William Olsen
ESS 102, Section AH
Dr. Erika Harnett
10/09/2017
Robotic Space Travel
Space, one of the great mysteries of the world. Many have dreamed of exploring the frontier that is space but only few have. It’s been 48 years since the last human set foot on another body in space, why would this be when it only took 8 years to send the first humans to the moon. Before we answer the question of why it’s been so long since the last time a human set foot on another planet we must answer the following: would it be more effective to send humans and robots to space or just robots? Sending humans and robots is inefficient because food and water must also be sent, which will take a great deal of weight, additionally humans are subject more directly to the dangerous frontier that is space. Sending just robots is the superior solution because of the following reasons: we can already send robots into space, robots can be controlled remotely by humans, robots can’t have their decisions influenced by emotions, and sending robots is much more cost effective. Food and water are required for humans to survive. While
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Not only will rockets be constructed differently, they also don’t have to carry food or water -- reducing weight and cost as mentioned earlier. NASA has estimated that sending a manned mission to Mars would cost at minimum billions of dollars (Mann - Humans VS Robots, 11). Rather than sending a manned mission, multiple robotic missions could be sent in place allowing for even faster data collection. For quite some time space funding has been a constant; from 2012 to about 2017 NASA was projected to receive around 17.7 billion per year in funding which makes robotic space exploration a much more fiscal solution (Mann - Almost Being There, 13). Cost has been one of the largest if not the largest problem with space travel, as discussed by the Space Panel from TAM 2011 in Las
Finding opinions on the topic of human versus robotic space flight was very easy. It seems almost everyone has an opinion and many seem to be very adamant about their position. However their seems to be one major difference between arguments I have seen between the different sides. The arguments on the human space flight side all seem to agree robotic space flight has a place in our space program where robotic space flight arguments all seem to say human space flight should be removed immediately and possibly permanently to allow maximum fruition of robotic space flight.
As a country we need to start investing more money and research into space technology. Programs currently exist for this effort, but the potential for research and progress is limited by a lack of funding; compared to other government funded programs, aerospace funding is pitiful. Continued research in space technology is a necessary step in our growth and development not just as a country but also as entire human race. If we are to achieve this goal, it is necessary to increase funding for space research and technology and consider the possibility of colonizing outer space. If we limit our existence to the planet Earth, and continue to drain the resources on this planet, we will destroy the only home we have.
More cost effective modes of space transportation are completely necessary to make further exploration possible. One new, cost effective design is the aerospaceplane. These spacecrafts are totally reusable and can take off and land like a normal plane (Booth 80). Anything reusable cuts costs. Many commercial spaceflight companies are interested in this design because so much money can be saved. There are also military uses for aerospaceplanes, just a few of these extremely fast and efficient vehicles could replace fleets of regular bombers (80). Another cost effective option for space travel is the solar sail. Solar sails work because solar photons have pressure that pushes the sail away from the sun (100). A spacecraft with a solar sail could reach Mars in the same amount of time it would take a rocket, so it is a cheap, renewable method of travel (100). This is exactly what we need to make it to Mars. It is cost-effective and works as well as any other propulsion system. There is still much farther to go in space. So much more to discover. At the speed of a current spacecraf it would take 80,000 years to reach the nearest star to Earth (108). How are we supposed to learn about other places when it would take about 2,000 generations of scientists before we could finally reach a star? Faster space travel is needed to make any new deep-space discoveries. There really are cost-effective options for space travel. Once we have
It is within man’s blood and nature to explore, and space is our next New World. Man’s first achievement in space travel was the launch of the Sputnik on October 4, 1957. For the next decades, space travel was roaring like a rocket, fueled by man’s desire to explore, man’s desire for knowledge, and man’s desire to beat his enemies. However, these impulses have died out as the well of government funding has been diverted to wars and debts, and the interest of the American people has been diverted to wars and debts. Amidst all these issues it is debated as to whether or not space travel is worth the money and the attention of scientists, particularly since humanity faces so many issues on earth currently. However, because of the past inventions, current services, and future benefits, space travel is indeed worth the money and attention of governments and people. It is within our hands to control man’s advancement, and space travel is the next venue to do so.
