieve the best possible result.

List of the Advantages of Space Exploration

1. Space exploration allows us to prepare for potential hazards. The universe is a vast place where hidden dangers could be lurking almost anywhere. Even if you consider only our solar system, there are asteroid and comet threats which could devastate our planet if an impact were to occur. Exploring space gives us an opportunity to locate these hazards in advance to prepare an encounter that could help to preserve our race.

Then there are the interstellar items to consider. Oumuamua, or 11/2018 U1, was discovered by the Pan-STARRS1 telescope in 2017 by the University of Hawaii through funding from the Near-Earth Object Observations Program. It was originally thought to be an asteroid, then a comet since it was accelerating, and up to 10 times as long as it was wide. These items could create interstellar impacts as well.

2. It gives us more information about our solar system, galaxy, and universe. When we take on the effort to start exploring space, then we can discover new truths about our planet and culture simultaneously. The information we obtain from these studies can then be applied to our STEM resources here at home. NASA technologies that were originally developed for space programs include infrared ear thermometers, LED lighting, ventricular-assist devices, anti-icing systems, and even temper foam.

Because it requires us to innovate to reach to the stars, our efforts to solve critical problems create opportunities to make life better here on our planet at the same time.

3. Exploring space is one of the few human endeavors that crosses borders. There are currently 72 countries who claim to have a space program, but there are only three which have an operating government space agency: China, Russia, and the United States. Despite the political conflicts that occur between these nations, their capability of producing human spaceflight provides the gold standard for future exploration efforts. Only 14 of the 72 nations who operate in this space even have a basic launch capacity and six (adding Europe, India, and Japan) have the capability to launch or recover multiple satellites.

Because of the expenses and resources necessary to achieve space flight, the remaining nations work together with those who have the capability of a full launch to manage this aspect of human existence. This endeavor is one of the few ways that humans from all nations cooperate without conflict.

4. We can see humanity in a different way with space exploration. Carl Sagan suggested that Voyager 1 take a picture of Earth while it was 4 billion miles away at more than 30 degrees above the ecliptic plane. In that image, our planet appears as a 0.12 pixel crescent. All of our conflicts, political battles, successes, failures, love, loss, and life occur on this one-tenth of a pixel. In the scope of a universal lens, we are but one small point of light amount countless others.

“Look again at that dot,” wrote Sagan. “That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer, every king and peasant… every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.”

5. Space exploration provides us access to new raw materials. When we began to launch satellites into space, it allowed us to find new raw material deposits on our planet that we could access to make life easier here. If we apply this technology as an extension to the rest of our solar system, then it gives us the same benefit to find minerals, precious metals, and even new materials that we can use. Although the expense of exploring space is admittedly high, this advantage gives us a way to offset those costs somewhat. There is even the potential that it could become profitable one day if we can provide these efforts with enough capital.

6. Investments into space exploration create real economic benefits at home. The governments which provide the majority of our space exploration infrastructure employ over 20,000 people per agency who make direct positive economic impacts on their community. There are private companies who look at the potential benefits of this industry and contribute to this advantage as well, such as SpaceX and their thousands of staff.

People from all walks of life contribute to space exploration every day, ranging from astronomers to actual rocket scientists. Even though many of these programs receive taxpayer funding, the wages, manufacturing, and indirect investments contribute over 70% more in overall value at the local level compared to each dollar spent in the United States. These opportunities allows us to explore many different fields of study in addition to what is waiting in the universe as well.

7. Anyone can become a space explorer. Space exploration doesn’t need to involve starships, space stations, or intergalactic travel. If you own a telescope and can look up at the sky, then you can embrace this element of human existence. Our scientists have taken this advantage to the next level with the Hubble Space Telescope, which has made over 1 million observations in almost 30 years of service. We have made some incredible discoveries with this technology already.

We have a better idea about the age of the universe (around 13.7 billion years).
Images of the deep universe show that there are thousands of galaxies out there.
It helped us to discover four of the five moons that orbit Pluto.
We have a better understanding of planetary seasons in our universe.
It works to peer into the atmospheres of alien planets so that we know what is waiting for us in our future exploration efforts.

8. Space exploration encourages us to share instead of being selfish. Being human-first from a space exploration standpoint isn’t about dominating other cultures that we might find waiting for us in the universe. It is a way for us to find common ground outside of our physical appearance, cultural differences, or religious preferences. For far too long, we have allowed ourselves to be consumed by our petty problems instead of looking at the big picture.

If someone is hungry, then we should feed them. If they are cold, then we should clothe them. If they need a job, then we should help to train them. Space exploration unites us in ways that other global efforts do not because we see ourselves as humans first. This advantage won’t solve our problems, but it can shift our attitude toward something that is healthier than our current state.

9. We know more about our planet thanks to our efforts to explore space. Because space exploration gives us a different perspective, it allows us to look at our planet in a different way. The view from outside of our atmosphere allows us to see the big picture instead of trying to extrapolate information from micro-scale research. This advantage allowed us to discover the problem of ozone depletion in the upper atmosphere, begin the conversations on global warming, and examine the current and future impact of weather pattern changes that may happen because of a changing climate.

Space exploration helps us to look inward as well as outward, helping us all to find the changes that are necessary to keep our planet healthy for our children, grandchildren, and beyond.

List of the Disadvantages of Space Exploration

1. Our current technology makes it dangerous to get into space in the first place. Several agencies are developing “space tourism” packages that can take people in a comfortable aircraft to the very outer layers of our atmosphere, but that is not an exploration effort. We currently strap astronauts into a vehicle that gets attached to a very large rocket so that there is enough speed available to break the grasp of gravity.

Starting with Theodore Freeman, who was killed in the crash of a T-38 in October 1964, there have been over 20 individuals who lost their lives in the line of duty while advancing U.S. space program interests. There have been two individuals (Gus Grissom and Peter Siebold) who were able to survive a problem that resulted in the loss of a space vehicle.

2. There are cost considerations to look at with space exploration. The cost of exploring space is one of the biggest criticisms of the efforts to launch a program that takes us beyond our planet. When the space shuttle program was active in the United States, the total cost of the launch was about $500 million. That figure does not include the expenses of postponement that often occurred because the conditions were not right to send a rocket into space.

Manned missions in our solar system could cost 10 times that amount, and that might get us to Mars or one of Jupiter’s moons. Technology advancements in recent years could make this issue cheaper for the next generation, but we should ask ourselves if spending billions on space exploration is the right thing to do if we have people dying of hunger on our planet.

