The Future of Space Travel

920 Words2 Pages

An Astronomy Conversation: The Future of Space Travel An Astronomy topic that has always been intriguing is space travel. The ability to rocket into space, look down on Earth, and “…explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before” (IMDB) is an adventure that people dream of experiencing. On July 20, 1969, an estimated six million people watched Neil Armstrong become the first man to walk on the Moon (Nixon Library). Presently, people are paying Virgin Galactic $250,000 to reserve a seat on a spaceship that is expected to tour suborbital space in the near future (Virgin Galactic). Although space travel continues to be of interest, there is also some controversy. Controversies include: the allocation of government resources for space exploration, government verses commercial spacecrafts, and the need to colonize other planets for the survival of humanity. The intrigue and the controversy of space travel are the reasons for this Astronomy conversation. To prepare for the conversation, research was conducted to make sure there was enough information about the future of space flight; and that people of different ages and educational and professional backgrounds could engage in the topic. Two weeks before the conversation, twelve possible participants were emailed and asked to participate in the conversation. One and a half weeks before the conversation, an agenda, research resources, and the promise of food and drinks were emailed to the accepting participants. The invited participants were chosen from a diverse group based on his or her interest or knowledge of science and astronomy, work experience, and the ability to easily engage in conversation. Out of... ... middle of paper ... ...ants, and give participants enough information to start researching the topic. In addition, definitely provide food and drinks. Overall, the Astronomy conversation was a success. Sharing of information led to new ideas and a great discussion on the future of space travel. All participants learned something new about the future of space travel. Last, it was obvious that regardless of age, education, or professional background, people are interested and excited about the future of space travel. References: IMDB. Star Trek (1966-1969) Quotes. Retrieved on April 21, 2014 from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060028/quotes Nixon Library. Moon landing. Retrieved on April 21, 2014 from http://www.nixonlibrary.gov/forkids/speechesforkids/moonlanding.php Virgin Galactic. Booking. Retrieved on April 21, 2014 from http://www.virgingalactic.com/booking/

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