Pros and Cons of Space Exploration

We plan vacations to tourist spots nearby; we plan to spend holidays to faraway lands. But how would it feel if we could plan a vacation to Mars? How would it be to plan a holiday to some 'tourist destination' in space? Won't it be exciting? Definitely, yes! Although it sounds unbelievable, it has the potential of becoming a reality. The dream once dreaded is seen with thrill today. It is on its way of turning true if we succeed in exploring space. Astronomers and space researchers have already started taking efforts in this direction. They have begun exploring space. Nations have sponsored manned and unmanned space flights to destinations unexplored in view of making the 'impossibles', possible. But is space exploration really a rosy picture? Or do some dark clouds shadow it? Let us look at the pros and cons of space exploration.

Pros of Space Exploration

Space exploration has the potential of discovering the yet undiscovered facts about space. It has a great potential of resolving mysteries that surround the outer space. It may bring about a dramatic change to our lives.

Through the exploration of space, we may find new minerals, new precious materials. We may end up finding new human-like species in the outer space. We may find new living beings that are better developed and better evolved than we are. Exploring space may lead us to the discovery of an all-new world. An unexpected progress and advancement that the living beings in space might have made, may take us by surprise.

Space exploration whets the human appetite for adventure. There are many brave souls around the world who wish to take risks in life. They love adventure, they love accepting challenges, and they love making the impossibilities possible. Space exploration satisfies this human desire of adventure.

Cons of Space Exploration

One of the most important cons of space exploration is the money spent in the research. The money that is spent on space exploration can rather be spent to reduce poverty in the underdeveloped countries. The national wealth can rather be channelized towards the betterment of the downtrodden lot of the society. Space exploration involves both astronomy and space technology. It requires a huge amount of money to be spent on the journey to space. Some believe that the money can be diverted towards the poor. When many cannot even meet their basic needs of life, is it right to spend on space exploration?

Manned missions to space impose a huge amount of risk on the astronauts who travel to space. Apart from the expenditure of money, a travel to space also risks the human life. The human beings who travel in space have to face harsh conditions and challenge themselves to adapt to unfriendly environment. Unmanned missions and those using robots to explore space are a solution to risking the human life. But robots mean another new technology, thus incurring added costs.

What seems to take us by surprise may land us in trouble. We may find something in space that is lethal to life on Earth. We may discover something that is extremely harmful for the living beings on Earth. Space exploration may invite some dangerous microorganisms that may exist in space. The extraterrestrial beings may actually prove dangerous for human life.

Space exploration can mean a major leap for mankind but it is also criticized as not having achieved any major scientific breakthroughs. Public interest can serve as the determinant factor in judging the suitability of space exploration. It may not be wise to splurge on space exploration if other basic needs are being ignored or left unfulfilled.