CAJ #12: Houston, we have a problem

Hey everyone,

I found this sophisticated TED talk the other day and I think that it perfectly underlines the issues of space exploration I talked about in my previous posts.

https://www.ted.com/talks/burt_rutan_sees_the_future_of_space

Listening to Burt Rutan’s speech about the future of space, I became acquainted with the perspective of an expert who has years of experience in this field. In his speech the spacecraft designer, talks about entering the second generation and the fact that little to no progress has been done in terms of human flight in space. He underlines the importance of inspiring the youth to continue what has been done until now. The children from today are the future from tomorrow. According to Rutan, that is why we need to inspire them in order to be able to benefit from the future exploration. He addresses the problem that even though we have a great deal of efficient companies, they are unable to make considerable progress towards their goals. It has been tried over the time period of four years to develop a safe way to fly an aeroplane, but that has not happend at all in space flying.

Great contributors to the beginnings of space exploration, for instance Werner von Braun, Kelly Johnson and Charles Lindbergh, who inspire us today, were children in 1908-1912. Every one of them lived in a time where they were encouraged by the renaissance of aviation. Also the explorer from today were inspired by big progress in the past like the Jet Age, the Missile Age the first flights to Mars etc. Some of them are: Paul Allen, Elan Musk, Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos, the Ansari family and Bob Bigelow. He thinks that these people are currently researching different areas that will lead us into the future of space exploration and eventually allow us to colonize and keep us from getting extinct.

He mentions the budget of 1.5 billion to 1.7 billion dollars that is currently “available” worldwide for further space exploration. That all is investment in private space flight that is not governmental. I knew that a great amount of money is being invested in space exploration, but I did not imagine the sum being that high.

CAJ #11: How does my topic connect to other CAJs?

• Katrin Wiesinger: Asteroid mining

Katrin talks about the the general idea of finding suitable near-earth-asteroids which are rich in one or more mineral resources, such as water, metals, oxygen or hydrogen. Her journal deals with the problems that are connected to asteroid mining and suggests possible solutions. One company that is especially interested in asteroid mining and invests a great amount of money is Planetary Resources. They are interested in the future of space, which connects to my topic.

http://katrinwsblog.blogspot.co.at/search/label/CAJ

• Claudia Schwaiger: Space tourism

As I cover a few great inventions in technology that transfers both cargo and people to orbiting destinations, space tourism is surely connected to my topic.  

• Harald Pasch: Planetary Science

This topic obviously connects to mine as Harald is covering the answer to the question: How do we explore the space? In order to be able to discover new planets space telescopes are of essential importance.

http://heroldflux.blogspot.co.at/2014/06/caj-hubble-telescope-optics-part-3.htmlv

• Heimo Kaspar: Permanent human expansion into the solar system

Heimo is talking about space flights beyond the atmosphere that are supposed to be made cheaper. The Lifeboat Foundation is working on developing non-rocket methods for reaching the orbit. The self-sustaining space habitat ‘Ark 1’ should ensure the survival of humanity in the event Earth becomes uninhabitable, which connects to the humans spaceflights in my CAJ.

http://heimokaspar.blogspot.co.at/

• Maria Dorner: Astrobiology

Maria writes about Astrobiology and the most important goal: finding another way of life. This connects perfectly to space exploration, as the aim is pretty much the same.

http://sharemarysword.blogspot.co.at/

• Sandra Lang: Cosmology

Sandra is mainly writing about the birth and death of black holes and their structure.

http://sparklingsandywendy.blogspot.co.at/

CAJ #10: A few questions

Which bodies currently fund research into your topic?

The number of researching companies is growing from day to day and is nearly becoming uncountable. Currently the biggest and probably best known companies to research into space exploration are the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and The Russian Federal Space Agency (RKA). What really surprised me in a positive way is that there are more and more private companies to fund research and invest in space exploration. A few of them are for example: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX), the Orbital Sciences Corporation, the Boeing Company, Blue Origin, Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) and Alliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK). All these companies, whether being private or governmental bodies, share the same struggles and, more importantly, have the same goal. As far as NASA is concerned, they all want “to reach for new height and reveal the unknown so that what we do and learn will benefit all humankind”.

