# data[].attributes.body
He used to work for NASA

# data[].attributes.headline
I recommend looking at this one, good extra pros and cons. 

# data[].attributes.subject
I recommend looking at this one, good extra pros and cons. 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In 2017, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA, celebrated the 40th anniversary of launching Voyager 1 and Voyager 2. These two, small spacecraft were designed to explore the outer regions of our solar system, visiting planets that had not been visited at the time. Today, they continue to voyage beyond the outer realms of our solar system to explore deep space.

The known universe is quite large and, as Carl Sagan once said, "The Earth is a very small stage in a cast cosmic arena."

Our nature is to explore. We still have regions of our planet that are mysteries to us, but those places are becoming rare and fleeting. It is for that reason we often think of space exploration as being the final frontier.

Exploring space has its benefits and its challenges. Here are the top pros and cons to think about and discuss.

List of the Top Pros of Space Exploration

1. Exploration provides us knowledge about the universe.

Exploring our solar system has provided us with valuable information. As we explore space, we can discover new mysteries about the universe that can be applied to science and technology at home. Our exploration efforts may help us to discover life outside of our planet one day. We have already discovered new planets, like Kepler 22b, that may support life in other solar systems. By taking the next step forward into space, we can begin to see what the rest of the universe has waiting for us.

2. It allows us to access new mineral resources.

Our ability to explore space has led to the innovation of satellite technologies. These satellites have allowed us to locate mineral deposit and fuel sources. They have helped us to communicate with one another more effectively. In the coming days, Elon Musk plans to launch a network of satellites that could broadcast internet access to the entire world. Space exploration allows us to find these resources on other planets, asteroids, and celestial bodies that benefit us here at home.

3. We can locate potential dangers ahead of time.

Most of the asteroids in our solar system are located between Mars and Jupiter. Comets are relegated to the fringes of the solar system. As they encounter the pull of gravity, however, their orbits can change. That means an asteroid or comet could find its way toward our planet one day. Efforts at space exploration make it possible to locate potentially dangerous asteroids and comets before they would impact the planet, giving us an opportunity to stop a potentially catastrophic chain of events.

4. It has increased our understanding of ourselves.

Space exploration has allowed us to view our planet from a different perspective. The "pale blue dot" view, for example, shows us that from a universal perspective, we are just one speck. All our hopes, dreams, and wars take place on this one speck. By seeing ourselves as the rest of the universe sees us, we can begin to set aside our differences and work toward a greater good. We are important, but we are not the center of the universe.

5. We understand how our planet operates better due to space exploration.

Our different perspective of the planet has allowed us to observe it in unique ways as well. We can see changes in the environment, for example, on a macro-scale instead of a micro-scale. Scientists have been able to study ozone depletion concerns, global warming concerns, and weather patterns thanks to space exploration. This information allows us to assess our current living conditions and make changes that can keep our planet healthier for generations to come.

6. It creates opportunities.

The drive to explore space has created numerous highly-skilled employment opportunities here on Earth. There are more than 18,000 people who are currently employed because of NASA. SpaceX has an estimated 7,000 employees and the company was founded in 2002. We often think of space exploration as the job responsibility of an astronaut, but it is much more than that. We need engineers, spacecraft designers, scientists, trainers, nutritionists, astronomers, and many more people involved in this effort and their jobs bring economic benefits to each community.

7. We define ourselves based on our need for adventure.

According to figures released in 2017, there have been a total of 18 cosmonaut and astronaut fatalities that have occurred during space flight. Another 13 fatalities have occurred during training missions for space flight or test flights of new vehicles. There have also been 28 fatalities recorded for personnel with job duties that were associated with space exploration. Why have so many people given their lives for this cause? Because we have a need to continue exploring. We must keep pushing boundaries to see what lies beyond. It is the basic definition of accomplishment.

8. It drives innovation.

The need to explore the universe has driven numerous industries toward innovative new products. We have camera phones, CAT scans, LEDs, athletic shoes, water purification systems, wireless headsets, memory foam, portable computers, and even scratch-resistant lenses because of the need to innovate for the harsh environments for space. Those innovations make life better for everyone, which allows us all to pursue our goals a little more efficiently.

9. We see ourselves as humans first.

Space exploration is one of the few tasks that we have on our planet today that drives international cooperation. We see many different cultures and nations coming together in pursuit of a common goal. This allows us to share resources, offer new perspectives, and lessen the costs of research because we are working together instead of duplicating each other's work. This level of cooperation can serve as a tool from which the world can take a lesson and emulate.

10. It is something that anyone can do.

With a telescope, anyone can begin to explore outer space. We have taken that concept to a new level with the Hubble Space Telescope, which has made over 1.3 million observations since its mission began in 1990. Scientists have published over 15,000 papers from the data it has collected since it became operational, making it one of the most successful and productive pieces of equipment humanity has ever built. We have learned more about the age of the universe, discovered new moons around Pluto, and understand more about planetary seasons outside of Earth because of the data it has collected.

List of the Top Cons of Space Exploration

1. Space exploration is a costly venture.

In 2016, the budget for NASA was $19.3 billion. Although that seems small when compared to the total U.S. budget of $3.95 trillion for that year, that figure does need to be put in perspective. According to figures released by the United Nations, it would only take $30 billion to end world hunger globally each year. If the money funneled to NASA were used to take care of Earth-based needs, the United States could eradicate about 60% of the world's hunger on its own with a simple shift of monetary resources.

2. It is a venture that will always have risks.

Humans cannot survive the conditions of space without protection. Even if humans land on Mars or another distant planet, protection against the existing conditions will be required. There are health issues to consider when the human body is exposed to gravity that is less than what is normal on Earth, including bone loss. We know that the radiation in space can be deadly. We have mitigated these risks by exploring through machines and satellites so far, but eventually, we'll need to send people out into space to see what is there.