3. Astronauts receive exposure to natural dangers while in space. If the launching process doesn’t kill you during a manned space exploration effort, then the natural dangers that are present outside of our planet’s atmosphere could become problematic in a variety of ways. The radiation that comes from the sun is a constant danger to astronauts when they are in space, and the weightless environment can change their physical conditioning. Experiments with identical twins, with one staying on our planet and the other spending a lengthy assignment in space, show that there are changes at the cellular and genetic level that occur with space travel as well.

4. Current space exploration efforts could be a one-way trip. When we sent astronauts to the moon, our technology provided them with a chance to land on the surface and return to their spacecraft. It is possible that we could perform a similar action for asteroids, moons around other planets, and other celestial bodies that do not have an atmosphere. If we are going to start exploring Mars, then that journey could be a one-way trip for the astronauts.

Even if this journey does not become a one-way trip, the amount of time necessary to reach a destination beyond the moon makes it virtually impossible to mount a rescue mission if something goes wrong. Our current vision of space exploration requires perfection to create a successful result.

5. There may not be a reason to start exploring at this time. Human cultures have always had a fascination with exploring space because it satisfies our need to learn more about the universe. Taking long-distance pictures with the Hubble telescope is not the same as visiting the location in-person. What we must ask ourselves right now is if there is a valid reason to begin this effort, and the truth is that there are few pragmatic applications to consider.

We could start mining asteroids for their raw materials and mineral content in the future. Planetary colonization could be necessary in future generations. Since we are still dealing with issues like crime and poverty here at home, addressing our immediate concerns might be better than looking at future needs which might never be necessary.

6. Unmanned probes are even a waste of resources. One of the ways that we attempt to limit expenses with our space travel needs is to send unmanned probes into the dark vastness that lies beyond. There have been some successes with these efforts, most notably the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 missions that allow us to peer outside of our solar system. This option allows us to almost eliminate the risk to human life entirely as well.

There are also disadvantages to consider with this approach, starting with the fact that there is little adaptability to changing circumstances. The Mars Climate Orbiter is an excellent example of this problem. When it received incorrect coordinates for landing, it burned up while entering the atmosphere before sending any data at a cost of more than $120 million.

7. Our current information is well out-of-date. On February 22, 2017, NASA announced that it had found seven planets the size of Earth in a single solar system. Three of the planets were in the so-called Goldilocks Zone, which means they are at a distance from their star that is not too hot and not too cold. It is called the Trappist-1 group, and this set of planets lies in the Aquarius system. That’s about 235 trillion miles away, which is at least a measurable distance.

The problem is that this planetary system is 40 light-years away from us. That means the information that we can observe right now took forty years to get to our scientists. Think about all of the changes that have happened in your life in just the past 5 years, and then apply that concept to a planetary scale. When we start exploring space, we must take into account that this delay is present so that we don’t fly into an unexpectedly dangerous situation.

8. It may lead us into future conflict with beings who have superior technology. Space exploration makes us think in noble terms about what lies in wait for us in the universe. When we sent the Voyager spacecraft into our solar system and beyond, there were two records placed on the devices to communicate with whoever might find them to let that intelligent life know that we exist.

Most theorists who seriously consider the pros and cons of meeting alien life say that there are only two possible outcomes that can occur with first contact. That alien species will either be so advanced that their technological presence as led to a peaceful society where an exchange of information may one day be possible, or it will be aggressive and want to access our planetary resources.

9. Space exploration creates a lot of trash around our planet. There are over half-a-million items of trash from over 50 years of space travel and satellite placement which orbit our planet right now. Unless these items fall into the atmosphere and burn up, they will stay in place forever. The ring of debris that we have created makes space exploration more dangerous because an impact with a ship’s hull could have deadly results. We will need to clean up this mess in the future to provide better safety to our future explorers, and we have no idea what the expense might be.

Verdict on the Advantages and Disadvantages of Space Exploration

Space exploration is beneficial even if we only look at it through the lens of hope. It is an idea that unites us as one race instead of over 190 different countries. We can proceed into the universe as one people, taking the first steps toward new experiences just like we did when we placed astronauts on the moon for the first time.

Explorers always face danger, and space is no exception to that rule. The vacuum of the universe was not meant for humans, which means we must constantly adapt and protect ourselves when we are outside of our atmosphere. Then there is the risk of an encounter with alien life to consider too.

The advantages and disadvantages of space exploration must come from a common sense perspective. Other races could harm us, but there is also the possibility that we could be dangerous to other life as well. We should continue with these efforts, but with the understanding that this work is not a race. It is a cooperative effort that will eventually define our humanity.

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How to Write an Essay on Space Exploration in IELTS? Tips and Samples

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Updated on 01 February, 2024

Mrinal Mandal

Study abroad expert.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is one of the world’s leading English language tests that evaluates the English language proficiency among non-native speakers. Writing test task 2 of the IELTS exam is a descriptive essay-type question based on topics related to the general interest. The word limit is a minimum of 250 words, and the task duration is 40 minutes. This article discusses ‘ space exploration, a commonly asked topic for IELTS essays, to help test takers prepare well for the test. Here are the tips for writing the best essay and two samples ‘space exploration’ essays that you can follow.

Word limit for the essay, time duration, type of question, essay topics.

Sample 1: Advantages and Disadvantages of Space Exploration

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Essay sample 2:
Tips to write a winning IELTS essay

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Applicants will have to write an essay in IELTS task 2 in response to a statement. The minimum word limit should be 250 words. There is no upper word limit. Make sure you are not writing less than 250 words, or it will be counted as an incomplete task.

The time duration allotted for the writing task 2 essay is 40 minutes. You need to manage your time, so make sure you plan and write the essay within the stipulated time. Appear for mocks to work on your writing speed.

In IELTS Essay writing, applicants need to write an essay while responding to a particular premise, statement, or argument. It is an informal descriptive essay, where the applicants need to prepare a 250-word write-up based on opinion, facts, arguments, and experiences. All the parts of the question need to be answered in the essay.

The essay topics are based on general interest and academic modules. It is important to practice essay writing in common genres like art, education, crime, space, culture, tradition, social problems, and environment.

Samples on Space Exploration Essay IELTS

Sample 1: advantages and disadvantages of space exploration .

Space exploration is the detailed exploration of space, the solar system, and the universe. It is explored by robotic spacecraft and spaceflights. Earlier ‘Space Race’ was only popular between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union achieved many milestones in its early days. It is a huge part of American history. On 20th July 1969, Neil Armstrong along with Buzz Aldrin won the space race. Yet, there are many advantages and disadvantages of space exploration. Many opine that the space program costs high, and some take it as an invention.

