The most common ideas for space colonization include: settling Earths Moon, building on Mars, and constructing free-floating space stations. Humans are soft and squishy and they die. Accessed February 21, 2023. https://www.procon.org/headlines/space-colonization-top-3-pros-and-cons/, National Aeronautics and Space Administration. But before humans venture to distant worlds, they'll most likely be starting with a colony on the moon. Colonies on the Moon and Mars could use local materials, although the Moon is deficient in volatiles (principally hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen) but possesses a great deal of oxygen, silicon, and metals such as iron, aluminum, and titanium. These colonies would be positioned to construct massive solar power satellites to provide clean power to the Earth, as well as set up industries that on Earth create much environmental damage. Cosmic rays and solar flares create a lethal radiation environment in space. 1. At the same time, it can also serve as a laboratory in space - a purely scientific enterprise, existing with the help of a regular supply of necessary resources from Earth. It is in my view a good idea to see if we can do this as one day Earth will not be livable and yes it is a very long time from now but one should learn now in order to do this in the future. Space colonization is tremendously important for the future of humankind in two ways. You want to send robots. 23, 2021. e In Earth orbit, the Van Allen belts make living above the Earth's atmosphere difficult. Another seminal book on the subject was the book, The High Frontier: Human Colonies in Space, by Gerard K. O'Neill[11] in 1977, which was followed the same year by Colonies in Space by T. A. NASA astronauts going into space afterward rode along with Russians until 2020 when SpaceX took over and first launched NASA astronauts into space on Apr. Its gravity is only around a third that of Earth; it is unknown whether this is sufficient to support human life for long periods. While humans have long thought of gods living in the sky, the idea of space travel or humans living in space dates to at least 1610 after the invention of the telescope when German astronomer Johannes Kepler wrote to Italian astronomer Galileo: Let us create vessels and sails adjusted to the heavenly ether, and there will be plenty of people unafraid of the empty wastes. 28, 2018, Robert Matthews, When Will Earth Become Uninhabitable?, sciencefocus.com (accessed July 27, 2021), Joe Mascaro, To Save Earth, Go to Mars, aeon.com, May 11, 2016, George Dvorsky, Humans Will Never Colonize Mars, gizmodo.com, July 30, 2019, Matt Williams, The Future of Space Colonization -- Terraforming or Space Habitats?, phys.org, Mar. If your thoughts have not changed, list two to three ways your better understanding of the other side of the issue now helps you better argue your position. By colonizing space, humankind could . As a species, we are approaching an important turning point in our history, and if we make the wrong decisions we might be facing a future of deprivation, over population, hunger, and. Finally, the level of (pseudo-) gravity is controlled at any desired level by rotating an orbital colony. Should Humans Colonize Space? Technological advancement into space can exist alongside conservation efforts on Earth. Colonizing it would be akin to settling Antarctica if Antarctica was trying to kill you. Jeff Bezos, Founder of Amazon.com who traveled to space in 2021, asserted that exploring space would result in expanded human genius: The solar system can easily support a trillion humans. Others have also written about space colonies, such as Lasswitz in 1897, and Bernal, Oberth, Von Pirquet, and Noordung in the 1920s. 2019, Fred Kennedy, To Colonize Space or Not to Colonize: That Is the Question (For All of Us), forbes.com, Dec. 18, 2019, Matthias Dpfner, Jeff Bezos Reveals What It's Like to Build an Empire and Why He's Willing to Spend $1 Billion a Year to Fund the Most Important Mission of His Life, businessinsider.com, Apr. There are some who object to the idea of colonizing space as being "too expensive and a waste of time." The paltry amount of air that does exist on Mars is primarily composed of noxious carbon dioxide, which does little to protect the surface from the Suns harmful rays. An alternative solution would be to bring hydrogen from Earth and combine it with oxygen extracted from lunar rock. Titan has been suggested as a target for colonization,[3] because it is the only moon in the solar system to have a dense atmosphere and is rich in carbon-bearing compounds.