Who do you think should fund research into your topic and why?

In my opinion, everyone could and should contribute to the important fund research into space exploration. Not only private and governmental bodies are able to make a difference for the future of humankind. Every individual that is interested and has a common opinion on the exploration of new planets, can help. Some of you might think now, but how can we help? The ideal way would be to study physics, astrology or any other related study and to either found your own company or apply for an already existing one. As this is not suitable for everyone who wants to help, another, easier way would be to invest money in big and trustful companies like NASA or SpaceX. The revolutionization of the transport system from Earth to space and back is the focus of most of the companies. They mainly want to enable people to live on other planets to preserve human life in the future. Isn’t this argument enough for companies and individuals to do fund research and inventions into space exploration?

Does the science in your topic benefit everybody? If so, who does it benefit the most?

Of course. Even though the benefit is not entirely understood by most of the people and maybe not visible yet, it will, for sure, be a great benefit for mankind in the future. I mean, wouldn’t it be great for people to be able to live on another planet but the Earth? Just consider a dramatic apocalypse on Earth. Where would we all go? Wouldn’t you want a safe place for your children to live at? Well, think about it.

If it does not benefit everybody equally, should society being paying for the research?

If the companies manage to discover a planet which would be habitable for humans, and they will, it would benefit everybody equally.

CAJ #9: Developments in Technology

SpaceX

Elon Musk, cofounder of PayPal, is the CEO and chief designer of Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, abbreviated SpaceX, which is a space transport services company that manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. SpaceX designs was founded in 2002 to revolutionize space technology, with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and enabling people to live on other planets. They mainly support the enabling of the colonization of Mars by humans. As for now, the company has developed several orbital launch vehicles: Falcon 1, Falcon 9, which is currently in active use, and Falcon Heavy, which is under development.

Falcon 1

The company has developed its first launch vehicle - Falcon 1 - and three rocket engines - Merlin, Kestrel, and Draco - completely with private capital. Falcon 1, which has already been retired by SpaceX, was the first privately developed liquid-fueled rocket to reach orbit. It was a small rocket capable of placing several hundred kilograms into low earth orbit. IIt functioned as an early test-bed for developing concepts and components for the larger Falcon 9.

Falcon 9

Falcon 9 was the second launch vehicle to be designed and manufactured by SpaceX. Falcon 9, along with the Dragon spacecraft, was designed from the beginning to be reusable. One of the originally goals was to deliver humans into space. Under an agreement with NASA, SpaceX is actively working toward that goal. With its special care for details in manufacturing, it is capable of landing with the precision of a helicopter. Falcon 9 is known as the first rocket completely developed in the 21 century. It is 68,4 meters tall and has a simple two-stage configuration with nine first-stage engines, which means that it can safely complete its mission even in the event of an engine shutdown. By delivering Dragon into the correct orbit in 2012, Falcon 9 made SpaceX the first commercial company ever to visit the station. Since then SpaceX has made a total of three flights to the space station, both delivering and returning cargo for NASA.

Falcon’s ninth, and latest, consecutive flight was on April 18, 2014. SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft to orbit, carrying supplies and science experiments to the International Space Station.

Dragon Spacecraft

Dragon is a free-flying spacecraft designed to deliver both cargo and people to orbiting destinations. Dragon made history in 2012 when it became the first commercial spacecraft to deliver cargo to the International Space Station and safely return cargo to Earth. It is the only spacecraft currently flying that is capable of returning significant amounts of cargo to Earth. Although Dragon is currently delivering just cargo to space, it was originally designed to carry humans. SpaceX is now working on the refinements that will enable Dragon to fly crew. The first manned test flight is expected to take place in 2-3 years.

Falcon Heavy

Falcon Heavy is the world’s most powerful rocket - a launch vehicle of scale and capability unequaled by any other currently flying. This powerful rocket was designed to be fully reusable. Falcon Heavy consists of a standard Falcon 9 rocket core, to which two additional Falcon 9 first stages are added as strap-on boosters – this will increase the low Earth orbit (LEO) payload. With the ability to lift into orbit over 53 metric tons (which would correspond a mass equivalent to a big jetliner loaded with passengers, crew, luggage and fuel) Falcon Heavy can lift more than twice the payload of the next closest operational vehicle, the Delta IV Heavy, at one-third the cost. Falcon Heavy draws upon the design of Falcon 9 with a maximized reliability. Falcon Heavy was designed from the outset to carry humans into space and restores the possibility of flying missions with crew to the Moon or Mars.