Advantages of Space exploration

Inventions:

The global society has benefited through new inventions. The additional research conducted by NASA helped to benefit society in different ways. The discoveries benefit transportation, medicine, computer management, agriculture technology, and consumer goods. The space program helped in GPS technology, breast cancer treatment, lightweight breathing systems, Teflon fiberglass, etc.

Employment:

One cannot deny the fact that space exploration generates numerous jobs globally. Spending less and making it more cost-effective is a better way to approach space exploration. Space research programs add too much to science, technology, and communication in the present unemployment scenario. And this results in a massive employment generation.

Understanding:

Time to time-space exploration programs and satellite missions by NASA help unravel the undiscovered facts about our universe. Scientists better understand the nature, atmosphere of Earth, and other space bodies. These are the exploration programs that make us aware of future natural disasters and other related predictions. It also paves the path to save our almighty universe from time to time.

Conclusion: Every coin has two sides. To sustain on Earth, one has to face the challenge and overcome it. Space exploration is a vital activity that cannot be neglected but can be improved with technology.

Disadvantages of Space exploration

Pollution is one of the alarming concerns in space exploration. Every year, many satellites are launched in space, and not all of them return. Over time, the remains of such instances become debris and float in the air. Old satellites, different types of equipment, launching pads, pieces of rockets are all adding to pollutants. Space debris pollutes space in many ways. Space exploration is not only harming the environment but also space.

A national space exploration program costs high. Many individuals argue that space mission programs are cost-effective. It must be noted that NASA in the recent program, celebrated its 30th anniversary with an expenditure of $196.5 billion.

Space exploration is not a bed of roses. Many historical events prove the danger associated with tragic incidents. One must focus on the incident on January 28, 1986, with the Challenger space shuttle. Within just 73 seconds, the shuttle exploded and resulted in a massive loss of life and property.

Moreover, there are different opinions on the advantages of space exploration with more innovations and improved technologies.

Essay sample 2:

The first man to walk on the moon claimed it was a step forward for humankind. However, it has made little difference in most people’s lives.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

A greater number of people believe that space exploration has not made enough contribution to the lives of people. It has not made a sufficient impact if the expenses associated with it are justified. As per my understanding, various questions arise out of this, but if considered on an overall basis, the scientific impact is very encompassing.

A man to the moon and expensive satellites and telescopes had no impact on the life of an average wage earner or the one without proper meals a day. A large population is still vulnerable and facing various economic challenges. Many enjoy watching the man traveling to the moon, or the NASA videos, but there is no justification for the huge amount of money that was spent over the years for space exploration. It could have made a lot of difference if these investments were directed towards employment, medicine, education, infrastructure, and culture.

Nonetheless, the impacts are directly related to science and culture. A man on the moon was a moment of utilitarian concern. It was a powerful incident that encouraged countless lives to attain achievements. Space exploration has led to concrete and fruitful innovations. For example, new aspects of entertainment, microchip, the internet, and countless other discoveries. From small to huge, there are several discoveries, and the most important one can be staying connected throughout the globe. We are truly indebted to the funding of space exploration for all of these innovations and discoveries.

Far from being utter waste, as some belief it to be, space exploration has been the reason for the progress of humankind. It must receive more support and advancement.

Tips to write a winning IELTS essay

The word length of the essay should be at least 250 words. There is no upper word limit. However, if you write less than 250 words, you may end up submitting an incomplete essay. The idea should be to write an essay of a minimum of 250 words.
The essay topic will have more than one question. All the parts of the questions are to be answered. For example, for the topic ‘crime is unavoidable’, here you may have questions like 1. Speak in favor and against this topic, 2. Give your opinion, 3. Suggest some measures to avoid crime. Now, this topic has three parts, and all the parts are to be answered; only then the essay will be complete.
Maintain the flow in writing. You cannot derail your thoughts and write an essay that is not relevant to the topic. The essay should be in complete sync with the question. The ideas in the essay should be directly related to the question. Use examples, experiences, and ideas that you can connect well with.
Organize your essay using linking phrases and words in a limited manner. Avoid using normal linking words, and go for adverbial phrases.
The entire essay should be divided into small paragraphs with a minimum of two sentences each. There should be three parts to your essay, introduction, body, and conclusion.
Do not fill your essay with too many complicated and long words. Use collocations and idioms correctly. You must have a clear idea of using words and contexts.
The essay should be grammatically correct. There should not be errors in terms of spelling, punctuation, and tenses. To avoid grammatical errors, avoid long and complicated sentences. Write short and crisp sentences.
Practice various essay questions like to agree/ disagree, discuss two opinions, advantages & disadvantages, causes, and solutions, causes and effects, and problem- solution.
Write a good introduction. The introduction should offer a clear idea about the rest of the content. An introduction is an important part of creating an impression and developing interest.
Use facts, statistics, and data if necessary. If you are unsure about the data and numbers, it is better to avoid any factual information. Do not write anything that you are not very sure about.
The body of the essay should be descriptive and contain all the points, facts, and information in a detailed manner.
The conclusion is prominent. The way you conclude your essay plays an important role in boosting your IELTS band.
Take care of the spelling mistakes. Do not write complicated spellings that you are not sure of. It is better to use simple and common words.
Do not write any informal or personal comments. It is not permitted strictly.
Proofread your essay once you are done writing. It helps you to scan minor and major issues in terms of grammatical and spelling errors.

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Mrinal Mandal is a study abroad expert with a passion for guiding students towards their international education goals. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering, earned in 2018. Since 2021, Mrinal has been working with upGrad Abroad, where he assists aspiring students in realizing their dreams of studying abroad. With his expertise and dedication, he empowers individuals to navigate the complexities of international education, making their aspirations a reality.

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33 Main Pros & Cons Of Space Exploration

“Space exploration is a force of nature unto itself that no other force in society can rival.”

Neil deGrasse Tyson, Scientist

Advantages & Disadvantages of Space Exploration

advantages and disadvantages of space exploration

Space exploration is a rather controversial topic.

While the majority of people think it is a good idea to explore space, there are also opponents of space travel who claim that space exploration may potentially wipe out humanity in the long run.

In this article, the pros and cons of space exploration are discussed in detail.