[4]. If humans were to colonize space, where should we start: Mars, Earths Moon, or another celestial body? https://www.britannica.com/story/pro-and-con-space-colonization. prescription corresponds to an inbreeding rate of 1 percent per generation, approximately half the maximum rate tolerated by domestic animal breeders. Remain a Global Leader in Space, pewresearch.org, June 6, 2018, Brian Patrick Green, Self-Preservation Should Be Humankinds First Ethical Priority and Therefore Rapid Space Settlement Is Necessary, sciencedirect.com, June 2019, Gonzalo Munevar, An Obligation to Colonize Outer Space, sciencedirect.com, June 2019, Kelly C. Smith and Keith Abney, The Great Colonization Debate, researchgate.net, Apr. 4. In September 2005, NASA chief Michael Griffin made the following statement in which he identified space colonization as the ultimate goal of current spaceflight programs: the goal isn't just scientific exploration it's also about extending the range of human habitat out from Earth into the solar system as we go forward in time. 25, 2022. After the Russians put the first person, Yuri Gagarin, in space on Apr. The discovery of life on Mars would not matter much one way or the other. Equipment is available to extract in situ resources (water, air, and so forth) from the Martian ground and atmosphere. Space fantasies flourished after Jules Vernes From Earth to the Moon was published in 1865, and again when RKO Pictures released a film adaptation, A Trip to the Moon, in 1902. Subscribe today. We should colonize other habitable planets due to. By. According to one proposed scenario, "self-replication" could be an "ultimate" goal, on the assumption that it would lead to a more rapid increase in colonies, while eliminating costs to and dependence on Earth. Maybe future humans. Launching of materials from Earth is very expensive, so bulk materials could come from the Moon or Near-Earth Objects (NEOs, such as asteroids and comets with orbits near Earth), Phobos, or Deimos, where gravitational forces are much less, there is no atmosphere, and there is no biosphere to damage. Rockets or mass drivers can perhaps be installed on asteroids to direct their paths along safe courses. The lunar launch is more likely to happen in 2025, due to a lag in space suit technology and delays with the Space Launch System rocket, the Orion capsule, and the lunar lander. Its overall surface area is similar to the dry land surface of Earth, it may have large water reserves, and has carbon (locked as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere). Colonizing space is really important. Indias planned human space flights have been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but they may launch in 2023. Project Orion: A concept proposed by Freeman Dyson that could use nuclear bombs to propel a starship. The literature for space colonization began in 1869, when Edward Everett Hale[9] wrote about an inhabited artificial satellite. Recycling of the carbon dioxide has been approached in the literature using the Sabatier process or the Bosch reaction. 3. 23, 2021, Devin Coldewey, Virgin Galactic and Richard Branson Celebrate Launch of First Passengers into Space, techcrunch.com, July 11, 2021, Jonathan Amos, Sir Richard Branson Takes off on 'Extraordinary' Space Flight, bbc.com, July 11, 2021, Marcia Dunn, Jeff Bezos Blasts into Space on Own Rocket: Best Day Ever!, apnews.com, July 21, 2021, NASA, Who Was Alan Shepard?, nasa.gov, Aug. 7, 2017, Paul Rincon, Christina Koch: Nasa Astronaut Sets New Female Space Record, bbc.com, Feb. 6, 2020, NASA, International Space Station Facts and Figures, nasa.gov, May 13, 2021, Pew Research Center, Majority of Americans Believe It Is Essential That the U.S. The average temperature on Mars is -81 degrees Fahrenheit (-63 degrees Celsius), with temperatures dropping as low as -195 degrees F (-126 degrees C). [28], Meanwhile, lunar dust is made of shards of silica and cuts like glass. The argument of cost: Many people greatly overestimate how much money is spent on space, and underestimate how much money is spent on defense or health care. The scientist Paul Davies also supports the view that if a planetary catastrophe threatens the survival of the human species on Earth, a self-sufficient colony could "reverse-colonize" the Earth and restore human civilization. The module will be named SEE-1 and will dock on Axiom Station, which is the commercial wing of the International Space Station. Why Werner Herzog Thinks Human Space Colonization 'Will Inevitably Fail' (arstechnica.com) 179. Provide entertainment value, to distract from immediate surroundings. SEE plans to host film and sports events, as well as content creation by Dec. 2024. Explain why or why not, using evidence from the passage. [24], Humans are not a species of stagnation. [9] [10] [11] [12] [13], Richard Branson launched himself, two pilots, and three mission specialists into space from New Mexico for a 90-minute flight on the Virgin Galactic Unity 22 mission on July 11, 2021. 