3. We may not like what we find.

When the Voyagers were sent out into space in 1977, there were golden records placed on the spacecraft to communicate with other life about our own species. Carl Sagan compared the act to throwing a message in a bottle in the ocean. This information may reflect the hope of humanity about life in the universe in general, but these records also provide a map toward our own planet. It would be illogical to assume that every space-faring species is naturally peaceful. Some may wish to come to our planet and exploit our resources. In space, we may even find new microorganisms that are incredibly lethal.

4. It creates a huge amount of junk.

NASA is currently tracking more than 500,000 pieces of space junk that are orbiting our planet. These items will not go away unless we do something about it. From satellites that have ceased to operate to drops of coolant left behind by space vehicles, we have created a ring of debris around our planet that could be devastating to future space travelers. We also have the threat of falling space debris to consider. To deliver internet globally, SpaceX plans to send up 12,000 small satellites.

5. Nations could use space exploration to exploit one another.

There are currently 5 treaties which govern how countries operate in outer space. The goal was to make it so that no nation could claim territories in space that would give them an advantage over everyone else. That hasn't stopped countries from exploiting space to give themselves an advantage. Satellites can spy on other nations. They can monitor communications. As we push further into the cosmos, these issues will only increase. A treaty is a good first step, but it cannot be the only solution. We must come together as a planet, not as a group of nations, if we are going to explore the depths of the final frontier one day.

6. We could be harming our planet to explore others.

To reach the stars, we must consume fossil fuels. More than 3.8 million pounds of fuel and propellants was used for the space shuttle program in the United States. The cost for a single load of fuel for the SpaceX Dragon is estimated to be as high as $300,000 per launch. The first Apollo missions used over 500,000 gallons of fuel just to get out of the atmosphere. We have come a long way in our goals to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, but we must still burn them to go exploring in space. That means we are potentially harming our planet in our quest to go see new planets.

7. We could bring harm to other species.

We know how devastating human diseases have been to isolated pockets of humanity. When European colonists came to North America, smallpox killed up to 90% of the local population because they lacked immunity to the disease. It may be exciting to visit new worlds or even meet new species like ourselves, but we must take the disease risk seriously. They could infect us or we could infect them, bring harm to one another.

The top pros and cons of space exploration speak to the human spirit of exploration. They must also speak to the human spirit of common sense. We have a very big universe that offers numerous mysteries that likely defy anything in our current imagination. There is not a manifest destiny to control the stars. Instead, we must walk softly and leave no trace wherever possible to let the universe know we are ready to join its potentially extensive community.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
17 Top Pros and Cons of Space Exploration - BrandonGaille.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In 2017, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA, celebrated the 40th anniversary of launching Voyager 1 and Voyager 2. These two, small spacecraft were designed to explore the outer regions of our solar system, visiting planets that had not been visited at the time.

# data[].attributes.body
Tealson Herrlin

# data[].attributes.headline
5 Reasons Space Exploration is More Important Than Ever

# data[].attributes.subject
5 Reasons Space Exploration is More Important Than Ever

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This site may earn affiliate commissions from the links on this page. Terms of use.

Space may be the final frontier, but it's an expensive one to explore. There are ample problems with which to contend here on Earth, and that leads some people to wonder if space exploration is worth the hassle. At ExtremeTech, we believe the answer is unequivocally "yes." Here are five reasons why space exploration is vital to humanity.

New Technologies and Research

Humans did not evolve to go into space, but we go there anyway. That has led to the development of various technologies that feed back into the economy and improve our lives on Earth. Without space programs, we wouldn't have GPS, accurate weather prediction, solar cells, or the ultraviolet filters in sunglasses and cameras. There's also medical research happening in space right now that could cure diseases and prolong human lives, and these experiments can't be done on Earth. Space exploration could save your life.

Asteroids and Comets Don't Care About Us

Speaking of saving lives, space exploration could save all our lives. Our solar system has calmed down a lot since the early eons, but there are still uncountable big asteroids and comets out there that could smack into the planet and really ruin your day. It's happened several times in the past, each one causing a mass extinction. It's not a matter of if another large asteroid hits Earth, but when. A robust space program is the only hope we have of deflecting such an object.

Colonization Is the Ultimate Backup

There are currently more than 7 billion humans, which is a lot. However, we're all crammed together on this one planet. If something happened to Earth, our species could be wiped out. For example, the aforementioned asteroid impact. Colonizing other bodies in the solar system is a way to create a "backup" of humanity that will survive no matter what happens to Earth. Maybe future humans will be Martians who will never set foot on Earth.

Space Mining Could Save the World

As we develop new technologies on Earth, the strain on our natural resources continues to increase. The extraction of valuable minerals has led to a host of problems, including environmental damage and human exploitation, but there's a wealth of precious materials in space. Startups like Planetary Resources want to mine asteroids instead of Earth, which would mean an effectively unlimited supply of raw materials that are rare on Earth.

We Are Explorers

There are more practical reasons for space exploration, but one of the principle reasons we must continue is that we're explorers. That's why humans number in the billions - from our earliest upright steps, we've endeavored to learn more about the world around us, and this allowed us to build civilization. Exploring space is an opportunity not only to discover new worlds and build advanced technologies, but to work together toward a larger goal irrespective of nationality, race, or gender. If we stop exploring, we stop being human.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
5 Reasons Space Exploration Is More Important Than Ever - ExtremeTech

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This site may earn affiliate commissions from the links on this page. Terms of use. Space may be the final frontier, but it's an expensive one to explore. There are ample problems with which to contend here on Earth, and that leads some people to wonder if space exploration is worth the hassle.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Updated April 23, 2018 By Drew Lichtenstein

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Space travel is fun to think about but dangerous and expensive to actually do. Only the richest countries can afford space exploration, and only brave people can go.

