Why We Should Limit Funding for Space Exploration

By Opinion Editor 1 year ago

Isabelle poses the question: is space exploration worth the cost?

When NASA’s Bill Anders photographed Earthrise in 1968, it roused a deeply profound reaction from the public: the largely unprecedented scale of the earth, by way of the lunar orbit, produced an “overview effect” which transported its viewers into the existential sublime as they contemplated their planet, and all the attached sentimentality of memory and history contained within it, in a single, compelling image.

 

The Blue Marble (Source: NASA)
Pale Blue Dot (Source: NASA)

 

Such environmentally monumental photographs like Earthrise, The Blue Marble, and Pale Blue Dot have been made possible by the funding of space exploration and research – funding which has likewise made possible the invention of CAT scans, baby formula, and wireless headphones, to name a few inventions. It is fair to say that these photographs and inventions hold, in one way or another, beneficial influence on a significant portion of our population. In the broader sense, space exploration has eased, to an extent, the political tensions between many nations – most notoriously, perhaps, between the United States and Russia – and has, effectively, defined itself as a token of international cooperation and harmony.

 

Yet, the cost of funding such achievements and collaborations, as enabled by space exploration, is undoubtedly “cosmic”. NASA’s budget for 2023 was set for $25.4 billion. This past December, SpaceX completed a round of funding amassing $750 million.

 

It is difficult to tolerate such progressions from funding space research when confronting the more grisly face of those crises which peril a greater number of people, to a more pressing and persistent degree, here on Earth. I want to introduce a different, more “grounded” set of images:

 

Damage caused by Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers Beach, Fla. on Sept. 29. (Source: Hilary Swift—The New York Times/Redux)
A man assists an injured woman during a protest against Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry calling for his resignation, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Oct. 10. (Source: Richard Pierrin—AFP/Getty Images)
The first patient to arrive at the main children’s hospital in Kyiv after the Russian invasion was a young boy named Semyon, photographed on Feb. 28. His family’s car had come under heavy fire, killing his parents and his sister. The boy later died. (Source: Maxim Dondyuk)

 

Earthrise, The Blue Marble, and Pale Blue Dot all serve as sweeping vistas in the overview effect they provide, but it seems more plausible to suggest that the photograph of a demolished hometown or bloodied woman, say, offers a more humanistic overview effect, and more compelling reasons to shift much of the attention currently earned by space research to more earthly affairs.

 

It is true that there are many critical inventions that have been created, in large part, to contributions made above the clouds; yet, would it have been more economically worthwhile to deposit funds into programs and efforts here? Had the costs and tribulations associated with experiencing space flight and spacecraft, for example, been cut, would there have been greater room for other inventions?

 

Space exploration, in all actuality, poses a relatively small portion of budget spending: NASA, for one, turns out to be just about 0.5% of the annual federal budget in the US. NASA’s 2023 budget, $25.4 billion, is still, nevertheless, a hearty sum of money. It may not solve every war or disease, nor remove each environmental or political threat, but it can accomplish a very large deal.

 

Sometimes these perspectives are more easily viewed through a microcosmic filter – yes, you may not be able to fix attention and financial resources to all in need, but much more than one person, family, or community will certainly be better off for it. Maybe the search for extraterrestrial habitats seems especially urgent in the face of a seemingly unsustainable planet, or maybe, too, the discovery of alien life seems itchingly intriguing, but are they really valuable reasons to pursue space exploration? If time and resources were to be further devoted to, say, the communities like hurricane-ravaged Fort Myers, or the medical services which seek to aid individuals like Semyon, then, piece by piece, the urgency of seeking more visionary horizons beyond the familiar sun of our own would be slowly allayed.

 

The argument for or against limiting space exploration is a complicated one, requiring, for a fair solution, a multi-disciplinary approach and collaboration – one far beyond my own expertise. If, however, there is a single take-away point I feel I can bring to the table, it is that it is important to not omit humanity from greater projects and endeavors – to push the boundaries of human achievement and invention is certainly glorious and uniquely human, but to be mindful of doing so within the frame of humanistic intentions is imperative for both our endurance and, simply, our sensibility for one another.

 

— — —

Works Cited

“20 Inventions We Wouldn’t Have without Space Travel.” NASA, NASA, https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/infographics/20-inventions-we-wouldnt-have-without-space-travel.

Department, TIME Photo. “Time’s Top 100 Photos of 2022.” Time, Time, 23 Nov. 2022, https://time.com/6234958/top-100-photos-2022/.

Kyodergrist. “How the View from Space Might Be Key to Saving the Planet.” Grist, 9 Feb. 2022, https://grist.org/climate/overview-effect-view-of-earth-from-space-astronauts-climate-change/.