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Audio Lesson

Advantages of space exploration, space exploration can provide humanity with additional resources, space travel may help us to find extraterrestrial life, we may find other planets to colonize, humans are curious creatures and need to explore, space exploration can offer almost endless opportunities, many countries already noticed the importance of space exploration, technological progress will facilitate space travel, it has been the dream of many people to explore space, also private corporations can help with space exploration, we as humans recognize the relativity of life, we can learn humility, colonizing other plants may help to mitigate the overpopulation problem, scientists from all over the world can work together, can help us to install satellites, helpful to create maps and pictures, we can collect important research data, may help us to detect serious threats to our earth, space travel may become available also to private persons, space exploration may speed up technological progress, space travel industry provides many job opportunities, may help humanity not to go extinct in the far future.

One important advantage of space exploration is that it gives humanity the opportunity to exploit additional resources in outer space.

As many of us know, our fossil resources will become depleted sooner or later and when we run out of natural resources , chances are that our technological progress will suffer significantly.

Hence, if we want to continue to progress as a species and want to develop our technologies forward, the additional resources that can be extracted from asteroids are crucial in this regard.

Space exploration can also help us to find extraterrestrial life, at least if it really exists.

The idea of extraterrestrial life is fascinating for many people around and in order to improve the chances to get contacted by those life forms, it is crucial that we leave as many traces as possible in space.

Always remember that space is huge and that it will be not easy to find each other.

However, through space travel, we could at least increase the chances to get in touch with other extraterrestrial life forms a little bit.

Another benefit of space travel is that we may also find planets that we could colonize in the near future.

Yes, there are already plans to colonize Mars.

However, colonizing Mars implies many important problems and scientists are not sure yet whether Mars is really a promising option when it comes to populating other planets.

Therefore, we may have to search for other planets that are better suitable for colonization and space exploration is crucial in this regard since only if we explore space, we will find these additional colonization opportunities.

In general, we as humans are curious creatures and want to learn and explore.

In fact, when we take a look back at human history and see where we are now, we realize the enormous technological progress we made over the past centuries.

This indicates how big the human drive to invent new things really is and we as humans can only be happy and satisfied if we are the best versions of ourselves.

Consequently, space exploration can give us the opportunity to really move forward as a species and to satisfy the need to always progress and extent our knowledge.

Space travel also gives us the opportunity to always experience and explore new things.

In fact, space is so big that we as humans will never be able to explore all of it.

In fact, the size of our universe is enormous and gives us almost endless opportunities to always make new findings.

Indeed, scientists believe that we as humanity only scratched the surface of what is still to explore out there and we may know little to nothing up to this point in time about how the universe really works.

Space exploration is not only important for humanity as a whole, it is also crucial on a country level.

In fact, many countries around the world have already noticed how important space travel really is and try their best to conquer space and to claim territories up there.

Many people might not know it yet, but space provides us with pretty high amounts of resources and the country that conquers those resources will likely have quite a lot of power over the next decades and centuries.

While it was quite hard to explore space just a few decades ago, it has become much easier thanks to our technological progress.

We now know much more about the dynamics of rockets and space stations and the risk related to space exploration is much smaller compared to the significant risk that had been present in the past.

Since our technological progress advances at rapid speed, chances are that space travel will become even easier and more cost-efficient in the future.

Many people who have seen science fiction movies are also quite keen on exploring space.

In fact, many people think that it is our human duty to do our best we can in order to explore space and to learn about the dynamics of our whole universe.

Hence, space travel can also make this collective dream of many people come true.

At our current state of the world, not only countries, but also private corporations engage in the space travel market.

In fact, the United States currently rely on private space missions since they abandoned their own space programs in the past.

However, if private space corporations can help us to achieve our space missions, this can be a great way to improve our overall chances for success of space missions in the future.

In fact, the space travel market is huge and many other companies may enter this market sooner or later.

In turn, chances are that the resulting competition will benefit humanity as a whole since space companies will be more eager to invent new technologies and to make processes much more efficient.

Another upside of space exploration is that we as humans can realize our place in the universe.

In fact, we often think that we are the center of everything and that we are the superior species in our universe.

However, through space travel, we soon realize how big the universe really is and that we are indeed just a tiny grain of sand on a big beach.

In turn, many of us will realize how relative life is and that we are not superior in any kind of way.

In turn, we will also be able to learn a great level of humanity.

In fact, it is astonishing how small our earth really is compared to other planets, stars, galaxies or even the whole universe.

By realizing this fact, many people who currently have a rather arrogant attitude will be more likely to change their minds since they will realize that we are actually apes that don’t really know what’s happening around us.

Space travel can also help us to reduce our overpopulation problem .

In fact, until the end of the 21 st century, the number of people on our planet will likely exceed the 10 billion mark.

However, it is yet rather unclear how we are able to feed all those people.

Hence, it is crucial to look out for proper alternatives.

If our planet will no longer be suitable to provide for us, we may have to colonize other planets.

Sure, this will be a long-term goal and will not be feasible in the near future.

Yet, it can make sense that we look out for suitable alternatives to our earth in order to feed as many people as possible in the long run.

Space exploration also provides a unique opportunity for scientists all over the world to work together for a bigger goal.

In fact, in order to make space travel missions successful, we need the smartest people from all over the world.

Those people have to exchange their ideas to invent new technologies and to make space travel more efficient and also safer.

Space exploration is also quite helpful for rather basic things.

For instance, space exploration can help us to install satellites in space so that we can access different TV channels.

Hence, space exploration can also be helpful to make our daily lives easier and more fun.

Space exploration can also be helpful to provide us with nice pictures of our planet and of the universe.

Moreover, it can also be quite helpful to create 3-D maps that can be accessed via the internet.

By creating those maps, we get a better impression of the structure of our earth and of its location in our universe.

Space exploration is also crucial to provide important research data to leading scientists from all over the world.

In fact, the more data we get, the better we will be able to understand how the universe works and what is still missing for a comprehensive understanding of how the cosmos actually works.

Another important advantage of space travel is that it allows us to detect serious threats that could potentially wipe out humanity.

For instance, through space exploration, we may be able to detect a meteorite that is on collision course with our earth.

In turn, we could take measures to prevent this collision.

However, this will only be possible if we detect the meteorite in time and therefore, space exploration can be crucial to prevent catastrophic disasters in the future.

Space travel is not only accessible for astronauts on official missions, it will also become possible for private persons in the near future.

In fact, there are companies out there who will offer space travel for private people.

This also implies that not only astronauts, but also private people will be able to see the true beauty of space, at least if they have the money to do so.

Space travel is not easy and needs plenty of technology in order to be successful.

In fact, over the past decades, numerous important inventions have been made.

Those inventions have not only been beneficial for space exploration, these technologies had also been important to facilitating our daily lives.

Thus, inventions from space travel can also indirectly benefit the general public.