Historic achievements by SpaceX:

• the first privately funded, liquid-fueled rocket, Falcon 1, to reach orbit (28 September 2008);
• the first privately funded company to successfully launch, by Falcon 9, orbit and recover a spacecraft (Dragon) (9 December 2010);
• the first private company to send a spacecraft (Dragon) to the International Space Station (25 May 2012);
• and the first private company to send a satellite into geosynchronous orbit (3 December 2013).

CAJ #8: My brother does not agree!

The other day I had a serious discussion with my dear brother about the highly controversial topic Space Exploration. It was quite surprising that he had a completely different opinion and viewpoint regarding this topic.

I began the conversation by telling him that am I currently writing a Current Affairs Journal and what topic I chose. I started by asking him what his opinion about space exploration was. To my surprise, he was completely against it. He immediately stated that it is a total waste of money in his opinion. I was shocked. As I could not think of one single negative fact about space exploration, I asked him to tell me his "oh so" convincing arguments. He argued that the money that is being spent in the research is one of the most wasteful activities one could spend money. “There are so many better things that money could be used for. It should be spent on something that could benefit much more the people living on our planet. What do I get from the fact that a new planet is discovered? Nothing. We are facing serious problems on Earth, like the disappearance of the rain forests, the pollution of the oceans, climate change, wars etc. If we put money in hands of people who could fix problems like this, we could have lasting benefits for mankind. Other than that, I really do not want to know about some extraterrestrial beings that are present on other planets. They, in fact, could be dangerous for human life on Earth.” I could not believe all this negativity about the exploration of something new. As I really got absorbed in this topic I was ready to fight back and explain that he is not right. I started off by stating some of the nearly uncountable benefits we, as humans living on Earth, have from the research. Space exploration is crucial for developing areas from medicine to scientific research in general. Many discoveries and products have been developed from the knowledge gained from space exploration. One major discovery would be the satellites which are used to forecast the weather. They have saved numerous lives because satellites can predict hurricanes and dangerous storm systems, and help us prepare for the worst. Another great benefit would be GPS (Global Positioning System) that helps man navigate through land, air, and sea. Even everyday items are discovered thanks to it. For example, non-stick pans and surfaces were also created as a result of space exploration. The internet, parts of the computers that we are using every single day and so on.

I kept on telling that compared to other areas of government spending, the cost of space exploration simply is not that high. How much is seven billion dollars compared to the expenses of the U.S government on military?

He listened carefully and began to ask questions like “why don’t they advertise the products and benefits the have made so far?” “How could people understand those benefits without them being informed about it?” “As I did not do any research regarding the exploration and its benefits, I did not know about them. Now my opinion may have changed a little bit, but the money that is being spent on the research is still enormous.” I told him that it is important to invest money in companies that are working in that field because progress is not made overnight. Maybe in a few years we will be able to settle outside the borders of our planet, who knows. I told him that “If it were up to me, I would certainly start a campaign promoting space exploration and explaining the main aims of the companies. I would try to inform the world about the great achievements that have been done with the science of space exploration. I would show them that the money that is being invested into all the companies is not a waste. Instead of waging wars and the manufacturing of nuclear weapons, people should give more thought on the exploration and colonization of new planets in our solar system. To really achieve great results, I would unite all companies that are currently working on space projects that would help humanity to evolve into a species that will harvest energy from other planets or even become a species that expands to other planets.”

The most primitive sentence I heard while talking to people about my CAJ was to put humankind first. With the exploration of new resources or even a  new planet for people to be able to settle would be the greatest benefit those people could possibly have. Do you really think the scientists are exploring the universe just for fun? NO. Think about it.

I convinced my brother, but unfortunately I do not have the “power” to change everyone's minds on Earth. I hope that with my enthusiasm for this topic I could at least convince some of you that space exploration is of enormous importance. ;)

CAJ #7: Is space exploration a waste of money?