Mosher, Dave. “85% Of Americans Would Give NASA a Giant Raise, but Most Don’t Know How Little the Space Agency Gets as a Share of the Federal Budget.” Business Insider, Business Insider, https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-budget-estimates-opinions-poll-2018-12?r=US&IR=T.

Q.ai – Powering a Personal Wealth Movement. “SpaceX to Raise $750 Million in Its Latest Round of Funding.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 12 Jan. 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/qai/2023/01/10/spacex-to-raise-750-million-in-its-latest-round-of-funding/?sh=d1ae24111feb.

“Your Guide to NASA’s Budget.” The Planetary Society, https://www.planetary.org/space-policy/nasa-budget.

Comments

comments

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

252 thoughts on “Why We Should Limit Funding for Space Exploration”

  8. I aam really enjoying the theme/design of your site.
    Do yoou evewr run into any browser compatibility problems?

    A handful of my blog readers have complained about
    my site not working correctly in Explorer but looks grsat in Firefox.
    Do you have any recommendations to help fix this problem?

    Also visit my web site :: autoclass

    Reply

  13. Good day! I simply wish to give you a huge thumbs up for
    the excellent information you have right here on this post.
    I will be coming back to your blog for more soon.

    Reply

  16. I like the helpful information you provide in your articles. I will bookmark your blog and check again here frequently. I’m quite sure I’ll learn many new stuff right here! Good luck for the next!

    Reply

  18. Boostaro is a natural dietary supplement for male health, enhancing circulation and overall bodily functions. Supports wellness with natural ingredients.

    Reply

  20. Medications and prescription drug information for consumers and medical health professionals. Online database of the most popular drugs and their side effects, interactions, and use.

    Reply

  26. You really make it see reaally easy along with ykur presentation however I in finding this matter to be actually one thing that I believe I might by no meeans understand.It sort of feels too complex
    and exremely wide for me. I’m taking a look forward onn your next put up, I’ll attempt
    to geet thhe clijg of it!

    Here is my page: ppf bandung

    Reply

  27. Sight Care is a natural formula that can support healthy eyesight by focusing the root of the problem. Sight Care can be useful to make better your vision.

    Reply

  39. Have you ever thought about creating an e-book or guest authoring on other websites? I have a blog based on the same topics you discuss and would really like to have you share some stories/information. I know my readers would appreciate your work. If you are even remotely interested, feel free to send me an e mail.

    Reply

  40. Thanks for expressing your ideas. I’d also like to state that video games have been actually evolving. Technology advances and inventions have served create practical and fun games. All these entertainment games were not that sensible when the actual concept was first being experimented with. Just like other areas of technological innovation, video games as well have had to advance by means of many ages. This itself is testimony towards the fast continuing development of video games.

    Reply

  41. https://kimspromofinder.coupons/save-at-namecheap-using-promo-codes/
    https://pastebin.com/eBc38EDH
    https://pastebin.pl/view/raw/4fc79b0a
    New blog post, I wanted to share.

    Namecheap is a really popular web hosting company that is global they have over 11 million registered users. There are a bunch of different types of options for building a website, wordpress tools to help you, and email tools. They have a bunch of other software and security tools as well like SSL certificates. If your gonna buy from Namecheap, just do yourself a favor and use a coupon from our site… it takes a moment to find one and you will save some money.
    Some ways to save at Namecheap
    New customer discounts

    If your a new customer you get access to a lot of discouns and promo codes that are not normally available like coupons giving 50% off and 1 USD .com domains. Some really juicy stuff for real. Usually it depends on the product you are purchasing. Businesses and individuals can use these discounts and promo codes from Namecheap.com, but I think most businesses never use the codes… im not really sure why. There are some special coupons you can find on alternative sites there was a recent promo code that gave over 60% off a one-year VPN service. They have good products so I imagine the VPN would be pretty fast for a cheap price. Win.
    Student, teacher, and educator discounts

    f you are a student or teacher you show your email address with a .edu email or maybe email Namecheap with your student or teacher ID and you will get access to a nice bit of coupons/discounts for sure. This bundle includes a domain name plus one of the following:

    Free use of the company business card maker
    Free use of the Logo Maker feature
    Free hosting for one year

    Sign up for the newsletter

    If you join the namecheap newsletter you will get emailed a bunch of discounts and coupons also. You get more than just promos and discounts they will keep you updated with all the happenings going on at Namecheap like any new product offers or even any issues with services I imagine.
    Get 20% off

    You can find a namecheap promo code for 20% off if you visit our main page. https://kimspromofinder.coupons
    How to redeem a Namecheap promo code

    Add your product to your cart. Go to your cart. And scroll down there should be an option for a promo code or coupon. You can find a picture of what I am talking about on own home page. But it isn’t too hard I believe in you. During the payment process you can apply the discount code
    Troubleshooting your promo code

    We make sure our promo codes work all the time. However sometimes they are updated for whatever reason at Namecheap or other issues might arise. Make sure if your typing in the promo code correctly.

