The Student Room Group

Space Exploration

Poll

Space Exploration

I was on another forum and some idiot who didn't know what he was talking about was ranting about how space exploration is evil and how it's a waste of money and how everyone who believes in aliens is an *expletive* idiot who believes in fairy tales like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. So I ask you this, what do you think of space exploration? I think it's wonderful, I also feel as though more money should be put towards it, as it is the most important government agency there is, in my opinion. I also feel as though we should broadcast more messages into space, instead of just listening for signals. We need a heavily funded space agency that isn't afraid to take risks, and we may even have to combine all space agencies in the world for more adequate funding, personnel, and joint research efforts.

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
I agree just for the fact that are planet will one day overcrowd.
Reply 2
Unequivocally, yes.
Because it's next. Because we came out of the cave and we looked over the hill and we saw fire. And we crossed the ocean and we pioneered the West and we took to the sky. The history of man is hung on a timeline of exploration, and this is what's next.
Yes it should continue, but it should also be kept on hold during recession. Education and health budgets are more important than space.
Reply 4
I started a thread a few days back in philosophy 'Imagining the Future' which touches on the same issue.

Regardless of how much we might like the idea of humans exploring space, the facts don't look too positive. Space is an unforgivingly deadly place, it's huge and it's very, very expensive to go there. Only the huge political motivation of the Cold War got the US to put a few men on the moon and they haven't been back since. Space isn't going to ge any less dangerous, we're not easily going to see technology which can reduce light-year distances by any significant margins and if anything, human space exploration is only looking more expensive as time goes on, not less. And, we have to ask, what does it achieve? Seriously, there's very little science in space that can't be done by probes and robots.

As I said in my own thread, I think we've been seduced by science fiction into expecting human space exploration to be the obvious 'next step' but it isn't adding up.
(edited 13 years ago)
Reply 5
yeh it should continue, but does cost alot....
Reply 6
Original post by Oswy
I started a thread a few days back in philosophy 'Imagining the Future' which touches on the same issue.

Regardless of how much we might like the idea of humans exploring space, the facts don't look too positive. Space is an unforgivingly deadly place, it's huge and it's very, very expensive to go there. Only the huge political motivation of the Cold War got the US to put a few men on the moon and they haven't been back since. Space isn't going to ge any less dangerous, we're not easily going to see technology which can reduce light-year distances by any significant margins and if anything, human space exploration is only looking more expensive as time goes on, not less. And, we have to ask, what does it achieve? Seriously, there's very little science in space that can't be done by probes and robots.

As I said in my own thread, I think we've been seduced by science fiction into expecting human space exploration to be the obvious 'next step' but it isn't adding up.


Once again Oswy, completely agreed.

Space is interesting and all that, but if people want to go there that badly, they can pay for it themselves. That being said though, sending out orbital satellites has proven massively beneficial to society generally, but I think this could possibly be done privately -albeit possibly at a slower pace- anyway.
Reply 7
God I would love to live at a time when it is in full flow. Can just imagine the excitement. Not in my lifetime though for the reasons stated above and probably not in my grandchildren's either.
Reply 8
Original post by D.R.E
Once again Oswy, completely agreed.

Space is interesting and all that, but if people want to go there that badly, they can pay for it themselves. That being said though, sending out orbital satellites has proven massively beneficial to society generally, but I think this could possibly be done privately -albeit possibly at a slower pace- anyway.


Given the ever-present problem in capitalism, of what David Harvey calls the 'surplus capital absorbtion problem', we're probably going to see increasing levels of investment into capitalist-driven space travel/tourism initiatives. Some companies may see huge investment through this, but I'm highly sceptical that they'll actually be able to deliver profitable returns (it might develop a bit like the Dot.Com bubble which burst in 2000).
Reply 9
Original post by Oswy
Given the ever-present problem in capitalism, of what David Harvey calls the 'surplus capital absorbtion problem', we're probably going to see increasing levels of investment into capitalist-driven space travel/tourism initiatives. Some companies may see huge investment through this, but I'm highly sceptical that they'll actually be able to deliver profitable returns (it might develop a bit like the Dot.Com bubble which burst in 2000).


Yeah, it seems like a rather mad venture to me. But suppose if they can get enough rich customers the whole thing could take off; it wouldn't necessarily be bad, just a bit pointless.