# data[].attributes.headline
another article about the planet like earth 

# data[].attributes.subject
another article about the planet like earth 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Newsela | Has NASA discovered another Earth? Perhaps

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Astronomers have discovered a planet nearly the same size as Earth that orbits in its star's habitable zone, where liquid water could exist on its surface.

# data[].attributes.body
This source is from NASA itself.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
15 Ways the International Space Station is Benefiting Earth

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
15 Ways the International Space Station is Benefiting Earth

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We assist governments and communities to protect the natural systems critical to saving wildlife and wild places, securing valuable flows of ecosystems services and local livelihoods based on principles of social and environmental sustainability.

# data[].attributes.body
Benefits of space exploration

# data[].attributes.body
Problems we should be solving before going to space.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Among all the good in the world, and all the progress being made in global issues, there is still much more to be done. Given the overwhelming disasters that nations, including the U.S., have been or still are going through, it is important to be aware of the most pressing global issues.

Top 10 Current Global Issues

With so many current global issues that require immediate attention, it is easy to get discouraged. However, the amount of progress that organizations have made in combating these problems is admirable, and the world will continue to improve in the years to come. By staying active in current events, and standing up for the health and safety of all humans, everyone is able to make a difference in changing the fate of our world.
- Chloe Turner

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Top 10 Most Important Current Global Issues - The Borgen Project

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Among all the good in the world, and all the progress being made in global issues, there is still much more to be done. Given the overwhelming disasters that nations, including the U.S., have been or still are going through, it is important to be aware of the most pressing global issues.

# data[].attributes.body
Pro

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Thank NASA For These Inventions We Use Everyday
Innovation
NASA is synonymous with space exploration, astronauts and moon landings. This federal agency is made up of a team of scientists who are constantly studying and experimenting to make advances in the fields of aeronautics and aerospace research. That quest for innovation has led to the invention of some common products that many of us use every day. The list may surprise you.

Insulation

Mylar, a heat-reflecting plastic shield coated in aluminum, was designed by NASA in the 1950's to protect spacecrafts from the sun's heat. The intense fluctuations in cold and heat experienced in space made it extremely difficult to regulate the temperature of the space shuttle and the astronauts on board. Mylar insulation solved the issue. An integral component in spaceship and spacesuit design, Mylar has been incorporated into our lives in a variety of ways. Most insulation used by residential and commercial contractors is Mylar based. A somewhat less expected use of the product involves marathons. The silver blankets that you see wrapped around finishers of marathons all over the world is made from Mylar. The insulation provides the perfect solution for exhausted athletes who can quickly develop hypothermia after completing a race.

Cordless vacuum

When they were looking for a self-contained, portable drill to cut core samples on the moon, NASA reached out to Black and Decker. The company had already designed a line of cordless tools, but the products needed a little tweaking. The push from NASA was enough to refine the quality and battery life of these power tools. Black and Decker used the improved technology to create the first cordless vacuum, which they named the Dustbuster.

Super Soaker

Invented by a former NASA engineer, this amped up water gun quickly became a fan favorite of adolescent boys everywhere. Lonnie Johnson worked on NASA's Galileo mission to Jupiter before leaving the agency to develop the Super Soaker. These incredibly powerful water cannons helps kids all over the country drench their opponents faster and further than ever before.

Memory foam

Also known as Temper Foam, this mattress innovation was stumbled on when NASA was contracted to improve crash cushioning and seat cushions for airplane pilots and passengers. With extensive commercial uses, Memory foam was initially designed to make landings safer for astronauts. Doctors use this absorbent foam to reduce pressure on body parts and reduce friction on prosthetic limbs.

Scratch resistant glasses

Space can be a dusty and dirty place. NASA engineers needed to find a way to keep those dirt particles from destroying the astronaut's space helmets and equipment. A substance called diamond-like carbon, or DLC, was developed to provide a protective film over the helmet visors. The Foster-Grant sunglass company recognized that this innovation could improve the quality of their glasses. They teamed up with NASA and created a plastic coating that creates a barrier which is 10 times more scratch-resistant than traditional plastic lenses.

Treadmill

Astronauts spend extensive periods of time in zero-gravity environments. Long term weightlessness can lead to muscle atrophy and a decrease in bone density. For this reason, astronauts must exercise regularly and extensively while in space. NASA engineers created treadmills and other workout machines to allow the astronauts to work out while on their space missions. The cardiovascular equipment that we all use at the gym was developed based on NASA's inventions.

Invisible braces

When you think of heat-seeking missiles, you don't typically think of braces. NASA developed transparent polycrystalline alumina (TPA), the material that invisible braces are made from, when searching for an incredibly durable yet lightweight component to help track missiles it was building. A company called Ceradyne used that technology to create the braces that are seen on teenagers all over the country. Stronger than steel and translucent, this aesthetically pleasing invention is a big improvement over the traditional stainless steel 'metal mouth' look of its predecessor.

Infrared ear thermometer

The invention of the infrared sensors created by NASA used to get temperature readings of celestial objects in space was a significant advancement in space research. Medical researchers recognized the value of this technology and used it to develop the optical sensor used in today's ear thermometers. When placed in the ear, they provide a rapid temperature reading. These thermometers are less invasive and more accurate than the mercury thermometers used in the past.

Water filters

Water filtration devices have been around since the 1950's. Bulky and time-consuming, these products were not useful to astronauts on board a space craft. NASA engineers developed a portable and compact device that could kill and filter out any bacteria present in the astronaut's water supply. These advancements in water filtration are used by companies to provide clean water to millions of people every day.

