I am not a space scientist, Astrobiologist /Physicist and
also not at all interested in Astrology. As an IT engineer by profession do not
expect this Article as a professional researcher on space.
Yesterday I had useless argument with someone which is going nowhere with any conclusion, during discussion his point is:-
1) It is useless to research in space exploration.
2) We are wasting billions of dollar in sending aircrafts in space, which can be used here itself to reduce poverty.
3) This whole research only provides blurry pics of other planet and sample of bacteria.
I know it’s not his fault because of narrow mindset of getting early benefits instead of long term advantages.
Now again a same question arise what is an advantage of space exploration.
1) Employment :- We all know the amount of cost involved during the whole space research projects , time to time many space agencies like NASA ,ISRO,CNSA and many more generates associated jobs in this profession , which help space agency , space equipment contractors and Universities to stay employed.
2) Ensure our existence and extra-terrestrial life: - As per http://www.worldometers.info/ website our current population reach 7.4 billion, Earth is actually an overcrowded place, we desperately need some other place to live in instead of creating more and more sky scrapers.
You can’t deny the fact that earth is attracted with many comets and Asteroids , there is no doubts in future earth is going to suffer with cosmic impacts. Now the question arise
“If the human race is to continue for another million years, we will have to boldly go where no one has gone before” - Stephen Hawkings
Putting humans on more than one planet would better ensure our existence thousands if not millions of years from now.
3) Super Power :- Space research always help countries in scientific and political benefits , Once in an interview with CNN Fareed Zakaria , Mr. Neil degrasse Tyson said
"If you lose your space edge, my deep concern is that you lose everything else about society that enables you to compete economically."
The US, Europe, Russia, China, Japan and India are the leading powers in space
4) Technology ,Inventions and Natural Resources :- Due to over population we are burning natural resources more quickly , you cannot rely more than 100 years on gulf countries for oil and other natural resources around the world.
Space has numerous amount of natural resources and fossils fuels which helps in future to serve mankind.
NASA, ISRO and other agencies has done a lot of work in studying air quality, climate change, alternative energy, and near earth objects; which as we all know from the movies can destroy the earth any day now without warning.
“Necessity is the mother of inventions” Now look at the list of some daily use inventions which space agencies done in past.
a) Cell phone Camera: - In the 1960s, engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) first developed the concept of the digital camera. In the 1990s, a team at the JPL worked to create cameras that are small enough to fit on spacecraft while maintaining scientific quality.
b) Scratch-Resistant Lenses: - In an attempt to find diamond-hard coatings for aerospace systems, the Lewis Research Center contributed to making sunglass lenses more resistant to scratches and spotting.
c) Water Filtration and Purification: - NASA developed ways to filter water for manned space missions. But that’s not all. Water purification technology also helped treat contaminated water after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill off the Gulf of Mexico.
d) CAT Scans: - The JPL played a lead role in developing this technology. This has proven incredibly useful in a variety of medical technologies, like CAT scanners, radiography and microscopy.
Any many more daily used items which we are using without knowing the fact of his origin like
1) Super Soaker
2) Memory Foam
3) Insulation
4) Ribbed Swimsuits
5) Portable Cordless Vacuum
6) Water Filters
7) Invisible Braces
8) Scratch Resistant Lenses
9) Freeze Drying
10) Insulin Pumps
11) Infrared Ear Thermometers
12) Aircraft Anti-Icing System
13) Smoke Detectors
14) Artificial Limbs
5) Life on Mars: - Many space research/scientist believe about possibilities of life on mars. Imagine if human except mars as a second home u are getting below benefits in future.
a) Temprature :- As I am living in gulf where average temperature lying b/w 88 to 120F on the same time Mars average temperature is -63F because of extra distance with sun.
b) Amazing Scenery :- In Bollywood movies u heard lot of songs on Moon like
“Jaane kitne dino ke baad gali mein aaj chand nikla”
But if you are on mars u don’t worry if one of the moon hide behind the clouds because u have two moons in sky named Phobos and Deimos.
Now forget about Mt. Everest or Mt. Mauna Kea, Mars had Olympus Mons, the biggest mountain in the entire solar system.
c) Day on Mars :- Mars takes 24 hours 37 minutes and 22 seconds to complete single rotation on its axis , so you get extra time in a day that you want to do .
In summary I would like to say according to me space exploration is the next biggest step in human evolution. To learn how universe works and explore knowledge outside our sphere without counting money and fast benefits.
- Murtaza Badshah aka B@$H