If we do decide to send humans to Mars in hope of creating a civilization on the surface of Mars then this would be the farthest that humans have ever gone. If we manage to pull off traveling to Mars with minimal complications then this will inspire future generations to proceed to greater and greater things which hopefully eventually make the human civilization a multi-planetary race. If the United States as a whole, Elon Musk and SpaceX, or NASA want to be known for this as well as we know Columbus as the man who discovered America then they must get on it, before other companies or other people decide to try this. In conclusion, traveling to Mars would be extremely beneficial because it would advance our knowledge of the
Humans have dreamed of leaving the earth and traveling space for many years, and up to this day they have taken many steps in the right direction. Yet, with every new frontier they approach, new problems loom over the horizon. All problems involved with space exploration may not directly involve space itself. Many of those problems surface right here on Earth. Some of the easier issues have been resolved, such as escaping the forces of gravity to reach outer space. More of these problems are far more arduous and the solutions need more time to be worked out properly. In “The Coming Schism” by James E. and Alcestis R. Oberg, humans have already begun colonizing space, yet there are still new problems arising. Major problems such as financing, communication and culture conflicts are important in the journey to space, because they all have the potential to disrupt progress.
Carl Sagan once said “every planetary civilization will be endangered by impacts from space, every surviving civilization is obliged to become spacefaring—not because of exploratory or romantic zeal, but for the most practical reason imaginable: staying alive. If our long-term survival is at stake, we have a basic responsibility to our species to venture to other worlds.” The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA, is executing Sagan’s words every day. President Dwight D. Eisenhower created NASA in 1958 with the purpose of peaceful rather than military space exploration and research to contribute to society. Just 11 years after the creation, NASA put Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon, the first humans to accomplish this feat.
The recent events regarding the NASA Mars probes have renewed the debate of reinstalling manned space missions with the objectives of exploring and landing on foreign worlds such as the moon and the red planet Mars, rather than the use of solely robotic craft and machines. It is my belief that we should return to the days of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, those of manned lunar landings and manned space exploration. Robots simply cannot and should not be allowed to be the sole means of visiting these worlds, nor should humans only be able to witness new findings second hand through the use of computers and machines. It is human nature to be normally curious of one’s surroundings, and it is important that we send one of our own to new worlds. The effects that past missions have had on the world’s people, as well as our political and cultural climates are another valid reason for flesh instead of metal to lay claim to space. Also, the limitless applications and new education that manned flights can bring to us from on site human interactions could lead to another technological and industrial revolution like the original lunar programs had done for us during the Gemini and Apollo programs.
Both organizations plan to go to Mars by 2022, (Nicky, 2016). So far, SpaceX has learned how to reuse spaceships which would save millions of dollars. They believe that Mars may be expensive, but it’s worth it to further expand life across our solar
Mankind has always been fascinated with exploring the unknown. From sailing to distant lands to someday setting foot on other planets, the spirit of exploration is the same. Bur now with the current economic situation and the high cost of sending people to space, NASA is being looked at as a way to free up some much needed funds. Although, there is many problems here on planet Earth that need addressing, the benefits of space exploration far out weight the disadvantages. Space exploration has given us more advanced technology, advances in the medical field, and a boost to the economy and these facts cannot be disputed.
In America, space travel is a controversial issue that many discuss. Although exciting, some people find it unnecessary and a waste of money. There are also many risks associated with space travel and many issues are more important than space travel that should be focused on. There are ethical, diplomatic, and economic issues that need to be considered before making decisions about space exploration.
Since the beginning of time, mankind has sought after learning about and exploring the universe. This yearning drove us to achieve such great things as the journey to the moon and the discovery of water on mars. Nowadays, several people argue as to whether or not space exploration is worth the effort. I believe that it is humanity’s instinctual nature to pursue a better understanding of ourselves, and our universe. Further understanding of our universe will lead to the discovery of new technologies and ways to secure humanity’s survivability. As such, this essay will argue that space exploration is a necessity to our kind and that NASA should be progressively more financed.
Space exploration can lead to the possibility to find useful resources throughout the galaxy for human gain. Many severe problems on earth could be solved through space exploration such as world hunger, overpopulation, and dwindling fuel sources. Things such as fuel could be harvested from planets for power generation and propulsion technology, and land to cultivate for growing food, as well as land for building living areas for the growing population. These potential resources...
In short, the quickest, most efficient way to explore space would be to manufacture and launch space robots into orbit. The create so many opportunities for scientific discoveries, creations of careers, and a few steps closer to finding out how the universe and everything in it came to be. So are we really just a group of children and the cosmos are a rough neighborhood? The only way to find out is through discovery, and I know I'm going to brave that rough neighborhood.
Space exploration is very beneficial to humankind because it creates new technologies, it brings different countries together, and gives people a better understanding of our Earth.