The next time you reach for your sunglasses or get into a water gun fight, take a second to give a 'thanks' to the NASA engineer who helped invent them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Thank NASA For These Inventions We Use Everyday

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Tower Fasteners is a national a leader in the field of fastener distribution and "C" class commodity inventory management systems. We carry a full line of fasteners from top manufacturers like Heyco, PEM, RAF, Southco and many others. Our ISO 9001-2008 certification ensures our customers of the highest quality parts and service levels that the industry has to offer.

# data[].attributes.body
Use pathos to show how learning about space can save lives. Use Logos to show the percentage of successful space travels and how they have helped our lives.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Thanks for contributing an answer to Space Exploration Stack Exchange!

Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.

Use MathJax to format equations. MathJax reference.

To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is the success rate of NASA launches?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Thanks for contributing an answer to Space Exploration Stack Exchange! Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research! Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. Use MathJax to format equations.

# data[].attributes.body
One main argument for cons is that there are problems needed to be solved on earth before we venture into space.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
NASA is headed into the next year with ambitious goals and no assurance that it will get the money needed to carry them out. With large deficits looming in the space shuttle accounts, there is some danger that the space agency could work itself into a familiar corner by trying to do too much with too little, a sure-fire recipe for disaster.

Under existing plans, the creaky shuttles are supposed to keep flying until 2010, with all flights except one devoted to completing the construction of the International Space Station, which is limping along, half-finished, some 240 miles overhead. Then NASA will rush to complete a successor to the shuttle -- called the crew exploration vehicle -- by 2012 and use it to send astronauts to the Moon by 2018.

The rub is that NASA needs some $3 billion more than previously projected to fly an additional 18 shuttle flights to complete the station and a 19th to service the Hubble Space Telescope. Unless the White House or Congress sees fit to pony up the needed money in coming fiscal years, NASA will have to make deep cuts in some programs.

The agency got a big lift from Congress this month when large bipartisan majorities passed an authorization bill that instructed NASA to engage in a broad range of activities and suggested that NASA be given increased funds, reaching a total of $17.9 billion in fiscal year 2007 and $18.7 billion in fiscal year 2008. For the first time, Congress clearly and explicitly endorsed the Vision for Space Exploration, which was announced by President Bush in January 2004, and directed NASA to plan for a permanent base on the Moon as a steppingstone toward a human mission to Mars. Yet it also tried to ensure that NASA would pursue a broad range of studies beyond the president's exploration plan.

The bill requires that at least 15 percent of the money spent for research on the space station go to studies not related to the exploration programs. That seems consistent with a recent National Academy of Sciences report that complained that NASA was jettisoning fundamental research in the biological and physical sciences and focusing too narrowly on studies that could further the president's exploration goals.

But authorization bills do not actually provide money. The real test will come when President Bush submits his budget proposal for fiscal year 2007 in February, and Congressional appropriations committees decide how much money they are willing to put up. If it is significantly less than NASA needs for its assigned tasks, the agency and Congress will need to curtail some of them, lest NASA fall into the old trap of cutting corners and jeopardizing safety. From our perspective, the costly shuttle and the space-station complex look more expendable than pathfinding robotic probes of the solar system and a transition to new manned space vehicles.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Opinion | NASA's Predicament (Published 2005)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
NASA is headed into the next year with ambitious goals and no assurance that it will get the money needed to carry them out. With large deficits looming in the space shuttle accounts, there is some danger that the space agency could work itself into a familiar corner by trying to do too much with too little, a sure-fire recipe for disaster.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This house believes that in a time of collapsing national economies and worldwide austerity measures, investment in space is a bad use of resources.

For: Investing in further scientific exploration of space is a waste of resources

By Robin Hanbury-Tenison

The amount of money being spent on space research is in the billions and it has achieved extraordinarily little except for a bit of improved technology which would probably have come about anyway by other means. Whether or not global warming is real, and whether or not we are facing imminent catastrophe on this planet, we are certainly facing serious issues here on Earth, and they are getting worse as we simply watch them. These include the disappearance of the rainforest, the pollution of the oceans, and increased desertification of an area about the size of England every year. These are the general crises that are coming to the planet, quite apart from the economic ones we're so obsessed with at the moment.

I have for some time considered space research a gross waste of money, time and effort that could be much better applied to the management of our own planet. I'm currently writing a book about what remains of the Central American rainforest of the Petén and looking at ways of protecting it. But the only way you can really protect rainforest, and I've been trying to do this for 40 years, is to make it more valuable standing than cut. The Petén is interesting because this is where the Maya were. Their civilisation collapsed in about 900AD because they over-exploited their environment.

We know that all civilisations collapse after about 500 years, prior to which you have big cities, people in the countryside servicing the cities. But inevitably the greed of development leads to the extinction of a culture. This is exactly what is happening to us today. We're experiencing climate change, famine, drought, warfare and we're investing money needed to solve these problems in Space.

If the collapse of civilisations is a recurrent theme, then at we should be looking for ways of managing the planet's resources in order to make how we live sustainable. The way to do that is not to go charging off into Space, wasting unbelievable quantities of money in pursuit of some chimera that we might in one day come back with some valuable mineral. Science should be devoting the sorts of sums of money that it is pumping into space to working out how to mange the climate here on Earth.

There has been research going on for 65 years into climate management. We know how to seed clouds and we know how to make it rain when we want it to rain. The Chinese and the Russians are very switched on to this and they know how to do it. The Chinese used it to prevent rain during the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics, and it never rains on the Victory Day Parade in Russia. So the technology for managing the weather is in place and I think we should devote massive resources to developing that technology and taking it from the military into the civilian world.

The big elephant in the room in all this is the issue of population. We all know it will rise to 10 billion or so in the next few decades. The only way to reduce population is prosperity, because we prosperous countries do not breed so fast. The way to do that is to give people enough to eat. The way to do that is to make it rain. We should reallocate the funds currently being spent on Space research to the rather simple notion of making it rain where and when we want it.