The space travel industry has become increasingly important over the past decades.

In fact, in our current state of the world, numerous jobs depend on this industry and chances are that many additional jobs will be created in the field of space exploration in the near future.

Space exploration also has the big goal to protect the human species from going extinct in the future.

In fact, our Earth will likely not provide us with a suitable living space forever and due to global warming and other environmental problems, we may have to leave our Earth behind sooner or later.

In turn, this also implies that we have to explore space and to find new planets that we may be able to colonize in order to secure the survival of the human species.

space exploration advantages and disadvantages essay

Disadvantages of Space Travel

Space travel implies significant air pollution, particle pollution can be a problem, space exploration implies high levels of waste, space exploration is quite costly, many missions may not yield any results, space travel can be dangerous, space exploration is time-consuming, mental problems for astronauts, problems with radiation, space exploration may lead to a decisive advantage for few countries, may not be in line with religious values, extraterrestrial life forms may wipe out humanity.

Apart from the many important advantages of space exploration, there are still some issues with space travel.

For instance, one important problem with space exploration is that it implies significant air pollution.

In fact, in order to launch a rocket, it takes large amounts of fossil fuels.

Moreover, also in the production process of rockets, significant amounts of fossil fuels have to be used.

In turn, space travel implies significant air pollution and especially people who live close to those facilities may suffer quite a lot from fumes in the air.

Particle pollution is closely related to the air pollution problem.

In fact, if large amounts of fossil fuels are burned, also large amounts of fine particles are emitted into our atmosphere .

In turn, people who live in those areas with significant particle pollution may suffer from several pulmonary issues like asthma or lung cancer.

Another downside of space exploration is that it also implies significant levels of waste .

In fact, in the testing process of new rockets, plenty of waste is produced.

Moreover, also on space missions, large amounts of waste are produced.

In fact, plenty of waste is circling around the earth in outer space and we have to be careful not to make space a gigantic garbage dump.

Space missions also imply significant costs.

In fact, it is quite expensive to explore space and depending on the lengths and the goal of the respective mission, many millions or even billions of dollars have to be used.

Opponents of space missions often claim that this money could be far better used for projects that would facilitate the energy transition process from fossil to renewable energy sources on our earth instead of wasting it for space travel.

Another disadvantage of space travel is that those space missions also often do not deliver any results.

In fact, all attempts to find extraterrestrial life have failed up to this point in time and there is little reason to believe that this might change in the near future.

While space travel has become much safer over the past decades, it is still a rather risky project and the chances for accidents are still present.

Hence, astronauts still have to enter a rocket with the knowledge that there will be the risk that they will never come back home from their missions.

Another issue with space exploration is that those missions are often quite time-consuming.

Especially for longer missions, it can take several months or even years to complete those missions and therefore, space travel con be considered as a long-term project that will not deliver too many immediate results.

Due to the overall high level of insecurity of space missions, astronauts also often suffer from mental problems .

This is not only due to the fact that there will be a significant risk for those astronauts to never come back home, it is also due to the fact that astronauts often feel quite lonely in space.

Yes, there are other astronauts on space stations.

Yet, this is not the same as being together with your family.

There is also still plenty of controversy when it comes to the true long-term health effects of space travel for astronauts.

While some scientists claim that space travel does not lead to too many severe long-term health issues, other scientists claim that radiation is a serious problem in space travel and that the chances to suffer from cancer will be much higher for astronauts compared to the average person in our society.

Hence, there might also be a significant health risk for astronauts from those space missions.

While space exploration can be extremely helpful for a few big countries, other countries may be greatly harmed by it.

For instance, if a few big countries control space and extract resources, other countries will likely lose their competitiveness in the global market.

In turn, this can also lead to higher wealth and income inequality across the planet.

Space missions may also conflict with religious values.

In fact, many people who believe in god do not advocate space exploration at all since they feel that humans should stay on earth and should not explore outer space.

Consequently, space missions may also be problematic from a religious point of view.

There is also no guarantee that extraterrestrial life forms will be peaceful.

In fact, those life forms may have the potential power to wipe out humanity and therefore, exploring space may also not be a good idea in this regard.

Top 10 Space Exploration Pros & Cons – Summary List

Should we explore space.

We can conclude from the previous discussion that space travel has many important advantages and disadvantages.

In my opinion, it can make sense to explore space in order to secure the survival of the human species.

However, we should also make sure that we reduce the pollution levels related to space missions as best as possible in order to protect our environment in the long run.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_exploration

https://www.britannica.com/science/space-exploration

https://www.nasa.gov/topics/technology/space-travel/index.html

About the author

My name is Andreas and my mission is to educate people of all ages about our environmental problems and how everyone can make a contribution to mitigate these issues.

As I went to university and got my Master’s degree in Economics, I did plenty of research in the field of Development Economics.

After finishing university, I traveled around the world. From this time on, I wanted to make a contribution to ensure a livable future for the next generations in every part of our beautiful planet.

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Essay on Space Exploration

Updated on
Jun 11, 2022

For scientists, space is first and foremost a magnificent “playground” — an inexhaustible source of knowledge and learning that is assisting in the solution of some of the most fundamental existential issues concerning Earth’s origins and our place in the Universe. Curiosity has contributed significantly to the evolution of the human species. Curiosity along with the desire for a brighter future has driven humans to explore and develop from the discovery of fire by ancient ancestors to present space explorations. Here is all the information you need and the best tips to write an essay on space exploration.

What is Space Exploration?

Space Exploration is the use of astronomy and space technology to explore outer space. While astronomers use telescopes to explore space, both uncrewed robotic space missions and human spaceflight are used to explore it physically. One of the primary sources for space science is space exploration, which is similar to astronomy in its classical form. We can use space exploration to validate or disprove scientific theories that have been created on Earth. Insights into gravity, the magnetosphere, the atmosphere, fluid dynamics, and the geological evolution of other planets have all come from studying the solar system.

Advantages of Space Exploration

It is vital to understand and point out the advantages of space exploration while writing an essay on the topic.

New inventions have helped the worldwide society. NASA’s additional research was beneficial to society in a variety of ways. Transportation, medical, computer management, agriculture technology, and consumer products all profit from the discoveries. GPS technology, breast cancer treatment, lightweight breathing systems, Teflon fibreglass, and other areas benefited from the space programme.

It is impossible to dispute that space exploration creates a large number of employment opportunities around the world. A better way to approach space exploration is to spend less and make it more cost-effective. In the current job market, space research initiatives provide far too much to science, technology, and communication. As a result, a large number of jobs are created.

