National Aeronautics and Space Administration Analysis
analytical Essay
1304 words
In 1969, millions of Americans watched in rapture as the first human being set foot on the alien landscape of the moon. The country rejoiced in this exhibition of our abilities, this application of our knowledge. Now, with the decimation of NASA’s budget, those glory days are over.Government funding for the space agency is at an all-time low, and the space shuttle program is being retired. No longer can the United States send people to the moon, or into space at all for that matter. The country that first reached the moon – the country that once had the most impressive space program in the world – is forced to hitch rides on Russian and Chinese shuttles (Borenstein). In many ways, our best days are behind us, and we have lost a very important source of pride for our country. America used to be a nation whose accomplishments made other countries look to us in awe. The slow removal of our national space program is a step awayfrom progress. It is imperative that the United States reinstates the space shuttle program and restores funding for the future dreams of space exploration.
Have you ever used a personal computer or tuned in on a weather forecast? Do you know anyone who uses a hearing aid or an artificial heart pump? Have you ever thought about the technology that went into all those “selfies” we take? All of these innovations can be accredited to the research and development done by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Wilson). They are just a few of the over 1,500 spin-off inventions that have emerged from our space program. The research developed for space travel has touched practically every aspect of society today. From saving human lives with cutting edge cancer cell research, to saving the en...
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Works Cited
Borenstein, Seth. “Space Shuttle Program Q&A: Why Space Shuttle Fleet Is Retiring, What's Next.”TheHuffington Post. 13 May 2011. Web. 24 February 2014.
“Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Estimates.” NASA. Web. 19 February 2014.
Griffin, Michael. “The Real Reasons We Explore Space.” Air & Space Magazine. Smithsonian Institution. July 2007. Web. 19 February 2014.
Jones, John. NASA Spinoff.NASA. 10 August 2011. Web. 19 February 2014.
“Nine Good Reasons for Space Exploration.” The Martian Chronicles.16 April 2008. Web. 24 Februrary 2014.
Tyson, Neil deGrasse. “Past, Present, and Future of NASA - U.S. Senate Testimony.” Hayden Planetarium. 7 March 2012. Web. 19 February 2014.
Wilson, J.R. “Space Program Benefits: NASA’s Positive Impact on Society.” 50th Magazine. NASA. 27 August 2008. Web. 19 February 2014.m
In this essay, the author
- Opines that with the decimation of nasa's budget, the country that once had the most impressive space program is forced to hitch rides on russian and chinese shuttles.
- Describes the 1,500 spin-off inventions that have emerged from the national aeronautics and space administration (nasa).
- Argues that americans' misconceptions about nasa's cost stem from the paranoia caused by our atrocious national debt.
- Explains that nasa is one of the few large agencies america has that are dedicated to our long-term future; the benefits are real and worth funding.
- Explains that the national space program was the outlet through which we fed our insatiable curiosity. it is time to expand our horizons and explore farther.
- Opines that the united states cannot take part in space exploration if it undermines the work of its space program with political agendas and low funding.
- Explains borenstein, seth, space shuttle program q&a, why the fleet is retiring, and what's next.
- Explains that griffin, michael, "the real reasons we explore space." air & space magazine. smithsonian institution.
- Analyzes tyson, neil degrasse, and wilson, j.r., on nasa's positive impact on society.
Related
- explanatory
- analytical
- opinionated
- The Pains of Gravityexplanatory essayWilson, J.R. “Space Program Benefits: NASA’s Positive Impact on Society.” nasa.gov. 1995. Web. 2 March 2014. .
In this essay, the author
- Explains that gravity is a neutral force that causes things to fall toward the earth and keeps structure in the universe. an astronaut's job is to examine celestial bodies and extraterrestrial planets, but there are health hazards that come with the job.
- Explains that the procedure of using sea coral for implants has been in effect since the mid-1980's to reduce bone loss.
- Explains that the physical setbacks to space exploration have led to the pushing of boundaries in the medical engineering field.
- Explains that other technologies that have been developed to reduce the side effects of zero-g have also been beneficial to aiding or saving the lives of others who are not necessarily astronauts
- Explains that experts are optimistic about the future of aeronautics and how it may save lives. there isn't a lot of work to be done to reverse the effects of space exploration.
