Benefits Of Space Exploration

Should the government be funding space exploration? What has come out of the United States space program and was it worth the investment? Does space exploration have to be government run, or are there alternative ways to explore the universe? It is questions like these that must be answered when determining the future of space exploration. Despite the dream of space exploration being a peaceful one, the U.S. space program only came about as a result of the cold war. The program improved the military capabilities of the nation, and also demonstrated its power. After the space race ended, the U.S. space program started to lose its funding. Space exploration is expensive, and with the arms race over, some people do not believe that space exploration is worth the money. Is space exploration something worth continuing, and are there ways to continue exploring without government funding?
Critics of space exploration believe that the government is wasting …show more content…
Companies like SpaceX have already proven that they are capable of running their own space program. They have also demonstrated that introducing competition into the field can lead to new innovations that make space travel more efficient. While aerospace companies are developing new hardware, other companies, like Mars One, could provide contracts to complete specific missions. This would create even more competition. The company running the mission would purchase from whoever developed the most cost effective hardware, encouraging innovation and efficiency. This would bring down the prices of missions, meaning that less money would have to be invested up front in order to receive the benefits of space travel. By working together, these two systems could continue exploring space without government funding, and they would provide the same kinds of benefits that have come out of the government space