Benefits of NASA's space exploration programs.

This is an article I wrote on a debate topic a while ago. As you can see, I took the pro side!

         Have you ever pondered the essential nature of Man? What is it, as a species, that drives us? From the earliest humans to the modern day capitalist, we all seek to improve our lot in life. The ancients worked to produce what they needed and to expand what they possessed. Today we look for the bigger house or better car, not to mention building up that pension fund. In essence, Mankind's mission, beyond mere survival, is to explore and conquer. The businessman wants to grow and expand his business, the scientist wants to learn more than he knows, the artist to express even more to a wider audience. All of us want to see what is on the other side of that metaphorical hill.

         Throughout history, exploration has been both hazardous and expensive. Many lives and fortunes were lost. These sacrifices have also led to great achievement and gain. Would the world be as free today as it is if not for the founding of the Americas? How many cures would we not have without the discoveries in the rain forests? To deny our need to explore would also deny our need to advance.

          NASA is often discussed by politicos and pundits from a dollar and cents perspective. I've heard people in discussions ask "What benefit do we get from all the NASA spending?". The answer is that we don't know what the future benefits will be. There are numerous items that have come to be used in everyday life that arose from our space program. Lightweight materials, recycling processes and microwave ovens to name a few. Satellite communications would be impossible without knowledge gained from exploring space. How do we realistically put a dollar value on this exploration when no one really knows what our gain will be?

          NASA has experienced failures, cost overruns and loss of life in their pursuit of space. It is far from an ideal organization. Our focus should be on improving and supporting this effort to make it as good as it can be. The only way to see the other side of the hill is to climb it...and look.

 

 

Reviews

[Allen Howard]

This is a good topic, but I fell that it addresses only the bad part of NASA and how to make it better. I fully believe that NASA, even though have lost lives lives in the exploration of space, has a lot of good that goes with it. All jobs have lost men and women at one point or another.

All in all though, good work!