    Also sometimes you need to purchase a certain type of product. Lets say your code is for a .com domain, and your purchasing a .net domain the discount code will not work.

    Namecheap’s website will often tell you the error and reason for why the promo code is not working as well.
    Top Namecheap products

    Namecheap offers a lot of different stuff, but some of the ones that people love are:

    Free logo maker: create your custom logo for free on the Namecheap website
    VPS hosting: choose from monthly, quarterly, or yearly plans
    SSL certificates: help secure your users’ data by encrypting your website

    Reply

  44. I was recommended this website by means of my cousin. I am no longer sure whether or not this publish is written via him as no one else recognize such specified about my difficulty. You are wonderful! Thanks!

    Reply

  55. Hi, Neat post. There is an issue with your website in internet explorer, may test this? IE still is the marketplace leader and a big portion of other folks will miss your excellent writing due to this problem.

    Reply

  60. obviously like your website but you need to check the spelling on quite a few of your posts. Several of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very bothersome to tell the truth nevertheless I?ll surely come back again.

    Reply

  65. Find the latest technology news and expert tech product reviews. Learn about the latest gadgets and consumer tech products for entertainment, gaming, lifestyle and more.

    Reply

  86. PBN sites
    We will create a structure of PBN sites!

    Pros of our private blog network:

    WE DO everything SO THAT google DOES NOT realize that THIS IS A private blog network!!!

    1- We obtain domains from distinct registrars

    2- The leading site is hosted on a VPS hosting (Virtual Private Server is rapid hosting)

    3- The remaining sites are on various hostings

    4- We designate a individual Google profile to each site with verification in Google Search Console.

    5- We make websites on WordPress, we do not utilize plugins with aided by which Trojans penetrate and through which pages on your websites are established.

    6- We refrain from reproduce templates and use only unique text and pictures

    We don’t work with website design; the client, if desired, can then edit the websites to suit his wishes

    Reply

  91. obviously like your web site but you need to take a look at the
    spelling on several of your posts. A number of
    them are rife with spelling issues and I in finding it very troublesome
    to inform the truth then again I’ll definitely come back again.

    my web-site – Puff Wow

    Reply

  104. Abnormal this put up is totaly unrelated to what I was searching google for, but it surely used to be listed at the first page. I suppose your doing one thing proper if Google likes you adequate to place you at the first page of a non similar search.

    Reply

  110. Hi there! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any trouble with hackers? My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing several weeks of hard work due to no back up. Do you have any solutions to protect against hackers?

    Reply

  111. After I initially left a comment I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on whenever a comment is added I recieve 4 emails with the exact same comment. There has to be a way you can remove me from that service? Cheers.

    Reply

  135. Hmm it seems like your website ate my first comment (it
    was extremely long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I had written and say, I’m
    thoroughly enjoying your blog. I too am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m still new to the whole thing.
    Do you have any suggestions for beginner blog writers? I’d really appreciate it.

    Reply

  138. Today, I went to the beach with my children. I found a sea
    shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She placed the shell
    to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear.
    She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is totally off topic but I had to tell
    someone!

    Reply

  140. Nice read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing a little research on that. And he just bought me lunch as I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that: Thank you for lunch!

    Reply

  143. of course like your web-site however you have to check the spelling on several of your posts. Many of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very troublesome to tell the reality then again I will surely come back again.

    Reply

  152. Hello there! I just wish to offer you a big thumbs up for the great information you’ve got here on this post. I’ll be coming back to your web site for more soon.

    Reply

  169. Having read this I thought it was extremely enlightening. I appreciate you spending some time and effort to put this information together. I once again find myself personally spending a lot of time both reading and posting comments. But so what, it was still worthwhile!

    Reply

  176. Do you have a spam issue on this site; I also am a blogger, and I was curious about your situation; we have developed some nice methods and we are looking to exchange methods with other folks, why not shoot me an e-mail if interested.

    Reply

  179. My spouse and I absolutely love your blog and find almost all
    of your post’s to be exactly I’m looking for. Does one offer guest
    writers to write content available for you? I wouldn’t mind composing a post
    or elaborating on some of the subjects you write concerning here.
    Again, awesome weblog!

