The final frontier beckons like the familiar light of the moon in the night sky, but this iteration of human exploration poses unique problems. Past exploratory measures have taught us the consequences of overly zealous colonization: the genocide of millions of innocent people, the spread of hundreds of new infectious diseases, and the death of entire cultures. Therefore, entire programs and corporations work to weigh the costs and benefits of space exploration, determining how and why space exploration should take place. The most important factors to weigh when considering space exploration are the earthy and interstellar effects, respecting the organisms of this planet and those of planets unknown. International concerns must be at the
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For example, David Livingston argues that although space exploration costs an exorbitant amount of money, much of it goes right back into the paychecks of those involved, funding “manufacturing, research and development, salaries, benefits, insurance companies, doctors, teachers, scientists, students blue- and white-collar workers, and corporations and businesses both large and small” (Source A). Space exploration functions as an umbrella term that encompasses hundreds of smaller faculties, each of which strengthening from overarching investment and improving the international economy. However, some, like Professor Russell Roberts, continue to argue that it should be a private business venture. He digresses the unimaginable romantic appeal of exploration, but states that regardless of “spin-off technologies,” the money should be left on Earth (Source H). Though this perspective reflects a healthy dose of realism, it fails to buy into the revolutionary potential of space exploration. The final frontier is the thing of dreams, inspiring countless children to work harder, look closer, and wholeheartedly believe that the sky is no limit. As Michael Collins writes, it is one of the …show more content…
For instance, Richard Greenberg writes that although we have been meticulous in preventing back-contamination, “forward contamination — that is, the infection of alien ecosystems by terrestrial organisms hitchhiking on a spacecraft — is a distinct possibility (Source F). He describes the mistake all too easy to make in our focus upon ourselves; though we make sure to sterilize everything that makes it back to Earth, we fail to extend the same courtesy to that leaving the planet. Margaret R. McLean expands upon this disturbing phenomenon, writing that we should learn from our mistakes on Earth to understand “the potential impact of our forays into the outer reaches of the solar system” (Source E). The very same concerns and ethical considerations that we grapple with here exist tenfold upon foreign planets. In fact, until we can behave responsibly with our own planets future, perhaps we should refrain from interfering in those of other planets at risk of tragedy. In Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, Ender destroys an entire planet and species after government officials trick him into thinking he is playing a video game, and leave him to deal with the guilt of unintentional mass
For example, David Livingston argues that although space exploration costs an exorbitant amount of money, much of it goes right back into the paychecks of those involved, funding “manufacturing, research and development, salaries, benefits, insurance companies, doctors, teachers, scientists, students blue- and white-collar workers, and corporations and businesses both large and small” (Source A). Space exploration functions as an umbrella term that encompasses hundreds of smaller faculties, each of which strengthening from overarching investment and improving the international economy. However, some, like Professor Russell Roberts, continue to argue that it should be a private business venture. He digresses the unimaginable romantic appeal of exploration, but states that regardless of “spin-off technologies,” the money should be left on Earth (Source H). Though this perspective reflects a healthy dose of realism, it fails to buy into the revolutionary potential of space exploration. The final frontier is the thing of dreams, inspiring countless children to work harder, look closer, and wholeheartedly believe that the sky is no limit. As Michael Collins writes, it is one of the …show more content…
For instance, Richard Greenberg writes that although we have been meticulous in preventing back-contamination, “forward contamination — that is, the infection of alien ecosystems by terrestrial organisms hitchhiking on a spacecraft — is a distinct possibility (Source F). He describes the mistake all too easy to make in our focus upon ourselves; though we make sure to sterilize everything that makes it back to Earth, we fail to extend the same courtesy to that leaving the planet. Margaret R. McLean expands upon this disturbing phenomenon, writing that we should learn from our mistakes on Earth to understand “the potential impact of our forays into the outer reaches of the solar system” (Source E). The very same concerns and ethical considerations that we grapple with here exist tenfold upon foreign planets. In fact, until we can behave responsibly with our own planets future, perhaps we should refrain from interfering in those of other planets at risk of tragedy. In Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, Ender destroys an entire planet and species after government officials trick him into thinking he is playing a video game, and leave him to deal with the guilt of unintentional mass