Now there will be pro-space lobbyists who agree with every word of this, but will complain that I want to take their money off them. But there isn't enough money to go around. In terms of expenditure on weather management since the Second World War there's only been tens of millions spent on research - as opposed to tens of billions on space research.

If you put the money that is wasted in space into the hands of climatologists you could have lasting benefits for mankind. I don't think space science is bad science, I just think it's a waste of time.

Against: Investing in further scientific exploration of space is a good use of resources that will ultimately help to stimulate global economies

By Piers Bizony

We're living in a tremendously virtual age where many young people think that all of the discoveries that they need to make will happen on their laptops and smartphones. For me, it's more important than ever to reintroduce a sense of physical exploration, to get out there into strange, hostile and challenging environments. There is probably 99 per cent of deep oceans and all of space to left explore, and it is only by putting humans into new physical locations that we'll be able to make genuine and crucial scientific discoveries. Human presence in science is almost the definition of science. It's a human endeavour to gather knowledge, not just a machine endeavour to gather data. The robots we send into these environments don't know what to look for, and above all they don't know how to be surprised by something like the strange glint of a rock.

Some will say that we're in the deepest economic crisis since the 1930s and we simply don't have spare pocket money for this. But, the first thing to remember when looking at the recent announcement that Nasa is to put $1.6bn into a project to get its astronauts up the International Space Station, is that this is actually not a very large sum of money.

Besides, one of the most successful responses to the Great Depression of the 1930s was to pump money into infrastructure and technology - it was called Roosevelt's New Deal. It was controversial at the time, but by the end of that decade, the USA was the most powerful nation on Earth. What are governments for if they don't invest? It's much better to put taxpayers' money into jobs and new technologies than simply bailing out banks.

The benefits of continuing to conduct off-world scientific exploration in the short term are Earthly. They have to do with forging new and unprecedented diplomatic relationships between countries, while getting engineers with different backgrounds and traditions to work together.

It also ensures the development of a good technology base, not only among companies, but among young people who need something to inspire them through the educational system. These people are more likely to be interested in building a space ship than something less glamorous. Space science also keeps coming up with new challenges in terms of materials, communications and so on. Solving these challenges feeds back into the terrestrial economy. People are under the illusion that investing in rockets involves little more than sticking money into the pipe and then setting fire to it. But that's not at all the case. The money gets circulated here on the ground. There has never been a space programme that hasn't been a good economic stimulus.

What the current team of scientists is doing at the moment is developing a framework to teach us how to maintain a long-term presence in space. It started with how to build structures in space, and they're now beginning to conduct scientific experiments up there. It has taken some time for the science to feed back to us, but this is because constructing the Space Station itself has been complicated.

The short cycle of governments means that it's not always in their interest to look to the long term. But when there are international alliances it's harder for any given government to withdraw from projects and ruin everything for everyone else. Nasa called in international allies to help to justify it and in so doing put itself in a position where it didn't want to disappoint any of those allies by cancelling large chunks of the programme. It's these alliances that are the key to ensuring the long-term potential for space exploration.

And so the question of investment in space isn't one of throwing good money after bad. In terms of science, 99.999 per cent of all that we need to know is off-world. It's inconceivable that we don't send more human beings out there to find out more about it.

Sign up to the E&T News e-mail to get great stories like this delivered to your inbox every day.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Debate: For and against space exploration - is space research a waste of time?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This house believes that in a time of collapsing national economies and worldwide austerity measures, investment in space is a bad use of resources. By Robin Hanbury-Tenison The amount of money being spent on space research is in the billions and it has achieved extraordinarily little except for a bit of improved technology which would probably have come about anyway by other means.

# data[].attributes.headline
NASA spent 20 billion on cancelled projects. 

# data[].attributes.subject
NASA spent 20 billion on cancelled projects. 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
NASA Has Spent $20 Billion On Canceled Projects [Infographic]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Twenty billion is nothing to sneeze at, though it's worth noting that the Department of Defense has spent over $46 billion in canceled weapons programs over the last decade alone. That's over twice what NASA wasted, in half the time.

# data[].attributes.headline
NASA’s Mega Rocket to the Moon Faces Setback After Test

# data[].attributes.subject
NASA’s Mega Rocket to the Moon Faces Setback After Test

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A test firing of the engines of the Space Launch System was halted after only about a minute, meaning NASA astronauts may have to wait longer before setting foot on the moon again.

Clouds billowed from a test stand at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi during a test of the Space Launch System on Saturday. Credit... Robert Markowitz/NASA, via Agence France-Presse - Getty Images

After billions of dollars and a decade of work, NASA's plans to send astronauts back to the moon had a new setback on Saturday. A planned eight-minute test firing of the four engines of a new mega rocket needed for the moon missions came to an abrupt end after only about a minute.

As engineers disentangle what went wrong, the first launch of the rocket is likely to slip further into the future, and NASA astronauts may have to wait longer before setting foot on the moon again.

NASA officials, however, said that it was too early to predict delays, if any. "I don't think at this point that we have enough information to know," Jim Bridenstine, the NASA administrator, said during a news conference after the test. "It depends what the anomaly was and how challenging it's going to be to fix it."

John Honeycutt, the program manager at NASA for the rocket, said it was too early to know whether the failure was one of hardware, software or a sensor. "It's one of these things where the team is going to pore through the data," he said.

The rocket, known as the Space Launch System, has yet to travel to space, and Saturday's test was intended to be a key milestone. For the first time, the four engines on the booster stage were set to be fired for about eight minutes, simulating what they would do during an actual launch.

The vehicle is a key component for Artemis, the program that is intended to take NASA astronauts back to the moon in the coming years. Although President Trump pledged to make the trip by the end of 2024, few expected that NASA would actually meet that timeline.