    Reply

  182. Do you mind if I quote a couple of your articles as long as I provide credit and sources back to your website?
    My website is in the very same area of interest as yours and my visitors would definitely
    benefit from a lot of the information you present here.
    Please let me know if this alright with you. Regards!

    Reply

  195. Aw, this was an exceptionally nice post. Taking a few minutes and actual effort to make a really good article… but what can I say… I put things off a whole lot and don’t seem to get nearly anything done.

    Reply

  199. Good day! This post couldn’t be written any better!
    Reading through this post reminds me of my previous room mate!
    He always kept chatting about this. I will forward this article to
    him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Many thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  204. Great blog here! Additionally your website rather a lot up very fast! What host are you the usage of? Can I get your associate link for your host? I desire my website loaded up as fast as yours lol

    Reply

  208. Aw, this was a very nice post. Taking the time and actual effort to produce a top notch article… but what can I say… I put things off a whole lot and don’t manage to get nearly anything done.

    Reply

  209. Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I’ve really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing to your rss feed and I hope you write again soon!

    Reply

  211. I’m not that much of a online reader to be honest but your blogs really nice, keep it up! I’ll go ahead and bookmark your website to come back later on. All the best

    Reply

  212. I have been surfing online more than three hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours.

    It’s pretty worth enough for me. Personally, if all site owners
    and bloggers made good content as you did, the net will be much more useful than ever before.

    Reply

  217. Understanding COSC Certification and Its Importance in Watchmaking
    COSC Validation and its Stringent Criteria
    COSC, or the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Agency, is the official Switzerland testing agency that certifies the accuracy and accuracy of wristwatches. COSC validation is a mark of quality craftsmanship and reliability in chronometry. Not all timepiece brands seek COSC accreditation, such as Hublot, which instead sticks to its own strict standards with mechanisms like the UNICO calibre, achieving similar precision.

    The Science of Exact Timekeeping
    The central system of a mechanized timepiece involves the spring, which provides power as it loosens. This mechanism, however, can be vulnerable to external elements that may impact its precision. COSC-accredited movements undergo strict testing—over 15 days in various circumstances (five positions, 3 temperatures)—to ensure their resilience and dependability. The tests assess:

    Typical daily rate precision between -4 and +6 secs.
    Mean variation, highest variation rates, and impacts of temperature changes.
    Why COSC Validation Matters
    For timepiece enthusiasts and collectors, a COSC-certified watch isn’t just a item of technology but a testament to enduring quality and accuracy. It signifies a timepiece that:

    Presents exceptional reliability and precision.
    Offers guarantee of quality across the entire design of the watch.
    Is apt to maintain its worth more efficiently, making it a smart investment.
    Well-known Timepiece Brands
    Several renowned manufacturers prioritize COSC certification for their timepieces, including Rolex, Omega, Breitling, and Longines, among others. Longines, for instance, provides collections like the Record and Spirit, which highlight COSC-accredited mechanisms equipped with advanced substances like silicon equilibrium suspensions to boost durability and performance.

    Historic Background and the Development of Timepieces
    The notion of the chronometer dates back to the requirement for accurate timekeeping for navigational at sea, emphasized by John Harrison’s work in the 18th century. Since the formal establishment of Controle Officiel Suisse des Chronometres in 1973, the accreditation has become a yardstick for assessing the precision of high-end watches, sustaining a legacy of excellence in horology.

    Conclusion
    Owning a COSC-certified timepiece is more than an visual choice; it’s a commitment to quality and accuracy. For those valuing precision above all, the COSC validation offers peacefulness of mind, guaranteeing that each validated timepiece will perform reliably under various circumstances. Whether for individual satisfaction or as an investment decision, COSC-accredited watches stand out in the world of watchmaking, maintaining on a legacy of precise chronometry.

    Reply

  219. Your style is so unique compared to other people I have read stuff from. Thanks for posting when you’ve got the opportunity, Guess I will just book mark this web site.

    Reply

  226. One thing I’ve noticed is that there are plenty of beliefs regarding the banks intentions whenever talking about foreclosures. One delusion in particular is the fact that the bank needs to have your house. The bank wants your cash, not your property. They want the cash they gave you having interest. Staying away from the bank will simply draw the foreclosed conclusion. Thanks for your write-up.

    Reply

  247. You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I
    find this matter to be actually something which I think I would never understand.
    It seems too complex and extremely broad for me.

    I’m looking forward for your next post, I will try to get
    the hang of it!

    Reply

  249. At Sports7, we are sports enthusiasts and experts, and those traits inform everything we do. We operate with a clear guiding mission: To use our passion and expertise to breathe new life into the sports landscape. https://sports7.us/

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

THE STAND