Space exploration means to explore different and new planets, galaxies, comets, satellites etc. in outer space. To be able to achieve great explorations, a proper technology is need to be invented and used. This technology, however, requires a lot of money. The explorer and campaigner Robin Hanbury argues that “The amount of money being spent on space research is in the billions and it has achieved extraordinarily little except for a bit of improved technology which would probably have come about anyway by other means.” The highly controversial issue whether money should be spent on space exploration or not has been discussed extensively in the last years.

It is not expensive, actually

It is known that an enormous amount of money is being spent on the discoveries of outer space and new planets, but this should not be considered as a wasteful activity. Compared to other areas of government spending, the cost of space exploration simply is not that high. How much is seven billion dollars compared to the expenses of the U.S government on military? Each year, 22 times the amount for space exploration is spent on alcohol, and over ten million dollars is spent in Iraq by the government each month. If you ask me, war and alcohol are not  better ways of spending/ investing money.

Colonization of new planets

Learning about the universe that surrounds us is crucial to understanding more about the world we live in. According to many scientists, this is very important for the survival of mankind since the species on a single planet would very much likely to become extinct in the long run due to various reasons. Lack of natural resources, occurrence of accidents such as comets hitting the earth, nuclear war and worldwide epidemic are some of these reasons. Therefore extending the human habitat out from Earth into the solar system may lead us into the future and eventually allow us to colonize and keep us from getting extinct. When space technology has advanced far enough, we will be able to provide normal life for our future generations. It may take centuries to get to this point, but we will not get the technology without experimenting with it.

Why explore space, when the earth itself is not yet fully explored?

Many people argue that it is better to explore our own planet, the Earth, rather than the space. Even though it is true that much of Earth, including the ocean and Antarctica, are unexplored, it's not as though we're exploring space instead of our own planet. The effort being made to explore the ocean is just a great as that of Space Travel. Money is not really wasted in the process of exploration; rather, it is invested into discovering new things, for the benefit of mankind.

Another discussion point is that the money that is being invested into space exploration should be given to the poor and needy. Money is already being donated and if you wish to rather donate to the poor, well then do it. But humanitarian organizations are “throwing money at their feet”. It would be more intelligent to teach them how to plant crops that survive in their harsh conditions and educate people who are illiterate. What will happen if the money runs out? When they send people to give them prepared food and medication, what will happen when they leave? Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime.

New discoveries are made through space exploration

The knowledge that space exploration provides is crucial for developing areas from medicine to scientific research in general. Many discoveries and products have been developed from the knowledge gained from space exploration. One major discovery would the forecasting of weather. (Satellites. Very important for hurricanes and dangerous storm systems, have saved lives and help us prepare for the worst. Another would be GPS (Global Positioning System) that helps man navigate through land, air, and sea. Even everyday items are discovered thanks to it. For example, non-stick pans and surfaces were also created as a result of space exploration.

There are nearly uncountable progress of exploration, and all are beneficial to us all.

Overall, space exploration has provided us with new knowledge and as a result of this, many new and intriguing inventions have been made. Considering all these arguments, is space exploration, then, really a waste of money?

CAJ #6: My very excellent mother just served us nachos

Hey everyone,

As you probably know from my first posts I chose to write about space exploration for ma Current Affairs Journal.

The solar system consists of the Sun; the eight official planets, at least three "dwarf planets", more than 130 satellites of the planets, a large number of small bodies (the comets and asteroids), and the interplanetary medium.

The inner solar system consists of the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars.

The planets of the outer solar system are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune (Pluto is now classified as a dwarf planet)

Memorizing all the planets around our sun can be done easily. There are various funny ways of how to remember the order of the planets in our solar system. I, for myself, am an audiotory learner and remembered them by singing a song. :P Singing a song with a certain melody, helps me to remember things better.

My              M= MERCURY

Very            V = VENUS

Excellent     E = EARTH

Mother        M = MARS

Just            J = JUPITER

Served       S = SATURN

Us              U = URANUS

Nachos      N = NEPTUNE

Those are the eight planets that can be seen with a small telescope.

Some of you may think that I forgot to mention Pluto, but no, Plut is not a planet. It has been decided that Pluto should be classified as a dwarf planet, which is a category distinct from regular planets.