- Cites demers, hamdy, corsi, chellat, tabrizian, and yahia l. natural coral exoskeleton as a bone graft substitute.
856 wordsRead More - A Rhetorical Analysis of Michael Lind's "Human Spaceflight Should End" by Wyatt Cheneyanalytical essayLind, Michael. "Why We Should Embrace the End of Human Spaceflight."Salon.com. N.p.: n.p., 2011. N. pag. Rpt. in NASA. Ed. Margaret Haerens. Detroit: Greenhaven, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 21 Mar. 2014.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that michael lind favors unmanned spaceflights, arguing that robot space probes have been so successful in space exploration, that human lives should not be risked.
- Argues that the closing of the human spaceflight program is a disgrace to america and its space program. however, the united states has been successful using robots like the mars rovers or the phoenix lander.
- Analyzes lind's arguments in favor of human spaceflight. he refutes the myth of private investment.
- Opines that lind believes that since robotic probes have been successful, there is no longer a need for astronauts.
- Opines that the success of robot space probes has discredited the idea that machines are too stupid to do science in space.
- Disagrees with lind's argument that humans must transcend the boundaries of the earth. if a habitat meets the needs of those living in it, there is no point in looking for another place to live.
- Argues that space exploration for the avoidance of extinction is another argument lind refutes. he believes that we should be more concerned about war, plague, global warming, or a large asteroid or comet colliding with the earth.
- Analyzes lind's article, which deals with the "myth of private investment." lind believes there will be no market for private space exploration, and mocks the idea of commercialized spaceflight.
- Concludes that lind devotes most of his time arguing of why human spaceflight should end. he provides very little evidence for any benefits of using robotic probes.
886 wordsRead More - Innovations Needed for Deep Space Explorationexplanatory essayIt 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.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that space travel reached its zenith during this time. it was a big deal for three reasons.
- Explains the development of microgravity crop growing and test tube meat, which will provide astronauts with meat and the human population with even more, without increasing animal numbers.
- Explains that space-based solar power may be the best solution to renewable energy on earth.
- Opines that space exploration is still blossoming towards a brighter and more active future. private companies like spacex continue to drive down the cost of space.
- Cites meggs, lori, "growing plants and vegetables in a space garden."
- Opines that space travel is worth the money and attention of governments and people because of past inventions, current services, and future benefits.
- Explains that the hype of the space bubble didn't immediately burst, but slowly leaked out, starting after reaching the moon, the anti-climax of space station, and finishing out with the soviet union.
- Describes nasa's plans for a thin conductor-based covering that will deflect the radiation of space travel. satellites in orbit bring us satellite television, satellite telephones, and satellite based internet.
- Explains that space-based asteroid mining will most likely be used for extra-terrestrial operations.
2718 wordsRead More - NASA Research Paperanalytical essayEver since the Columbia disaster in 2003, due to George W. Bush’s decision; the withdrawal of space shuttles, NASA has lost its human spaceflight program in a far end. (Shannon Stirone). Sustainably, in 2010 NASA was forced to shut down its program due to the new priorities the government has established. Due to the unfortunate budget cut, NASA could not accomplish all the expectations the government was asking (Kelly Dickerson). NASA Administrator Charles Bolden accused “ The cut on the budget will reduce the ability to prepare for and respond to earthquake, drought, and other natural disasters, due to the elimination of the Earth science program” (Jeff Foust). Indeed, many of us do not acknowledge the significance of the outstanding benefits
In this essay, the author
- Explains that nasa lost its human spaceflight program after the columbia disaster in 2003 due to george w. bush's withdrawal of space shuttles.
- Explains that nasa's planetary defense coordination keeps track of the asteroids and predicts the incoming danger.
- Analyzes how nasa's accomplishments have inspired others, such as the picture of earth rising over a landscape reminding the nation of how life had begun on earth.
- Explains that space exploration has generated $250 billion in revenue a year, and created 30 million jobs worldwide. nasa's administrator in 2012 charles bolden said "$2.5 billion investment made in this project was not spent on mars, but right here on earth."