Image

The Space Launch System's liquid hydrogen tank was loaded onto a test stand at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., in January 2019. Credit... Tyler Martin/NASA

Often abbreviated as S.L.S., the rocket is the 21st-century equivalent of the Saturn V that took NASA astronauts to the moon in the 1960s and 1970s. Although there are many other rockets available today, they are too small to launch spacecraft that can carry people to the moon. (A possible exception is SpaceX's Falcon Heavy, but a human lunar mission would require two launches.)

The initial version of the S.L.S. is capable of lifting 70 metric tons, and future versions of the rocket will be able to loft up to 130 metric tons, more than the rockets that carried the Apollo astronauts.

Although the Space Launch System will be expensive - up to $2 billion a launch for a rocket that can be used only once - Congress has provided steadfast financial support for it so far. Supporters maintain that it is important for the government to own and operate its own powerful deep-space rocket, and pieces of the system are built by companies across the country, spreading the economic benefits to many states and congressional districts.

The booster used in Saturday's test was scheduled to head off to space in November in an uncrewed test flight, a mission called Artemis 1, that is to carry a capsule around the moon and back. But instead of packing the booster for shipment to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, engineers will now have to first investigate what went wrong.

By design, the booster was not going anywhere on Saturday. It was firmly held to the ground in a test stand at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.

After a series of shifts of when the test would occur, ignition of the engines started smoothly at 5:27 p.m. Eastern time, with white clouds billowing out of the test stand. But about 50 seconds after ignition, one of the controllers said, "M.C.F. on Engine 4." M.C.F. is an abbreviation for "major component failure."

The test director replied: "Copy that. But we're still running. Still got four good engines, right?"

A flash was seen around the engine that was experiencing problems. The automated software on the rocket shut down all of the engines.

While the rocket is new, the engines are not. They are the same ones that were flown to orbit on NASA's space shuttles; two were used on the final shuttle flight in 2011. For the new rocket, the space shuttle main engines have been refurbished and upgraded and given a new name: RS-25.

After the booster stage was built at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, it was shipped to Stennis and mounted on the same test stand that was used in the 1960s to test the first stage of the Saturn V.

Engineers then began a series of tests, which NASA called the green run, to validate the rocket's systems. Saturday's test firing was intended to be the culmination of the green run. It was set to last 8 minutes 10 seconds.

At a news conference on Tuesday, John Shannon, the Space Launch System manager at Boeing, which built the booster, said that engineers would have gathered all of the engineering data they needed after about 250 seconds. But Saturday's test ended after only about 80 seconds.

Before moving the booster to Stennis, NASA officials had considered skipping the green run in hopes of launching the Artemis 1 mission to the moon sooner. When NASA first announced plans for the S.L.S. in 2011, it aimed for the first uncrewed test launch to occur in 2017. With the latest setback, that launch almost certainly will not occur until 2022 at the earliest.

If the engines were to shut down during the Artemis 1 launch as they did on Saturday, the rocket might not make it to orbit, and the mission would be a failure.

But as this occurred on the ground, engineers will be able to diagnose the problem and fix it.

"This is not a failure," said Mr. Bridenstine, who will step down when President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. is inaugurated next week. "This is a test."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
NASA's Mega Rocket to the Moon Faces Setback After Test

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A test firing of the engines of the Space Launch System was halted after only about a minute, meaning NASA astronauts may have to wait longer before setting foot on the moon again. After billions of dollars and a decade of work, NASA's plans to send astronauts back to the moon had a new setback on Saturday.

# data[].attributes.headline
To Get on This SpaceX Flight, You Don’t Have to Be Rich, Just Lucky

# data[].attributes.subject
To Get on This SpaceX Flight, You Don’t Have to Be Rich, Just Lucky

# data[].attributes.body
I think this is Pro, but I'm not entirely sure

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
To Get on This SpaceX Flight, You Don’t Have to Be Rich, Just Lucky (Published 2021)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Jared Isaacman, 37-year-old founder of Shift4 Payments, is chartering a trip to orbit and raffling a seat to a random winner to raise money for childhood cancer research.

# data[].attributes.body
Tealson Herrlin

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How We Could Build a Moon Base TODAY – Space Colonization 1

# data[].attributes.headline
NASA has spent 20 billion on cancelled projects 

# data[].attributes.subject
NASA has spent 20 billion on cancelled projects 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
NASA Has Spent $20 Billion On Canceled Projects [Infographic]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Twenty billion is nothing to sneeze at, though it's worth noting that the Department of Defense has spent over $46 billion in canceled weapons programs over the last decade alone. That's over twice what NASA wasted, in half the time.

# data[].attributes.body
Tealson Herrlin

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
NASA Awards Contract to Launch Initial Elements for Lunar Outpost - NASA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
NASA has selected Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) of Hawthorne, California, to provide launch services for the agency’s Power and Propulsion Element

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The funds would help accelerate the agency's schedule for returning astronauts to the lunar surface by 2024.

An Orion crew module, part of NASA's Space Launch System, on display at the White House in 2018. Credit... Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press

NASA officials on Monday evening unveiled an updated budget request to Congress, seeking more than $1 billion in additional funding in what they called a down payment to accelerate the return of astronauts to the moon by 2024.

Jim Bridenstine, NASA's administrator, also said that the mission back to the moon would be called Artemis. In Greek mythology, Artemis is the twin sister of Apollo, whose name was used by NASA for the series of spacecraft that first landed Americans on the moon in 1969.

But the revision is just a request, and Congress must decide whether to back the Trump administration's plan to race back to the lunar surface.

NASA had been aiming for a moon return in 2028 until Vice President Mike Pence announced in March that the administration wanted to push that ahead to 2024, during what could be a second term for President Trump.

Some additional details were presented in a news conference by Mr. Bridenstine and other senior NASA officials after Mr. Trump first announced the proposed increase on Twitter.

