Why space exploration?

The currently pressing challenges in the world include intense energy demand, growing pressures on the environment (this includes sanitation) and the economy. Increased human population, limited production resources and global climate-change are the cause. There is shortage in global food supplies that causes an urgent need to produce more food while reducing the impact on environment and ecosystem. Therefore, spreading out to one of the next-door celestial body is imperative, for a long-term survival in case something devastating that could change the course of life happens to the planet earth such as natural disaster like rogue comet or self-infliction like nuclear war, making the earth not to be habitable. Going to a celestial body implies going into the outer space environment. Figure 1 shows the summary of space exploration.  

 

Another motive to go into space is for scientific purposes that may lead to some benefits. As the basic characteristics of the space region are the presence of radiation and microgravity. Only minute gravity is in action at this region, unlike on the earth where gravity is always present. Microgravity is a degree of absolute weightlessness. Under the influence of microgravity, biological organisms (humans, animals, plants, cells, microorganisms), biological macromolecules, fluids and materials may behave differently. Most of the time, microgravity effect causes significant changes on the chosen samples during experiments. The changes that occur as a result of microgravity effect have led to findings that have been found to be of socio-economic advantages. 

Figure 1: Some reasons for space exploration

New technology and research such as Global Positioning System (GPS), solar cells, accurate weather prediction and the ultraviolet filters in sunglasses and cameras have been developed to improve lives and to improve the economy on earth. New technology and research that leads to space spin-offs, which are useful on the earth. Several gadgets, materials and processes that were originally developed for space programs but found other applications back on earth are called space spin-offs. Technology developed for use in space has found uses also in health care. So many people suffer tissue or organ loss from accidents and diseases every year. Yet transplantation of tissues and organs is very limited by donor availability. Growing tissue samples outside the body is one of the main goals of the current medical research, and the space environment has great potential for advancing this research.

 

Space exploration such as on asteroids and comets have helped deflect these objects saving lives on the earth, as asteroids and comets smacks into earth. The space program allows to spot a dangerous body long enough before striking the earth and sends a spacecraft to put in a nuclear explosion nudging it off its collision course. In addition, there is a wealth of precious raw materials in space, which is an effectively rare raw material with unlimited supply as the strain on the natural resources continues to increase on earth, asteroid mining is one of these. The moon is a potential lucrative source of helium 3 (useful for certain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and as a possible fuel for nuclear power plants); and a potential source of other rare earth elements such as tantalium and europium that are in high demand for electronics use, solar panels and any other advanced gadgetry.

 

Understanding the world, inspiration, space tourism and international collaboration to work together toward a larger goal irrespective of nationality, gender and race are some other reasons for travelling to the outer space. Space tourism is travelling to space for leisure, recreation or business purposes and it includes orbital, suborbital, and lunar space tourism. It encompasses commercial activities offering the members of the general public direct or indirect experience in outer space.

 

Due to less mass at launch and lower initial costs, a one-way mission to the moon, mars, venus or any other celestial body is advocated for than a round-trip mission. A one-way mission means not involving a return of the crew to the earth. This could help mankind reach these celestial bodies earlier. A one-way mission will however entail a different approach to design the habitat modules which will present more risks.

 

Further reading 

Afolayan, E. M., Oluwafemi, F. A., Jeff-Agboola, E. O., Oluwasegun, T., & Ayankale, J. O. (2019). Socio-economic benefits of microgravity research. Arid Zone Journal of Engineering, Technology and Environment (AZOJETE). Centre for Satellite Technology Development Special Issue: Space Science and Technology for Sustainable Development, 15(SP.i2), 57-74.

Enemali, J. O., Oluwafemi, F. A., Hussaini, S. J., Daniel, I. B., Ameh, O., Adamu, A., & Agboola, O. A. (2020). Microgravity: A tool for protein drug development. Int. J. Pharm. Sci. Rev. Res. (ISSN 0976–044X), 64(2), Article No. 14, Pages: 82-86. doi: 10.47583/ijpsrr.2020.v64i02.014.

Jaiyeola, P. O., Oluwafemi, F. A., Otum, A. O., Tomori, O. S., Bemibo, I. E., & Ayegba, A. (2020). Impact of microgravity environment on body mass: Case study of lizards. International Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences (IJEAS), ISSN: 2394-3661, Volume-7, Issue-8.

Jayachandran, A. V. T., Oluwafemi, F. A., Israel, Y., & Akinwale, A. T. (2018). Space mining corporation: The pseudo-economic and technology model. IAC-18,A3,IP,48,x43397, Proceedings of the 69th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), Bremen, Germany, 1-5 October, 2018.

Oluwafemi. (2022). Space Food on Celestial Bodies and on the Way There (Chapter 26). In: Future Foods: Global Trends, Opportunities and Sustainability Challenges. Rajeev Bhat (Ed.). Elsevier Sciences Inc.: Wiley Blackwell, Oxford, UK. pp. 451-468. Book ISBN: 978-0-323-91001-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-91001-9.00012-8.