957 wordsRead More - Improving NASA's Imageopinionated essayIn 1962, President John F. Kennedy, in what became one of the most famous speeches of the twentieth century, proposed going to the moon by the end of the decade. At the time of his speech, the only American who had traveled into space was Alan Shepard, who flew on a fifteen minute suborbital flight (“Humans to Mars”, Outlook). Less than eight years after this speech, Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. Yet since the end of the moon landings in 1972, and the Viking landings of 1976, few Americans can name any of NASA’s achievements. The events that come to mind are not the Voyager and Galileo probes that have explored Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Instead, most people think of the disasters of the Space Shuttles Challenger and, more recently, Columbia. The scientific breakthroughs that NASA promised would come are still either unseen or unknown to the majority of the public, and thus too many promising programs are eliminated in the name of the budget before they have a chance to get off the ground. NASA currently has serious problems with implementation of its programs, but through reappropriation of funds and energy, it can improve its image in the eyes of both Congress and U.S. taxpayers.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that nasa's scientific breakthroughs are still unseen or unknown to the majority of the public. reappropriation of funds and energy can improve its image in the eyes of congress and taxpayers.
- Explains that nasa has proposed a 15.469 billion dollar budget for the fiscal year of 2004. the cost of launching the space shuttle is 500 million dollars.
- Analyzes how the cost overruns of the iss have led to nasa reducing the crew to three from the original plan of seven and stopping station construction at us core complete.
- Explains that nasa's problems start before a project is implemented. nasa cancels new projects after substantial research and costs, but before anything useful can be used.
- Opines that nasa is beyond repair, but redirection and reallocation of resources can inspire the general public and reaffirm itself as the premiere space agency.
- Explains that even if administrators say that the shuttle must continue to fly while the new space plane is under development, eliminating one flight per year would produce the necessary amount of money in twenty years.
- Opines that nasa needs to undertake a space station program that produces tangible results. the cost-to-science ratio of the iss is largely due to the wrong concept for station construction.
- Opines that the creation of a new space station does not force the abandonment of the iss.
- Explains that nasa must leave low earth orbit (leo) to improve its image in the eyes of the public. the moon landings of 1969-72 sparked an interest in science and outer space for that entire generation.
- Opines that nasa needs to improve its public image with congress and american taxpayers or the united states risks losing sight of space and all the wealth and progress it has to offer.
- Explains that nasa has planned more than 40 shuttle flights at an estimated cost of $40 billion to complete assembly of the iss.
1877 wordsRead More - The 1960’s: A Decade of Hope, Energy, and Prosperityanalytical essay“The Space Race”. Newseum: From the Earth to the Moon. Stories of the Century. 9 March 2010.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the 1960's was a decade full of positive changes and advancements. the existentialism movement in the fifties led to hippie culture.
- Explains that the sixties were a time of social movements, sweeping legislation, remarkable space achievements, silly clothing, weird hair, and riots that nearly tore america apart.
- Explains how people's universes expanded as they were exposed daily to television newscasts that informed them about events and confronted them with the current issues.
- Analyzes how the end of world war ii, the cold war, and the vietnam war affected the nation. the assassinations of john f. kennedy and martin luther king jr. caused riots and changed the future.
- Explains that vietnam was the setting of the longest war in history. 2.8 million u.s. soldiers fought the north vietnamese army and a communist guerilla army.
- Explains that the vietnam war was the first war to be intensively covered by television cameras as well as newspaper reporters. due to advances in technology and science, people were able to view the war in their own homes.
- Explains that the war cost the u.s. 50,000 lives and 350,000 casualties, and one to two million vietnamese deaths. tim o'brien's "the things they carried" describes his experiences and relations to the war.
- Explains that william timothy o'brien was born in 1946 and moved to worthington, minnesota with his family. he was drafted for world war ii and served with the 198th infantry.
- Analyzes how o'brien's "the things they carried" is based on the experiences of a dozen american soldiers dealing with the trauma and boredom of combat during the vietnam war.
- Explains that the physical and emotional burdens of the soldiers were largely determined by necessity.
- Analyzes how the soldiers carried physical "things" and emotional burdens in the story. henry dobbins carried his girlfriend's pantyhose and jimmy cross carries compasses and maps.
