"1) Human destiny/survival of the species."
Though I certainly think that humans ought to pursue our inherent desire to explore space, this, I think, causes me the most trouble. Is it worth spending all that money just because we feel the need to explore? Wernher von Braun said that space travel was "as inevitable as the rising of the sun; man has already poked his nose into space and he is not likely to pull it back." I think that we may as well pursue those passions that give us pleasure and fulfillment. However, I do not think that it is necessary to colonize space: we were given the earth and I do not think it is right of us to "own" the rest of the universe.
"2) Geopolitics/national pride and prestige."
Do Americans need to be spurred by international competitiveness in order to pursue human spaceflight? If China begins making huge advancements in space travel, will we want to continue with our work? Are we still proud of our work, like we were in the 1960s? Will we do science for science's sake or for politics?
"3) National security and military applications."
Sending up satellites has become so commonplace, everyone does it. I am sure that the military finds space very useful for reconnaissance purposes, particularly during war. If we do not keep up, everyone will be spying on us and we will be spying on no one, and we may get left behind.
"4) Economic competitiveness and satellite applications."
Is "space tourism" a good incentive to go into space? Will that get people interested in human spaceflight, or will it cost so much money that only a select few will have the pleasure of experiencing weightlessness? Launius talks about space as a utopia: "In essence, the advocates [of spaceflight] have long believed that it is human destiny to become a multiplanetary species, not just as an end in itself, but because of the desire to create a utopian society free from the constraints of cultures on Earth." I do not feel that we should spread ourselves out across the solar system, colonizing the moon or Mars, for whatever problems we have on the earth, they will surely follow us into space.
"5) Scientific discovery and understanding."
Of course it is a nice amenity and it is a good idea to continue expanding our knowledge and our technological capabilities, but we cannot rely so heavily on technology. This was made clear during the power outages over the weekend due to the wind storm. It is quite difficult to take care of our basic needs, like food and water, when we rely on technology and suddenly lose it.
Most people can probably identify these five basic issues. But is there anything else? Are there any other motivators or deterrents, or can we no longer be original in our thinking? I almost just with there was a black and white answer, and yet there when it comes to talking about human spaceflight, there are so many shades of gray in between.
"The American public is notorious for its willingness to support programs in principle but to oppose their funding at levels appropriate to sustain them. Most are also in favor of NASA as an organization but are relatively unfamiliar with the majority of its activities and objectives and sometimes question individual projects."
I think one of the most important things is for NASA to continue working to educate the public on their projects so that we will not forget about the importance of astronomy and spaceflight. Additionally, perhaps the human spaceflight program will be a success if we try not to be one extreme or the next: we cannot abandon spaceflight, nor can we colonize the universe or go overboard with space tourism. Spaceflight, like food, is good in moderation. Therefore, since Americans never like their tax dollars to be wasted, even though they are anyway, maybe it would be more useful if we focus on NASA's principles, not their budget. Maybe it would be really useful if the government stopped spending so much money altogether. Maybe, I am just idealistic.
No comments:
Post a Comment