Understanding

NASA’s time-travelling space exploration programmes and satellite missions aid in the discovery of previously unknown facts about our universe. Scientists have gained a greater understanding of Earth’s nature and atmosphere, as well as those of other space entities. These are the research initiatives that alert us to impending natural disasters and other related forecasts. It also paves the way for our all-powerful universe to be saved from time to time.

Disadvantages of Space Exploration

Highlighting disadvantages will give another depth to your essay on space exploration. Here are some important points to keep in mind.

Pollution is one of the most concerning issues in space travel. Many satellites are launched into space each year, but not all of them return. The remnants of such incidents degrade over time, becoming debris that floats in the air. Old satellites, various types of equipment, launch pads, and rocket fragments all contribute to pollution. Space debris pollutes the atmosphere in a variety of ways. Not only is space exploration harmful to the environment, but it is also harmful to space.

A government space exploration programme is expensive. Many people believe that space mission initiatives are economical. It should be mentioned that NASA just celebrated its 30th anniversary with $196.5 billion spent.

Space exploration isn’t a walk in the park. Many historical occurrences demonstrate the dangers that come with sad situations. The Challenger space shuttle accident on January 28, 1986, must be remembered. The spacecraft exploded in under 73 seconds, resulting in a tremendous loss of life and property.

Conclusion

There are two sides to every coin. To survive on Earth, one must confront and overcome obstacles. Space exploration is an essential activity that cannot be overlooked, but it can be enhanced by technological advancements.

Space Exploration Courses

Well, if your dream is to explore space and you want to make a career in it, then maybe space exploration courses are the right choice for you to turn your dreams into reality.

Various universities offering space exploration courses are :

Arizona State University, USA
Bachelor of Science in Earth and Space Exploration
Earth and Space Exploration (Astrobiology and Biogeosciences)
Earth and Space Exploration (Astrophysics)
University of Leicester, UK
Space Exploration Systems MSc
York University
Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) in Space Engineering

Tips to write an IELTS Essay on Space Exploration

The essay’s word count should be at least 250 words. There is no maximum word count. If you write less than 250 words, you risk submitting an incomplete essay. The goal should be to write a minimum of 250-words essay.
There will be more than one question on the essay topic. The questions must be answered in their entirety. For example, for the topic ‘crime is unavoidable,’ you might see questions like 1. Speak in favour of and against this topic, 2. Give your opinion, and 3. Suggest some measures to avoid crime. This topic now has three parts, and all of them must be answered; only then will the essay be complete.
Maintain a smooth writing flow. You can’t get off track and create an essay that has nothing to do with the issue. The essay must be completely consistent with the question. The essay’s thoughts should be tied to the question directly. Make use of instances, experiences, and concepts that you can relate to.
Use a restricted number of linking phrases and words to organise your writing. Adverbial phrases should be used instead of standard linking words.
The essay should be broken up into little paragraphs of at least two sentences each. Your essay should be divided into three sections: introduction, body, and conclusion. ( cheapest pharmacy to fill prescriptions without insurance )
Don’t overuse complicated and long words in your essay. Make appropriate use of collocations and idioms. You must be able to use words and circumstances effectively.
The essay must be written correctly in terms of grammar. In terms of spelling, grammar, and tenses, there should be no mistakes. Avoid using long, difficult sentences to avoid grammatical problems. Make your sentences succinct and to-the-point.
Agree/disagree, discuss two points of view, pros and disadvantages, causes and solutions, causes and effects, and problem-solution are all examples of essay questions to practise.
Make a strong beginning. The opening should provide the reader a good indication of what to expect from the rest of the article. Making a good first impression and piquing your attention starts with a good introduction.
If required, cite facts, figures, and data. It’s best to stay away from factual material if you’re not sure about the statistics or stats. If you’re unsure about something, don’t write it down.
The essay’s body should be descriptive, with all of the points, facts, and information listed in great detail.
The conclusion is the most noticeable part. Your IELTS band is influenced by how you end your essay.
Make sure there are no spelling errors. If you’re not sure how to spell something, don’t use it. It is preferable to utilize simple, everyday terms.
Do not include any personal or casual remarks. It is strictly forbidden.
Once you’ve finished drafting your essay, proofread it. It enables you to scan for minor and large grammar and spelling problems.

This was the Essay on Space Exploration. We hope it was helpful to you. Experts at Leverage Edu will help you out in writing your essays for IELTS, SOPs and more!

Sonal is a creative, enthusiastic writer and editor who has worked extensively for the Study Abroad domain. She splits her time between shooting fun insta reels and learning new tools for content marketing. If she is missing from her desk, you can find her with a group of people cracking silly jokes or petting neighbourhood dogs.

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11 Pros and Cons of Space Exploration

We’ve put boots on the moon. There are plans in the works to put boots on Mars in this generation. Small spacecraft, such as Voyager 1, have traveled more than 138 AU from our planet since launching, with the goal of discovering what interstellar space may have in store. The pros and cons of space exploration let us explore the final frontier that we currently know. It allows us to see what the universe offers beyond on our planet.

Exploring space is also inherently dangerous. Not only is space a vacuum environment that does not support human life without protection, but we do not know what may be lying in wait for us out there. The conflicts we have here at home could be minuscule compared to the conflicts that may be waiting for us in the stars.

Here are some of the key points to think about when looking at this debate.

What Are the Pros of Space Exploration?

1. It provides humanity with hope for the future. Humans are currently confined to a single planet and facilities that orbit it. Should something happen that changes the environment of the planet, it would have the potential of wiping out the entire human species. A large asteroid, the star going nova, or even a shift in the planetary climate could devastate humanity. Space exploration gives us the chance to begin colonizing other locations, giving us hope that our species can survive.

2. It increases our knowledge. There are many secrets lying in wait to be discovered in space. Asteroids or planets may have new materials that we don’t have on Earth. We can discover more about how the universe was created and why it exists in its current state. These discoveries could then help to improve life on our own planet as we seek out others to explore.

3. It drives innovations in numerous fields. According to the 100-Year Starship Program, the technologies that were created for and made possible because of space exploration have helped to shape, permeate, and are an integral part of who we are today. To travel the stars, we must be able to store large quantities of energy. We must develop closed-loop support systems. Advances in agriculture, computing, artificial intelligence, and manufacturing must happen as well. The framework needed to explore space improves the socioeconomic frameworks we have at home.

4. It can be something that we do at home. According to information provided by the Goddard Space Flight Center, there are over 2,200 active satellites in orbit around Earth right now. One of those satellites is the Hubble Space Telescope. This technology has allowed us to explore our solar system from right here at home. In 2017, this telescope discovered that a dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt, name 2007 OR10, has a moon that was previously unknown.