- Analyzes how o'brien argues that in vietnam, loneliness and isolation are forces as destructive as any piece of ammunition.
- Analyzes how the death of the vietnamese soldier symbolizes humanity's guilt over horrible acts of war. in "the man i killed", o'brien distances himself from the incident.
- Analyzes how tim o'brien's "the things they carried" is considered a valuable contribution to the canon of vietnam war literature.
- Explains how digital history uses new technologies to enhance teaching and research. o'brien, tim, natchez, and robbins, sarah.
- Explains smith, a. patrick, tim o’brien, and joseph palmisano's short story criticism.
2148 wordsRead More - Why John F. Kennedy Did More for America than Lyndon B. Johnsonexplanatory essayThe United Space endured a long, competitive, tumultuous, and primed-to-explode relationship with the Soviet Union since its inception. The Space Race was perhaps the greatest spectacle of scientific engineering in the first 5.755 millennia. The U.S. had to reclaim its superior status after the Soviets launched Sputnick I into orbit on October, 4, 1957, and launched Yuri Gagarin into space on April 12, 1961 as the first human in space. Kennedy knew that the American people wanted a victory in the space race, and realized that, being so far away, the United Space could achieve it. Then, on September 12, 1962, President Kennedy gave the “Address at Rice University on the Nation's Space Effort”. This address is best known by this paragraph:
In this essay, the author
- Explains that john fitzgerald kennedy was the most important u.s. president of the 20th century. he launched the space race, facilitated the civil rights movement, and prevented the cold war to become a nuclear world war.
- Describes how the united space endured a long, competitive, tumultuous, and primed-to-explode relationship with the soviet union since its inception.
- Explains that the moon's hazards are hostile to mankind, and its opportunity for peaceful cooperation may never come again. rice chose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because it will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills.
- Opines that the speech launched the u.s. headlong into becoming the dominant stellar power. the most important topic was convincing the american people that we should and were going to the moon.
- Explains that the cuban missile crisis is the closest to nuclear war, and john f. kennedy was the one who executed it.
- Describes john fitzgerald kennedy as a visionary and the youngest president in history. he knew that war was bad and should be avoided.
- Describes the address at rice university on the nation's space effort from the national aeronautics and space administration.
- Explains the "cuban missile crisis." john f. kennedy presidential library & museum, n.d.
- Describes kennedy's inaugural address and space race on wikipedia, wikimedia foundation, and wikipedia.
- Cites address at rice university on the nation's space effort and john f. kennedy presidential library & museum.
- Describes kennedy's inaugural address and space race on wikipedia, wikimedia foundation, and wikipedia.
754 wordsRead More - End of the Space Shuttle Program: An American Financial Voyageopinionated essayNASA’s Shuttle Program also known as the Space Transportation System, was the first winged manned spacecraft operation to have achieved orbit and land, also the first to use reusable spacecrafts and make multiple flights into various orbits. Although the shuttle program took America to a heighten achievement of orbital transportation, recent closure of the program has baffled many Americans and left questions about the future of the American space missions. The closure of the program by the Obama administration is a short-term allocation of government funds that should be better understood as a strategic move to improve the future stability of the American economy. The budget cuts are part of having a balanced budget that will recuperate the current economic situation in America, the cuts can also be depicted as position the government has led programs to newly reorganize their agendas and better manage the establishments. NASA stands proud of the staple 30 years the Shuttle Program made in achievements, goals, and innovation into prosperous future of Space travel; it is also compromised to keep succeeding the agenda with current missions.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that nasa's shuttle program was the first winged manned spacecraft operation to achieve orbit and land, and was a strategic move to improve the future stability of the american economy.
- Explains that nasa's space shuttle program or space transportation system (sts) was developed by the national aeronautics and space administration.
- Explains that the shuttle program began in the late 1960s, when nasa began the early shuttle program studies. by 1969 president nixon and nasa presented a goal to the congress for the creation of space travel.
- Explains that the cost of spaceflight was an overlooked topic since before the sts program with the program that launched the first man to the moon.
- Explains that nasa experienced two tragic disasters: the demise of the challenger shuttle in 1986 and the death of columbia shuttle in 2003.
- Explains that private companies like space x are key components in mixing a healthy fluctuation of income into the american economy.
