ENG 122 Final Paper
Space Exploration: Why Bother?
Name
English Composition II
Fawn vonFrohling
May 25, 2013
Space Exploration: Why Bother? It is unarguable that there are problems here on Earth. From terrorism to health care and the economy, America and the rest of the world have problems that need to be solved. While there are problems here on Earth, the United States should continue to fund space exploration because it contributes to national security, stimulates the economy and leads to further technological advancements. America cannot afford to stop exploring space in an effort to solve other problems. Instead the U.S. needs to take a look at how space exploration is already working to solve those other problems. According to Steven J. Dick (2008) in The Birth of NASA, Russia’s launch of the Sputnik satellite in October of 1957 was a source of embarrassment for America. America saw itself as a “leader in aeronautical and space science and technology” and Russia beating them to space was a slap in the face. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was born July 29, 1958, at the direction of President Eisenhower. At its outset, some of NASA’s objectives included providing national defense agencies with discoveries that would aid in national defense, reestablishing America as the preeminent technological leader of the world and peaceful cooperation between the U.S. and other nations in pursuit of shared goals (para1-9). Today, with the shuttle program gone, and with NASA’s budget getting ever smaller, these original mandates are getting more and more difficult to fulfill. As a result, America is in danger of losing its position as the preeminent leader in space exploration and technological advancement. This paper will be an examination of reasons why the U.S. should continue to fund space exploration despite other problems in the world today. Among the problems facing America today is keeping its citizens safe. Space has a significant role to
Name
English Composition II
Fawn vonFrohling
May 25, 2013
Space Exploration: Why Bother? It is unarguable that there are problems here on Earth. From terrorism to health care and the economy, America and the rest of the world have problems that need to be solved. While there are problems here on Earth, the United States should continue to fund space exploration because it contributes to national security, stimulates the economy and leads to further technological advancements. America cannot afford to stop exploring space in an effort to solve other problems. Instead the U.S. needs to take a look at how space exploration is already working to solve those other problems. According to Steven J. Dick (2008) in The Birth of NASA, Russia’s launch of the Sputnik satellite in October of 1957 was a source of embarrassment for America. America saw itself as a “leader in aeronautical and space science and technology” and Russia beating them to space was a slap in the face. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was born July 29, 1958, at the direction of President Eisenhower. At its outset, some of NASA’s objectives included providing national defense agencies with discoveries that would aid in national defense, reestablishing America as the preeminent technological leader of the world and peaceful cooperation between the U.S. and other nations in pursuit of shared goals (para1-9). Today, with the shuttle program gone, and with NASA’s budget getting ever smaller, these original mandates are getting more and more difficult to fulfill. As a result, America is in danger of losing its position as the preeminent leader in space exploration and technological advancement. This paper will be an examination of reasons why the U.S. should continue to fund space exploration despite other problems in the world today. Among the problems facing America today is keeping its citizens safe. Space has a significant role to
References: Dick, S. (2008). The Birth of NASA. Retrieved from: www.nasa.gov/exploration/ whyweexplore/Why_We_29.html Dubner, S. (2008, January 11). Is Space Exploration Worth the Cost? A Freakonomics Quorum [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.freakonomics.com/2008/01/11/isspace- exploration-worth-the-cost-a-freakonomics-quorum Green, D. A. (2010). How the UK can lead the terrestrial translation of biomedical advances arising from lunar exploration activities. Earth, Moon, and Planets, 107(1), 127-146. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11038-010-9366-z Griffin, M Heller, C. (2012, March). Neil deGrasse Tyson: How Space Exploration Can Make America Great Again. The Atlantic. Retrieved from: http://www.theatlantic.com/ technology/archive/2012/03/neil-degrasse-tyson-how-space-exploration-can-