5. True space exploration requires international cooperation. The foundation of how we explore space was created in 1966 with the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies. It’s easier to call it the “Outer Space Treaty.” By 2017, there were 105 countries who had signed onto the treaty and another 24 who have signed, but not yet ratified it. This treaty forbids placing weapons of mass destruction into orbit, installing them on the moon, or any other location in space. The treaty also disallows any nation from claiming a celestial resource as a national appropriation.

6. The political structures of managing space exploration are already in place. According to Wired, a multistate body that is supported by 193 nations approves the orbits of items that are currently in space. It is called the International Telecommunication Union and it has been in place since the 1960s. With their protocols helping to create a push deeper into space, exploration could become a future way of life.

What Are the Cons of Space Exploration?

1. It could allow other civilizations to know about our own. The idea of finding alien life has been a concept explored in the medium of fiction for more than a century. There is something comforting about the idea that humans are not alone in the universe as a species. That knowledge could come with a price. If an advanced civilization encountered one of the gold-plated records on the Voyager crafts and decided they wanted our planetary resources, we might be unable to stop them. There is sometimes more danger in being part of a community than living by yourself without any neighbors.

2. Exploring space is a costly venture. In 1973, the total cost of the Apollo program was reported to the US Congress as being $25.4 billion. The total cost of the space shuttle program, when adjusted for inflation, was $196 billion. Each mission that was flown came at a cost of $450 million. The Mars One mission budget to bring just 4 people to Mars is over $6 billion. Even as technologies advance, the costs of exploring space are far from cheap.

3. We must consume resources to get people or equipment into space. There are high fuel costs required to launch anything into orbit. Using the US Space Shuttle program as an example, the total mass of all propellants was over 3.8 million pounds. Fossil fuels are refined to create these fuels, used in the manufacturing processes to create the equipment or vehicles, and this creates an environmental cost which must be paid at some point.

4. Exploring space means we’re leaving a lot of litter behind. According to information provided by NASA, there are more than 500,000 items of debris that are currently being tracked as they orbit our planet. This space junk is litter that is flying at a speed of over 17,500 miles per hour, which means an impact could do great damage. Now expand the amount of space junk that exists to other planets or solar systems and the amount of litter we would leave behind is quite enormous.

5. No agreements are in place for rich resources that may exist in space. The current treaties which govern space exploration forbid governments from appropriating territories in space. The amount of materials in a single asteroid could be more than $100 billion. Planetary Resources has evaluated an asteroid called “Davida” to be worth $100 trillion or more. Although the US has brought back hundreds of pounds of rocks from the moon without litigation, there would be a greater fight in grabbing resources that are in the hundreds of trillions of dollars.

The pros and cons of space exploration highlight the current rifts we have in society. Governments are restricted and private organizations with the most resources have the chance to make huge profits. If those profits can be funneled toward a mutual good, then humanity can do more than just survive. It could thrive.

The Future of Space Exploration Essay

To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
As a template for you assignment

Space Exploration

Benefits of space exploration, negatives of space exploration, increase in space exploration and possible future impacts, ways of space exploration with the least damage.

Space exploration is one of the most rapidly developing science which is known for its high financial implications and advanced cutting-edge technologies. Life beyond the planet was always an object of researches and investigation. Many new developments, equipment, and discoveries from space are notably useful and efficient for improving the level and the quality of life on the Earth. The history of that kind of researches started in ancient times when philosophers tried to investigate the night sky to find out the system of stars arrangement. Since then, studies in this field have progressed in a significant way, and now people even have their own space station in Earth orbit. Nowadays, there are specialized organizations such as the Aerospace Industries Association or American Astronautical Society the goal of which is to explore space. The purpose of this paper is to describe the particularities of space exploration, taking into consideration its advantages and disadvantages for humanity, ethical questions, and predictions about the future of this industry.

It is an erroneous belief that the exploration of space does not have any impact on the life of ordinary humans. It improves the quality of the life of millions of people every day: the technologies designed for space studies are now used in the medical sphere and for conducting other experiments (Rai et al., 2016). Nevertheless, space research also poses many ethical questions to society concerning colonization, financial resources, and ecological issues. With the advancement of this science, increasingly more questions rest without any answers. For many people who are not very familiar with the topic, it seems to be a complete waste of the governmental budget and just a way for experts to entertain themselves.

In the era of Gagarin and first trips into space, being a cosmonaut was considered to be highly prestigious, respected, and, at the same time, romantic. At the present moment, this science went too far away frthe om basic understanding that people regret that their taxes are spent on the exploration of the place that they would never visit. The attitude of the researchers in this field is rather ambivalent; the main beneficial and negative points of space exploration would be covered in the next parts to make the argumentative and clear statement.

The investigation of space has many advantages for society despite the fact that they are not highly notable for an ordinary person. For example, space researches encourage studies of different types of science (Panesor, 2009). What is more, the young specialists in chemistry, biology, or engineering become interested in the space sphere (Panesor, 2009). It is profitable for both sides – students provide innovative ideas, and the research centers help the new generation of scientists to get the job and to be well-paid. The benefits of space exploration cannot be counted only in money because the impact on society is non-quantifiable. According to Jacksona et al. (2019), a woman plays a crucial role in space studies. Thanks to women-cosmonauts, the level of social inequality declined rapidly in the last decade of the 20th century. A variety of studies show that women and men think and act in contrasting ways. It helps the industry of space exploration to function in a more efficient way considering several distinct points of view.

Space exploration is often claimed to be the sphere for wasting a large sum of money. This industry is one of the most expensive because of the intellectual resources and high-priced equipment details (“Cost of Space Exploration,” 1961). Nonetheless, Baum (2009) proposes the idea of cost-beneficial analysis; from his point of view, it is necessary to keep in mind the ethical risks and the alternative options of the distribution of the budget. In his other study, he raises the issue of the problem of colonization (Baum, 2016). According to his research, if people cannot save nature on the planet, there is no use to attempt to find other places to live. Moreover, the ecological situation becomes significantly severe because of the desire of humans to leave the Earth.

It is important to mention that the cost of space explorations is not always high. It generally depends on the type of research and its goal (“International Space Exploration Coordination Group,” 2013). If the data of previous experiments were used, it would help to make the price for the surveys lower (Battat, 2012). However, it requires more time and effort from the staff and makes this task, not an easy one. Another disadvantage is that it takes years or even decades for inventions and technologies to be a part of the life of ordinary people. The negatives of space exploration are highly notable for society because they cannot see the real impact.