NASA's budget for the 2019 fiscal year, which ends on Sept. 30, is $21.5 billion. In March, the president's original budget request for the 2020 fiscal year sought to cut spending by $500 million. It now is seeking to add $1.1 billion, a swing of $1.6 billion.
[Sign up to get reminders for space and astronomy events on your calendar.]
The added money would include $651 million for the Space Launch System, the new large rocket NASA is developing, and the Orion capsule that would take astronauts to the moon and other deep-space destinations. NASA is also seeking $1 billion to begin development of a commercial landing system to take astronauts to the moon's surface.

Part of that cost would be offset by scaling back and delaying plans for Gateway, an outpost in orbit around the moon.

NASA is also seeking $132 million for developing technologies like converting ice within craters at the moon's poles to water and $90 million for robotic exploration of the moon.

Mr. Bridenstine said that even higher increases would be needed in future years and that NASA was still figuring how much that would be. He described the current request as a "down payment."

No cuts would be made to other NASA programs, said Mr. Bridenstine, who emphasized that the agency's financing for the International Space Station and science programs would be secure. He added that he did not know what cuts might be made to other parts of the federal budget to pay for the moon program.

The proposed NASA increase is part of a larger budget amendment sent by the White House to Congress on Monday night. The extra money for NASA and other items would be financed from surplus Pell Grant money, an administration official said, but no students would lose aid as a result.

The budget amendment would take away another $1.9 billion from the Pell Grant program, the official said. Enrollment in the program has declined since 2011, leading to a surplus of $9 billion, the official said. Even with the proposed reduction, the program would have sufficient money to cover all costs through 2023, the official added.

Under the NASA plan, a mission to land on the moon would take place during the third launch of the Space Launch System. Astronauts, including the first woman to walk on the moon, Mr. Bridenstine said, would first stop at the orbiting lunar outpost. They would then take a lander to the surface near its south pole, where frozen water exists within the craters.

NASA is looking to commercial companies to develop the lander rather than doing that work itself. One possible option was revealed last week by Jeffrey P. Bezos, the chief executive of Amazon and the owner of the rocket company Blue Origin.

Even before the revised budget numbers were announced, some members of Congress appeared to be skeptical of the Trump administration's proposal. At a hearing this month, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Democrat of Texas, who chairs the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, said she wanted to better understand the reasoning behind the push.

She noted that the Trump administration was seeking steep cuts in science research at other agencies, including $1 billion from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, $4.5 billion from the Department of Energy and $300 million from the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

"Based on the limited information provided to Congress, it is impossible to judge the merits of the president's budget amendment," Ms. Johnson said on Monday in a statement. "We don't how much money will be required in total to meet the arbitrary 2024 Moon landing deadline or how that money will be spent."

Jack O. Burns, an astrophysicist at the University of Colorado who in March spoke in favor of an early return to the moon before Mr. Pence and the National Space Council, said he was surprised the request was not higher.

"I had expected at least $2 billion supplemental, maybe more," he said in an email.

Dr. Burns said he thought NASA needs a budget of about $25 billion a year to achieve its lunar goal.

Phil Larson, a former White House space adviser during the Obama administration, was skeptical that Congress would go along with any increase. "It is tough to see any kind of new spending being welcomed with open arms on both sides of the aisle," he said.

Mr. Bridenstine said he believed that President Trump's faster schedule increases the chances of actually returning to the moon, at least in terms of politics.

Incoming presidents often make major shifts in space policy. President Barack Obama canceled an earlier moon program started by President George W. Bush, and Mr. Trump is now changing what Mr. Obama had wanted.

"NASA has a history of seeing these starts and stops," Mr. Bridenstine said. "It is important for us to get strong bipartisan support from the beginning."

____

Peter Baker contributed reporting.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
For Artemis Mission to Moon, NASA Seeks to Add Billions to Budget (Published 2019)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The funds would help accelerate the agency's schedule for returning astronauts to the lunar surface by 2024. NASA officials on Monday evening unveiled an updated budget request to Congress, seeking more than $1 billion in additional funding in what they called a down payment to accelerate the return of astronauts to the moon by 2024.

# data[].attributes.body
Tealson Herrlin

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Elon Musk Says Recent NASA Funding Bill Won't Get Us To Mars: Bottom Line | CNBC

# data[].attributes.body
Tealson Herrlin

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
NASA's $25.2 billion budget for fiscal year 2021 was about a 12% increase over FY 2020. Every dollar of NASA's budget has a bigger impact on the U.S. economy. It spurs technological advancements that contribute to our everyday lives. NASA partners with multiple private industries. Its research has led to many products and services that go well beyond the scope of space exploration.

Key Takeaways

NASA's Focus

NASA's top priority is to return American astronauts to the Moon by 2024. It will be the first time a woman has landed on the moon. The agency plans to build a sustainable presence by 2028. It will be used as a launchpad to explore Mars.

The budget includes $3.4 billion to develop landing systems. Another $700 million goes to supporting lunar surface activities. NASA will direct $233 million for robotic precursor missions to Mars.

The U.S. government funds NASA using federal revenue from income, corporate, and other taxes. The budget also provides incentives for private businesses to partner with the government on space station operations, deep-space exploration, and small satellite groups. NASA has funded 23 research concepts with $7 million to further space technologies.

How NASA Impacts the Economy

A report by the Space Foundation estimated that activities related to space contributed $180 billion to the economy in 2005-more than eight times the department's own budget. More than 60% of this came from commercial goods and services created by companies related to space technology. The space economy includes commercial space products and services, commercial infrastructure, and support industries. It also counts aerospace budgets in private companies.