The package doesn't sound that appealing, you're blasted up into space at some uncomfortable speed, you go up there, float around for a day or two in a cramped space station, and you come back down. Pay a million quid for that! :rolleyes:
Reply 10
Original post by D.R.E
Yeah, it seems like a rather mad venture to me. But suppose if they can get enough rich customers the whole thing could take off; it wouldn't necessarily be bad, just a bit pointless.

The package doesn't sound that appealing, you're blasted up into space at some uncomfortable speed, you go up there, float around for a day or two in a cramped space station, and you come back down. Pay a million quid for that! :rolleyes:


Hey, Richard Branson is already well into the black with his venture into space tourism. Around $250,000 per person per flight, to go up into the extreme edge of Earth's atmosphere and be weightless for around 5-10 minutes. Only four times as much for 48 hours in actual space would be a bargain :P

Onto the OP's question: Space exploration, since the end of the Cold War, has been a great uniying force accross humanity. If more resources were devoted to it, it may become even more so, and reduce conflict.
Reply 11
It is vitally important to invest in space exploration, not for the possibility of finding other life but because we will still need mineral resources and the like when we finally deplete what earth has. Once you're out of resources, thats it. It wont matter how much money youve saved up, you cant construct anything out of it. Not to mention if we want to survive for any meaningful length of time as a race, we need to colonise other planets.
Of course a huge amount of investment is required, which is why money must be pooled between the government and private companies as soon as possible to make progress while there is still willingness to fund such projects.
Reply 12
Original post by MickJB1989
Hey, Richard Branson is already well into the black with his venture into space tourism. Around $250,000 per person per flight, to go up into the extreme edge of Earth's atmosphere and be weightless for around 5-10 minutes. Only four times as much for 48 hours in actual space would be a bargain :P

Onto the OP's question: Space exploration, since the end of the Cold War, has been a great uni[f]ying force accross humanity. If more resources were devoted to it, it may become even more so, and reduce conflict.


Ha. That's what I call getting mugged. So this currently just an overpriced roller-coaster ride... Rather go to Alton Towers!
Reply 13
Most people will disagree, why? No Jobs, failing economy..you think people want to see the government spend billions to look for aliens that might come here and molest us?
Reply 14
Original post by Oswy
I started a thread a few days back in philosophy 'Imagining the Future' which touches on the same issue.

Regardless of how much we might like the idea of humans exploring space, the facts don't look too positive. Space is an unforgivingly deadly place, it's huge and it's very, very expensive to go there. Only the huge political motivation of the Cold War got the US to put a few men on the moon and they haven't been back since. Space isn't going to ge any less dangerous, we're not easily going to see technology which can reduce light-year distances by any significant margins and if anything, human space exploration is only looking more expensive as time goes on, not less. And, we have to ask, what does it achieve? Seriously, there's very little science in space that can't be done by probes and robots.

As I said in my own thread, I think we've been seduced by science fiction into expecting human space exploration to be the obvious 'next step' but it isn't adding up.


So when we run out of resources what do we do next? What do we do when the world is completely over populated?

Fair enough, it shouldn't be done now, but it will be done at some point & how can you justify to say it would never happen seriously? ( your implying it )
Original post by GEN.
Most people will disagree, why? No Jobs, failing economy..you think people want to see the government spend billions to look for aliens that might come here and molest us?


We'd still be scrawling on cave walls if everyone thought like that.
Reply 16
Original post by Natsworthy
We'd still be scrawling on cave walls if everyone thought like that.


No, I didnt say we should never do it. But honestly just read for yourself:

I also feel as though more money should be put towards it, as it is the most important government agency there is, in my opinion. I also feel as though we should broadcast more messages into space, instead of just listening for signals. We need a heavily funded space agency that isn't afraid to take risks, and we may even have to combine all space agencies in the world for more adequate funding, personnel, and joint research efforts.


That with people starving and without jobs.
The trouble is, we have a lot of problems on this planet right now. Going to somewhere like Mars, where there's no life, is fine, but before we meet aliens I think the Human Race as a whole needs to develop more.
It's only a matter of time before we humans colonise the moon.
I hope it's sooner rather than later, I'd like to buy a house on the moon before I die, or before the property market explodes again.
Reply 19
We'll need to develop the technology to travel faster then the speed of light in order to explore space properly.

Quick Reply