The industry of space studies plays an essential role in the political, social, and economic spheres. If there were more money invested, it might result in a financial crisis in the country. Even though space exploration is supposed to have many non-material benefits and unexpected advantages in the nearest future. For example, the recent developments would be directly integrated into different fields of science. The robotics like the mechanic hand or neurotransmitter are now saving and improving thousands of Roboticsnks to space technologies. The level of intellectual needs in this sphere would encourage cultural and cognitive growth for many people interested in this area of study (Crawford, 2019). If the specialists would not find any place for colonization, it may influence the attitude of the society to the planet and its beautiful nature. People might become more accurate and carrying about the ecological situation on Earth.

First of all, the previous experience and results should be attentively analyzed to make the price of the new inventions lower. Secondly, there should be specialists in public relations who would explain the society why space explorations are too crucial and what are the benefits of it. Finally, space study should become a global issue for developed countries (Krichevsky, 2018). It would reduce the cost for each separate country and would make the process more efficient.

In the modern world, space exploration has its benefits and negatives. The advantages are mostly non-economical and concern the social sphere of life, while the disadvantages are centered around the high costs of the researches. Nevertheless, there are several ways to improve the financial situation and to make the price lower: by using the experience of previous generations or by optimizing the process. Ethical questions should also be taken into consideration and make humanity reflect on ecological and moral questions. Space study is one of the fascinating spheres of science in the 21st century.

Battat, J. A. (2012). Technology and architecture: Informing investment decisions for the future of human exploration [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Baum, S. (2009). Cost-benefit analysis of space exploration: Some ethical considerations. Space Policy, 25 (2), 75–80.
Baum, S. (2016). The ethics of outer space: A consequentialist perspective. The Ethics of Space Exploration, 2 (1), 109–123.
International Space Exploration Coordination Group. (2013). Benefits Stemming from Space Exploration .
American Association for the Advancement of Science. (1961). Cost of Space Exploration. Science, 133 (3470), 2055–2055.
Crawford, I. (2019). Widening perspectives: The intellectual and social benefits of Astrobiology, Big History, and the exploration of space. Journal of Big History, 3 (3), 205–224.
Jacksona, M. S., Knezek, P., Silimon-Hill, M. D., & Cross, M. A. (2019). Women in exploration: Lessons From the past as humanity reaches deep space. International Astronautical Congress, 1 (1), 1–15.
Krichevsky, S. (2018). Super global projects and environmentally friendly technologies used in space exploration: Realities and prospects of the Space Age. Philosophy and Cosmology, 20 (1), 92–105.
Panesor, T. (2009). Space: Exploration and exploitation in a modern society . Institute of physics. Web.
Rai, A., Robinson, J. A., Tate-Brown, J., Buckley, N., Zell, M., Tasaki, K., & Pignataro, S. (2016). Expanded benefits for humanity from the International Space Station. Acta Astronautica , 126 (2 ) , 463–474.
History of Pluto Exploration
Space Exploration: Attitude & Recent Breakthrough
International Space Exploration: Improving Human Life
Venus: The Object for Research and Space Missions
Solar System Formation
“Mega Project: Space Exploration” Scenarios
Shuttle Columbia Accident: Lessons Learned
Galileo's Discoveries Significance
Chicago (A-D)
Chicago (N-B)

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COMMENTS

18 Biggest Advantages and Disadvantages of Space Exploration
Space exploration gives us an opportunity to access new mineral resources, allowing for the privatization of this venture. It would also give us an opportunity to start building in space because the raw materials are easy to haul and transport. 10. It gives us an opportunity to see what lies beyond in the final frontier.
Space exploration pros and cons: a waste of money? - netivist
Many of the space exploration fail. Probes and satellites crash, exploration robots are lost, rockets blow up in the air, etc. It is frustrating to see how so much money and time are wasted in unsuccessful missions. Danger of establishing contact with alien life. One of the main goals of space exploration is to find out if there is life outside ...
19 Advantages and Disadvantages of Space Exploration
List of the Disadvantages of Space Exploration. 1. Our current technology makes it dangerous to get into space in the first place. Several agencies are developing “space tourism” packages that can take people in a comfortable aircraft to the very outer layers of our atmosphere, but that is not an exploration effort.
Space exploration | History, Definition, & Facts | Britannica
space exploration, investigation, by means of crewed and uncrewed spacecraft, of the reaches of the universe beyond Earth ’s atmosphere and the use of the information so gained to increase knowledge of the cosmos and benefit humanity. A complete list of all crewed spaceflights, with details on each mission’s accomplishments and crew, is ...
Space Exploration Essay in IELTS - Tips & Sample Essays
Samples on Space Exploration Essay IELTS Sample 1: Advantages and Disadvantages of Space Exploration . Space exploration is the detailed exploration of space, the solar system, and the universe. It is explored by robotic spacecraft and spaceflights. Earlier ‘Space Race’ was only popular between the United States and the Soviet Union.
33 Main Pros & Cons Of Space Exploration - E&C
Top 10 Space Exploration Pros & Cons – Summary List. Space Exploration Pros. Space Exploration Cons. Space exploration can provide us with resources. Space exploration is expensive. Space travel can teach us about space. Space exploration is time-consuming. Humans are curious creatures. Space travel can be dangerous.
Essay on Space Exploration | Leverage Edu
Tips to write an IELTS Essay on Space Exploration. The essay’s word count should be at least 250 words. There is no maximum word count. If you write less than 250 words, you risk submitting an incomplete essay. The goal should be to write a minimum of 250-words essay. There will be more than one question on the essay topic.
11 Pros and Cons of Space Exploration – Vittana.org
A large asteroid, the star going nova, or even a shift in the planetary climate could devastate humanity. Space exploration gives us the chance to begin colonizing other locations, giving us hope that our species can survive. 2. It increases our knowledge. There are many secrets lying in wait to be discovered in space.
The Future of Space Exploration - 1127 Words | Essay Example
Table of Contents. Space exploration is one of the most rapidly developing science which is known for its high financial implications and advanced cutting-edge technologies. Life beyond the planet was always an object of researches and investigation. Many new developments, equipment, and discoveries from space are notably useful and efficient ...
Advantages and Disadvantages of Space Exploration - Soapboxie
Advantages: Innovations Developed Through Space Exploration. Even with the disadvantages of space travel outlined above, research conducted by NASA to develop the American space program has led to inventions that have benefited society in countless ways. Discoveries related to space have helped advance medicine, transportation, public safety ...