The space economy also includes eight U.S. government space budgets outside of NASA:

Department of Defense

National Reconnaissance Office

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Department of Energy

Federal Aviation Administration

National Science Foundation

Federal Communications Commission

United States Geological Survey

How NASA Impacts Technology

NASA research leads to many of the goods and services we take for granted every day, such as weather and communication satellites. Such technology has led specifically to things like GPS devices, based on technology developed by the Air Force for military applications. Other technologies developed for exploring space are now used to increase crop yields or search for good fishing regions.

A 2002 study by Professor H.R. Hertzfeld of George Washington University observed a significant return to companies that work with NASA on its research contracts. These companies can commercialize the products developed and market them. The 15 companies studied received $1.5 billion in benefits from a NASA research and development investment of $64 million.

Such benefits trickle down to everyday life. From 1976 through 2019, NASA has created more than 2,000 inventions that later became products or services. These include kidney dialysis machines, CAT scanners, and even freeze-dried food.

Compare NASA's Budget to Other Departments

NASA receives 0.5% of the $4.8 trillion FY 2021 federal budget. The Department of Defense, by comparison, has a $636.4 billion budget, or 13% of the total.

Six other departments also receive more funding than NASA:

Department of Health and Human Services: $96.4 billion

Department of Veterans Affairs: $105 billion

Department of Education: $66.6 billion

Department of Homeland Security: $49.7 billion

Department of Housing and Urban Development: $47.9 billion

Department of State: $44.1 billion

Budget History Since FY 1998

NASA's budget expanded by more than 85% from 1998 through 2021. In some years, Congress appropriated more money for it than the president requested. NASA's budget was cut slightly during the 2008 financial crisis and during sequestration. A look at the year-by-year appropriations:

FY 2021: $25.2 billion requested by the Trump administration

FY 2020: $22.6 enacted, $23 billion requested by Trump

FY 2019: $21.5 billion, Trump requested $19.5 billion, Congress allocated more

FY 2018: $19.5 billion, Trump requested $19.1 billion

FY 2017: $19.2 billion, Obama requested $18.3 billion

FY 2016: $19.3 billion, Obama requested $18.5 billion.

FY 2015: $18.0 billion

FY 2014: $17.6 billion

FY 2013: $16.9 billion, Obama requested $17.7 billion, all programs were cut to comply with sequestration

FY 2012: $17.8 billion, Obama requested $18.7 billion

FY 2011: $18.4 billion, Obama requested $19 billion

FY 2010: $18.7 billion

FY 2009: $18.8 billion, President George W. Bush requested $17.6 billion, an additional $1 billion came from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding

FY 2008: $17.1 billion, Bush requested $17.3 billion, Congress cut programs in response to the financial crisis

FY 2007: $16.2 billion, Bush requested $16.8 billion

FY 2006: $16.3 billion

FY 2005: $16.1 billion

FY 2004: $15.4 billion

FY 2003: $15.3 billion

FY 2002: $14.8 billion

FY 2001: $14.3 billion

FY 2000: $13.6 billion

FY 1999: $13.7 billion

FY 1998: $13.6 billion

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who controls NASA's budget?

How much of the federal budget goes to NASA?

Why was NASA created?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How $1 Spent on NASA Adds $8 to the Economy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
NASA's $25.2 billion budget for fiscal year 2021 was about a 12% increase over FY 2020. Every dollar of NASA's budget has a bigger impact on the U.S. economy. It spurs technological advancements that contribute to our everyday lives. NASA partners with multiple private industries.

# data[].attributes.body
Code 9F46AN
Sign in with Google

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Instructional videos & more for all core content subjects (school access only)

Biographies, Mythology, American History, Science, Countries & Cultures, & general encyclopedia

Current events, the arts, science, health, people, government, history, sports & more

MLA citations and e-notecards

Opinions, primary sources, videos, news, & more on today's most pressing issues

Download the free app to read & listen on your preferred device! Use your EPSD log-in.

Library card needed for home access; Consumer Health Complete & more

News articles, videos, primary sources, & info for all core content areas

News articles, videos, primary sources, & encyclopedia entries for all scientific fields

Videos & e-books on people, places, nature, history, and science with read-aloud options

Wonderful for all research topics; great starting point

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
BookFlix (via POWER Library) Fiction & nonfiction e-book pairings, with read-aloud & Spanish options BrainPop Instructional videos & more for all core content subjects (school access only) FactCite Biographies, Mythology, American History, Science, Countries & Cultures, & general encyclopedia Gale

# data[].attributes.headline
Background info: FactCite, Science in Context, World Book

# data[].attributes.subject
Background info: FactCite, Science in Context, World Book

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Instructional videos & more for all core content subjects (school access only)

Biographies, Mythology, American History, Science, Countries & Cultures, & general encyclopedia

Current events, the arts, science, health, people, government, history, sports & more

MLA citations and e-notecards

Opinions, primary sources, videos, news, & more on today's most pressing issues

Download the free app to read & listen on your preferred device! Use your EPSD log-in.

Library card needed for home access; Consumer Health Complete & more

News articles, videos, primary sources, & info for all core content areas

News articles, videos, primary sources, & encyclopedia entries for all scientific fields

Videos & e-books on people, places, nature, history, and science with read-aloud options

Wonderful for all research topics; great starting point

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
BookFlix (via POWER Library) Fiction & nonfiction e-book pairings, with read-aloud & Spanish options BrainPop Instructional videos & more for all core content subjects (school access only) FactCite Biographies, Mythology, American History, Science, Countries & Cultures, & general encyclopedia Gale

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
About Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints

Find overviews, news, and opinions on hundreds of today's important social issues.

Don't know how to login?

Depending on this location's preferences, the log-in process could include your library card number, a student or user ID, or another provided password. If you don't know how to log in, please contact your library or school directly.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
About Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints Find overviews, news, and opinions on hundreds of today's important social issues. Don't know how to login? Depending on this location's preferences, the log-in process could include your library card number, a student or user ID, or another provided password.