The Dilemma of Space Exploration

The article I have selected for discussion is titled "Musk, Mars and the high price of manifest destiny: Adventure can be the only justification for manned space flight". This article, published by the London's Financial Times, discusses the current status of manned space exploration. The article begins by highlighting the slow decline of manned space travel since the cancellation of the 30-year U.S. space shuttle program in 2011. The United States has since relied on the Russians to catch a ride to the International Space Station (ISS) while commercial unmanned space systems deliver experiments and supply to the ISS. Although plans to conduct manned missions beyond low Earth orbit have been laid, its execution is still many years away.

The American public has expressed their own opinions in regards to the direction of the current space program. Some support direct involvement and a leadership role in space exploration while others don't quite see the need for a manned space program. Among the heavy supporters for space exploration is billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. Mr. Musk is an open supporter of space exploration and has frequently shared his vision of interplanetary travel. Mr. Musk proposes the design and development of a spaceship that can ferry passengers between Earth and Mars in as little as three months.

The article does not dive into full details on specific modalities for space exploration, but the language and tone used by the author suggest support for unmanned space exploration and opposition to manned space flight efforts. The author of this article believes that the break in space exploration since the end of the space shuttle program should be used to evaluate the need to send people to space, an environment which he calls "so profoundly hostile that huge sums have to be spent making space travel even remotely safe". He also calls the support for manned space travel a "compulsion to spend billions of tax dollars" and refers to Elon Musk's plans as "intoxicating visions".

 The author continues his tirade by questioning the feasibility of Mr. Musk's plans alleging that the technology to carry out such plans does not yet exist and that its development would require billions of tax payer dollars. He cites the potential for public discontent and attempts to bring into question Space X's reputation by highlighting the two accidents suffered by Space X early this year. The author alleges that if the money used to fund manned space flight would have been invested in unmanned exploration, we would know far more about space and the universe than we know today.

Although the author is correct in some regards, namely the cost of manned space exploration, I respectfully disagree with his view. There has to be indeed certain level of ambition and adventure, but space exploration is more than that. Space exploration gives us the ability to go above and beyond of what we know. It allows us to answer questions about our universe, and history and gives us the ability to prepare for the future. Many people may share the same view as the author and may feel compelled to cite the space shuttle program which unfortunately did not live up to expectations. The space shuttle program, announced in 1972, was portrayed as a major advance that would allow frequent access of space at an affordable cost. By frequent, NASA cited at least once per week; and by affordable NASA estimated $20 million per trip. As of 2010, NASA had flown 134 flights costing $209 billion. The cost of each flight was about 1.6 billion and the space shuttle never flew more than nine flights in a single year. Although the space shuttle program could be considered a disappointment, using it as an excuse to advocate against manned space flight is rather unfair.


references

Musk, Mars and the high price of manifest destiny. (2016, September 29). Financial Times. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/docview/1833391107?accountid=27203

Wall, M. (2011, July 5). NASA's shuttle program cost $209 Billion: Was it worth it?http://www.space.com/12166-space-shuttle-program-cost-promises-209-billion.html