The Benefits of Space Exploration

Space exploration has been a part of human history for more than 50 years. While there are fewer people who have visited space, the whole world has enjoyed the many benefits of space exploration. The innovations that were made possible by the challenges of exploring the solar system are tangible for Earth, from our modern telecommunications system and modern computers to solar cell technology.

Humanity is now at the frontier of a new frontier, with many countries reaffirming their commitment to space exploration. Three Mars-bound missions arrived on the Red Planet in February. Al-Amal (or Hope) orbiter from the United Arab Emirates — the first interplanetary mission by an Arab country — arrived first. China’s Tianwen-1 mission, which will deliver China’s first martian robot sometime in May, followed Hope. Last but not least, NASA’s Perseverance Rover, which touched down successfully on Feb. 18.

NASA has reiterated its commitment to returning humans and the first woman to the Moon by 20XX, a new era in space travel. Recep Tayyip Erdan, Turkey’s president, announced that the country will launch a lunar probe in 2023 under a 10-year plan to build its space program. Space exploration is set to continue in a thrilling and exciting decade. What can Earth citizens expect to see in the next decade?

INNOVATION
Space travel is more challenging. Space agencies have proved to be more than capable of developing new technologies and knowledge every step of their journey. Space exploration in the past has led to many innovations we now take for granted, such as solar panels, implantable monitors for our hearts, cancer therapy, water purification systems, and solar panels.

Space exploration promises to bring serendipitous and new benefits to many areas such as power generation, energy storage, recycling, waste management, medicine, transport, computing, engineering, and health. Although it’s difficult to predict what kind of new technology will emerge, history shows that many people will experience significant changes.

INSPIRATION
Every culture has looked up to the night sky for centuries and dreamed. NASA astronauts first captured an image of Earth in 1969 when they landed on the Moon. It revolutionized humanity’s view of the Universe.

In 1990, Voyager 1 captured an image at a distance of 3.7 billion miles (6 million kilometers) of our pale blue dot. Carl Sagan’s book Pale Blue Dot – A Vision of the Human Future In Space was inspired by this image. He said, “Look at that dot again. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us.”

The first 50 years of space activity were a turning point in humanity’s view of the limits of exploration and prompted new ideas about how life might exist beyond Earth. NASA’s Curiosity rover discovered preliminary evidence that Mars had previously been home to life in 2013. Perseverance, their most recent rover will soon start collecting promising samples to return to Earth one day with the hope of finding evidence of ancient microbial activity on the Red Planet. Our understanding of the place of the pale blue dot in the cosmos will forever change if we can find past or current life in the solar system and beyond.

DIPLOMACY
International cooperation can be built by combining innovation and a greater appreciation of the world around us. Although space exploration started as a race, it has become the foundation for diplomacy and partnerships around the world.

Nearly 30 years old, the International Space Station (ISS) is a prime example of successful and continuous international cooperation. Originally, 15 countries signed an international agreement to support the ISS. However, this has been expanded over time to include participation by 68 nations.

The ISS is a shining example of what humanity can achieve when we work together for a single goal. As space missions become more complex, more international cooperation will be necessary. This will allow for peaceful, coordinated activities on Earth and in space. The international corporation is required to address global threats like Near-Earth objects, solar storms, and global warming.