CAJ #5: Avarage Joe Narrative Text

Narrative

Even though it was a day like every other in Neil’s life, he was very excited this morning. He was drinking his black coffee while watching the daily NASA-news on the Science Channel. “We need to answer one of the fundamental mysteries of the cosmos: Does life exist beyond Earth?”, said President Obama determined, while talking to the Space Administration Charles F. Bolden. Neil realized that this question needs to be answered as soon as possible. With this thought in mind he puts on his heavy spacesuit, which he had specially designed for this mission, and steps into his very own, modern rocket. He hoped that today he will be able to uncover evidence of life in outer space. Determined as he was, he decided to explore the second smallest planet in the Solar System –Mars. After a two-hour flight through the space, he finally arrived there. However, to his disappointment, Neil noted a fleet of robotic spacecraft and rovers already on and around Mars. Apparently, he was not the only one with the great idea to dramatically increase our knowledge about the Red Planet and pave the way for future human explorers.

[193 words]

CAJ #4: How can I become an astronaut?

Personal connection to my CAJ

Once, when I was little, I said to my mum: “Mummy, one day, when I am grown up, I want to fly to the universe and look down upon the Earth from another perspective. I want to explore new planets and, who knows, maybe find new life there.”

I am lucky that I got the chance to write about a topic that has always been of great interest and importance to me. I have always been fascinated by the planets that are surrounding our Earth and have always wanted to study something in order to be able to discover new planets. As I have always been fascinated about space exploration, I imagined that working for a space exploring company would be quite interesting. How often have a just listened to the sentence that stayed in our minds like no other “That's one small step for a man, a giant leap for mankind” and thought about what would have I said if I was the first woman to be on the moon? This was, of course, me just daydreaming about flying around in space. I had no idea of the conditions and qualities an astronaut needs. To be able to bear tremendous responsibility while in orbit is not something that is learned overnight. According to ESA an astronaut needs: “A high level of education in scientific or technical disciplines, coupled with an outstanding professional background in research, application or education fields possibly supported by the use of computer systems and applications, is essential. Previous experience with aircraft operations is a bonus, particularly if it involved responsible tasks such as being a test pilot or flight engineer. The more skills and experience an applicant has the better, as this will increase their ability to undertake a variety of tasks.”

One out of a few thousand applicants manages to make a change. I guess that’s what discouraged me in the end and made me study languages (which I love btw). :D

CAJ #3: Introduction

Hey everyone,

Welcome to my Current Affairs Journal. As I heard about STEM and this project we are going to spend quite some time researching information about, I immediately knew which topic I am going to write about. 

I chose the highly controversial topic of Space Exploration because I have been always fascinated in what is happening outside the borders of our planet. I always wanted to know more about the whole idea of getting to know the space and its secrets and, more importantly, how it can benefit mankind. I informed myself roughly and became even more interested. To really get absorbed in this topic, I chose Space exploration to be my CAJ. But what is Space exploration? In short, space exploration is the ongoing discovery and exploration of outer space though the use of space technology. While the study of space is carried out mainly by astronomers with telescopes, the physical exploration of space is conducted both by unmanned robotic probes and human spaceflight. It is also enormously important since it aids the advancement of scientific research, unites different nations, and guarantees the potential survival of humanity.

CAJ #2: Abstract

This Current Affairs Journals aims to provide readers with some essential knowledge about the highly controversial topic Space Exploration. It discusses issues as well as benefits related to this topic. The focus lies primarily on the benefits and new development that have been achieved from the early days of space exploration until now. The paper also covers the main goals which the companies, currently researching for this topic, have. The information that is being presented in this CAJ, in form of scientific papers and articles, was collected over a certain period of time. The information used to underline the arguments for and against space exploration is taken out of discussions and debates. As it is believed that space exploration is not worth its money, many companies have to face harsh criticisms.  However, some responses have included that people should give more thought on the exploration and colonization of new planets in our solar system, as this may help humanity to evolve into a species that will harvest energy from other planets or even become a species that expands to other planets. From the results of the discussions carried out, we can draw the conclusion that more people support the exploration of the space, as it could be a great benefit for humankind.