Rocket science … at least it’s not brain surgery, right? As you may or may not know, a few weeks ago SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket blew up on the launchpad during a test. The rocket was carrying Facebook’s payload of a satellite that was going to bring internet connection to rural Africa.
Fortunately, there were no injuries reported, but a lot of damage took place. Among the casualties were Facebook’s $200 million satellite, the launchpad that the Falcon 9 rested upon and miles of shattered windows. Some people may raise the question: Is space exploration and manipulation worth it? Not only was there a huge financial loss but also the hours upon hours of manufacturing the Falcon 9 and the building the launchpad. All told, it’s hard to estimate the total economic cost of a failed launch. So, is space exploration really worth it?
Short answer: yes.
Long answer: absolutely.
The list of inventions that directly came of the space race are endless. The first laptop made its debut in 1983 to help astronauts carry out various functions onboard the space shuttle. Satellites were also born of the space race, and they help aid navigation, weather forecasting, and communication.
The cordless drill also came indirectly from the space race. All of these inventions affect our life directly. Alright, so maybe you did not use a cordless drill today, but the person that built your house probably did.
Aside from the technical benefits, a space race could also grow the country academically and economically. In 2015, the United States ranked No. 35 in a list of countries comparing an international mathematics test. We came in No. 27 in science. A space race would definitely boost interest in math and science.
Think of all of the students that would have dreams of being the first man on Mars. Economically, all of the newly minted scientists and engineers would be hired “by the boatload,” according to a NASA study of the space race.
The point is, space exploration is something everyone should be interested in. The impacts of the first space race have directly benefited our lives to this day. SpaceX will surely not be discouraged by their small blunder and will continue to fund research and further projects to the stars, and we should all be right behind them.
James Halbrook is a sophomore chemical engineering major from Brandon.
