The space race never hinders

There was once a time when traveling to space was just a dream, but thanks to a lot of drive, ambition, and technological advances, that dream has become a reality. People are flying into space via rocket ships and conducting game-changing experiments, along with robots on Mars. While this may sound like progress in discovering and understanding outer space, lately, people have wondered if it is still worth exploring. 

Space travel has a long history that originated in people’s imagination. The idea first came up in literature. In 1865, “Earth to the Moon” was written by Jules Vern. It tells the story of American Civil War veterans who come up with the idea of shooting to the moon in a space rocket via cannonball. The idea seemed ludicrous to readers at the time, but about ninety years later, someone attempted it. In 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, into space. Not long after, the U.S. government began to send people to space. On July 20, 1969, American astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man on the moon. The world was shocked and optimistic that space would be the next frontier, and after many accomplishments courtesy of NASA, they were proven right. 

Of course, space travel has its benefits. The mutual goal of discovering the mysteries of space has the potential to unite nations. The promise of new knowledge interests the public and makes them all more eager to achieve it. Space travel could be the gateway to the future. However, space travel also has its flaws. The most noticeable is its effect on global warming. Rockets are constantly breaking through the atmosphere altering the gases protecting the Earth from the sun’s heat; these trips have worsened our environmental crisis with the rockets leaving holes in the ozone layer.

Space travel has come a long way from being a book idea in the mid-nineteenth century to a real-life possibility. With the hunger for knowledge and the want to discover the unknown, space travel seems like a great idea. However, with the risk of environmental problems, people are becoming reluctant to support the idea. But with funds from different companies and the urge to expand human territory, it appears that the plans for space exploration will not end anytime soon. “Plans to colonize Mars may become a reality as early as 2029.” said the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX Elon Musk. The public continues to question if this is still a good thing. For now, they’ll have to wait and see.

Written by Mackenzie Cobbler | Graphic Designed by Jennifer Rosales

Published February 3, 2023 | ePathfinder | Perspectives