- Analyzes the skepticism towards the end of the sts program in the minot daily article. the article brings the question of where america stands on using foreign space programs.
- Opines that america has always been a leader in space exploration and the development of technologies. nasa has high expectations for its current and future endeavors.
- Cites "20 years later: hubble, humans and the future of space flight" by arnold d. aldrich.
- Describes the nasa history program's history of the space shuttle.
- Opines that nasa delays space shuttle program's end to 2011.
1428 wordsRead More - Reaching for the Final Frontier: The Ambition of Astronauticsexplanatory essay"The important achievement of Apollo was a demonstration that humanity is not forever chained to this planet, and our visions go rather further than that, and our opportunities are unlimited." (Armstrong, 1976) When Neil Armstrong took his first step out of the lunar module and onto the moon he astonished the world and brought all of mankind together. The investigation of space continued in all of its joys, the completion of the International Space Station, and its sorrows, which included the loss of the Challenger and Columbia crews, but humankind never lost its rapture in the universe or the desire for discovery. The continuation of astronautical research and humanity’s venture into space is essential to promote the exploration, innovation, and inspiration necessary for the future.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the continuation of astronautical research and humanity's venture into space is essential to promote exploration, innovation, and inspiration for the future.
- Explains that the human race has always been one to explore. since leaving africa 60,000 years ago, it has expanded to occupy the farthest reaches of the earth
- Explains that the space plane and module approaches are intended for future use for entry into space. the x-37 advanced flight demonstrator is used to test technology in space environment, examine orbit, reentry, and landing logistics and lead the way for nasa’s orbital space plane.
- Describes the orion mpcv as the latest approach to exploration beyond low earth orbit, as well as long-term testing and astronautic advancements.
- Explains that the benefits of space exploration have dawned since the beginning of the space race in 1957, and in 2011 representatives from around the world reaffirmed the importance of continuing the research by scientists and engineers to further promote the unified space programs.
- Describes opportunities to deliver benefits to humanity on earth while paving the way for future space exploration activities.
- Explains that a visible space program is fundamental in encouraging young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. advancements in research promote the growth and development of the astronautics community.
- Explains that space exploration has remained a fundamental idea of humanity since the beginning of time. it is our duty to reach for the stars and change the human perception of the final frontier.
883 wordsRead More - Persuasive Essay On The Space Programopinionated essay“Space, the final frontier….” These are the words that stirred the imaginations of millions of men, women and children with the debut of “Star Trek” in 1966. The show has arguably one of the most loyal followings of any production, and has inspired scores of people to consider the stars and wonder if we as a people will ever travel outside of our own solar system. The idea of space travel and exploration was not new when “Star Trek” hit the airwaves though. The United States was at odds with the Soviet Union, and both powers were locked in a battle that would come to be known as “The Space Race” during the height of the cold war. It was in 1961 that President John Kennedy made his famous appeal to the American people, challenging us as a nation to put a man on the moon before the decade was out. On July 20, 1969, that challenge was achieved when the astronauts of Apollo 11 made the first manned landing on the moon, and returned safely to earth. This, the highest achievement in the United States space program, will turn 45 years old this year. After 45 years, and a technological explosion over the past 25 years, the greatest achievement in the space program has been a manned lunar landing. Countless billions of American tax payer dollars have been spent on the space program over the decades, and there have been no achievements to match that of the moon landings. Though the budget for NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is but a tiny fraction of the entire annual budget for the country, many of those billions that are allotted in the NASA budget for space exploration would better serve the country if they were re-directed to other areas. De-funding the space exploration portion of the NASA programs could create a “...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how "star trek" stirred the imaginations of millions of men, women, and children. the idea of space travel and exploration was not new when the show hit the airwaves.
- Opines that nasa's $17.65 billion budget could be used to supplement and complement the $71.2 billion dollars in discretionary funding for department of education.
- Opines that private space companies like spacex, cygnus, and virgin galactic have made huge strides in the development of spacecraft for cargo use and are working feverishly to develop a craft suitable for human transport.
- Opines that while david livingston's argument is persuasive, there are plenty of others to argue against the continued funding of nasa.
1319 wordsRead More