9 with former NASA astronaut, current Axiom Space employee, and mission commander, Michael Lopez-Alegra, Israeli businessman Eytan Stibbe, Canadian investor Mark Pathy, and American real estate magnate Larry Connor. Author and journalist William E. Burrows and biochemist Robert Shapiro proposed a private project, the Alliance to Rescue Civilization, with the goal of establishing an off-Earth backup of human civilization. NASA's Griffin: 'Humans Will Colonize the Solar System. The late physicist Stephen Hawking believed that humanity needs to colonize another planet within the next century, if it is to avoid the threat of extinction [source: Kharpal ]. SPACE colonization means much more than Antarctic-style research habitats on the moon or other planets for an elite group of astronauts. Number Ten: Technology. Many NEOs contain substantial amounts of metals, oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon. To counter these arguments, advocates of space colonization observe that the pursuit of such a goal would stimulate the cooperative and unified efforts of people of various nationalities, and that the financial expense has been greatly overestimated. There are many secrets lying in wait to be discovered in space. It has been suggested that Mercury could be colonized using the same technology, approach, and equipment that would be used for colonization of the Moon. Humans have made a mess of Earth. The The National Space Society is an organization with the vision of "people living and working in thriving communities beyond the Earth. As I mentioned in the introduction, Musk and SpaceX hope to create the first city-like colony on Mars by . A civilization that turns away from discovery and growth stagnates. Kennedy pointed out that while humans still have problems to resolve on Earth including civil rights violations and wealth inequality, Forgoing opportunities to expand our presence into the cosmos to achieve better outcomes here at home hasnt eliminated these scourges. We shouldnt avoid exploring space based on the false dichotomy of fixing Earthly problems first. ], ProCon.org, "Space Colonization Top 3 Pros and Cons,", ProCon.org, "Space Colonization Top 3 Pros and Cons. more like the earth this celestial body is; it [35], Humans would have a host of illnesses to deal with due to climate differences on Mars or the Moon: cancer, radiation illnesses, reproductive problems (or sterility), muscle degeneration, bone loss, skin burns, cardiovascular disease, depression, boredom, an inability to concentrate, high blood pressure, immune disorders, metabolic disorders, visual disorders, balance and sensorimotor problems, structural changes in the brain, nausea, dizziness, weakness, cognitive decline, and altered gene function, among others. Therefore, humans would not be confined to the Earth. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech) Book of Mars: $22.99 at Magazines Direct. The best science fiction is a mirror of what we've experienced here on Earth, and a speculation on how we could keep repeating our same mistakes from the past in the future, in a new, shiny, green, alien environment. Far from messing up environments that exist now, we would be creating them, with extraordinary attention to environmental sustainability. [23], Space Ecologist Joe Mascaro, PhD, summarized, To save the Earth, we have to go to Mars. Mascaro argues that expanding technology to go to Mars will help solve problems on Earth: The challenge of colonising Mars shares remarkable DNA with the challenges we face here on Earth. So here I will count down "Houston style," my top 5 reasons why space exploration is important for the world. Space Colonization is its goal. The concept of quality of life should play an important role in discussions of human space habitat design and planning. Compared to other locations, Earth orbit has substantial advantages and one major, but solvable, problem.
why space colonization is important
