Ever since the tight space race between the United States and the former Soviet Union emerged from the Cold War following World War II, the world has entered an era of technological enhancement. Not only did this rivalry spark the concept of nuclear warfare, but it also provided a base for modern space technology.
Space technology is classified as technology used to aid space exploration, including equipment satellites, orbital rockets, space engines etc. This equipment is used to operate outside of Earth’s atmosphere. Technology that has been created using satellites, not directly connected to space exploration, includes weather forecasting, GPS systems and television. Why explore space? Space exploration gives scientists more information behind scientific theories (gravity, atmosphere, histories of other planets to name a few), allowing scientists to further their potential validity. Essentially, by focusing on space exploration, we are advancing and expanding as a society.
However, there are several challenges with space technology, specifically with its advancements. These problems can be placed into three categories: protection of humans, expenses and technical challenges.
A major goal is to get humans into space: space colonization. However, there are several pressing issues with this objective. Humans are accustomed to Earth’s specific environment and space is an inhospitable environment for humans without proper equipment. The process for training astronauts is also a rigorous process. Although astronauts are qualified and have equipment, if in space for too long, their bodies and brains still suffer. Physically, their bones and muscles become weaker, and the change in gravity causes their brain to shift upward and displace fluid, affecting their cognitive function.
Creating equipment is expensive and time-consuming enough, but getting this technology into space makes the process even more expensive. According to NASA, “it costs about $10,000 to get a single pound of mass into low earth orbit” and “nearly 40% of the total mission cost is related to ground and launch processing.” The current power systems have been deteriorating over time, reducing their efficiency and making them more costly.
In addition to the costs, space exploration significantly contributes to pollution rate. According to a study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, “increases in rocket launches could expose people in the Northern Hemisphere [where most rocket launches take place] to increased harmful UV radiation” and “a single passenger aboard a rocket is responsible for 100 times more climate-changing pollution than a passenger aboard an airplane,” even though the aviation industry burns more fuel than all the annually launched rockets combined.
While there are many setbacks, the need for space exploration is critical in today’s world. Much like the evolution in technology, the race itself has also evolved. What was once a competition between two rivals has become a global and economic journey. Many countries have been trying to reach the south pole of the moon, an unexplored area, rumored to have frozen water. The potential for water means oxygen and hydrogen, making it possible for humans to live there, which is just what NASA plans to do with its mission Artemis II in 2024.
