I wrote about this topic of human space exploration a while back, somehow, I never bothered to post on my blog. But here it is, and divided up into two parts to make it easier to read. For the second part, click here.

The question of whether or not we should sponsor human space missions had been controversial ever since the modern exploration of space began in the 1950s. A variety of arguments have been made either in favor or against the exploration, and two opposing sides developed in this debate.  My thesis for this essay is that the human exploration of space is a controversial issue since the costs of sponsoring space exploration is extremely high and the money can be better spent elsewhere, the unclear role of government and the power of private (commercial) interests in space, and the long-term and unknown health effects that traveling to space have on human beings. Key questions like property rights in space and the extent of government funding has been debated, and while some supports the private funding of space, others are more reserved.  Moreover, the possibility of human settlement of space is hotly debated as well, with some believing in the future destiny of mankind laying in space, while others believed we should focus more on planet earth, using some of the technologies we gained from space exploration. 

Firstly, the costs of going to space is enormous, and specific criticisms includes the national funding for space exploration, the real scientific need for such funding and the alternative good that the money can be used for. Many criticize the decisions by national and private organizations to sponsor such an endeavor to space. It has been estimated that the launch of a space shuttle costs about 450 million, and there have been over 130 launches from 1982 to 2011.  Not to mention the 140 billion plus that the space station has been spending. Such costs indeed add up to astronomical numbers. Currently, the vast amount of the space exploration is funded by governments of various countries. Here in the US, the federal budget funds 17.7 billion for fiscal year 2014 to NASA . The federal governments reached this number after vigorous debate and many wanted NASA to focus on more tangible results in the near-earth orbit instead of pursuing large projects that have no direct results. In today’s world, where the fight for national budget is increasingly acrimonious, spending such a sum of money on science that have little practical values is useless according to many critics. The bottom line is simple: our national economy simply do not have the necessary resources to continue the space program on a regular basis.

Regarding the amount of money being spent in human space explorations, many critics also pointed out alternatives to human exploration for the advancement of science. Chiefly, they argued that many of things that require human presence can also be carried out by robots. Robots can reach far more different places than humans, and can conduct research in a variety of different (often hostile) environments. The Curiosity spacecraft currently exploring Mars is a great example of having robots do the exploration for humans, where it has continuously been sending back data for scientists based here on planet earth, without the need for humans to travel.  The costs of these development in space is cheaper and can achieve more scientific results. In addition, critics attack the argument that scientists can use the opportunity in space to perform experiments otherwise not available on Earth. Many simulated laboratory conditions achieve the microgravity and other conditions of space, without the need to send scientists into space to perform the experiment itself. Critics argue that it will make more sense to fund laboratory facilities than to build ones in space and requires travels to space to perform the experiment.

Finally the money being spent in space, many argue, can be best spent here on Earth. With food and water shortages in Africa, a global environmental crisis, a lack of healthy standards of living in many places, many argue that the billions spent in space can be used to directly improve life and living conditions on earth. As the CBS news anchor Katie Couric stated in October of 2006, “NASA’s requested budget for 2007 is nearly $17 billion. There are some who argue that money would be better spent on solid ground, for medical research, social programs or in finding solutions to poverty, hunger and homelessness… I can’t help but wonder what all that money could do for people right here on planet Earth.”  Money spent in space, some argue, is a long-term discretionary spending that can be eliminated to provide money here on earth.

In contrast, pro-space organizations argued that such costs are justifiable and can be brought down to more affordable levels as our investments in space R&D and infrastructures pays off in the future, and that our investments in space can bring tangible economic benefits to planet earth. Currently, the annual budget for NASA which amount to about 17 billion every year, is indeed a tiny fraction of the overall public spending. Indeed, “For every $1 the federal government spends on NASA, it spends $98 on social programs. In other words, if we cut spending on social programs by a mere one percent, we could very nearly double NASA’s budget”.  The costs of space exploration, when put in perspective is indeed not that great, and the 16.143 billion spent on NASA in 2007 is merely 0.58 percent of the total federal budget. Pro-space exploration advocates argue that even if all the money spent on space is allocated to other spending, the differences on our society would negligible. In addition, a key role of government, many felt, is to promote the arts and sciences and NASA argues that it is fulfilling this role. NASA provided an enormous amount of scientific knowledge about space and scientific endeavors in general, and helped to educated millions of students on science.  The scientific and educational value of space exploration can never be truly quantified, for such an investment in our nation’s scientific future and the education of the youths is something that goes a long way.

Moreover, many scientists argue that the investments in space can bring tangible technological and economic benefits to here on earth, many of it in the forms of spin-offs from the products initially intended for space use, or as a result of space research. Some examples include cell phone cameras based on space cameras, memory-foam mattresses, aircraft de-icing, etc.  These new technologies spurred new industries, improved the quality of life and encouraged economic growth.  “A number of studies conclude that about 90 percent of the long-term increase in output per capita in the U.S. has been attributable to technological change, increasing educational achievements…”  The spin-offs from NASA research contributed enormously to economic growth in the US and the world in general.

For part 2, click here.