Everyday Benefits Of Space Exploration

What would happen if humans left Earth? Would we become extinct or thrive elsewhere?

What would life be like on other planets? These questions are at the heart of space exploration.

Space exploration has always fascinated humans.

From the earliest days of human history, we’ve dreamed of exploring new worlds and discovering new civilizations.

The idea of going beyond our planet is something that has captured our imagination since ancient times.

We live in a time where we can explore the universe.

There are now several spacecraft orbiting around our home planet, allowing us to see things from a whole new perspective.

In addition to being a great way to travel through space, these missions also provide us with valuable information about our planet.

We look in further detail at the everyday benefits of space exploration and why we should keep on exploring to understand every aspect of our universe.

What Are The Everyday Benefits Of Space Exploration?

It Helps Us Understand Our Planet Better

Imagine you’re standing on top of a mountain and looking out over your hometown.

You can see all the places you grew up, went to school, and even visited as a kid.

As an adult, it’s easy to take those places for granted. But what happens when you visit a place for the first time?

That’s kind of like how we feel when we go into deep space.

When we look back at Earth from orbit, it’s hard not to wonder just how amazing this blue marble is.

There’s nothing else like it in the entire solar system.

The International Space Station (ISS) was built exclusively so we could get a better understanding of how everything works inside our atmosphere.

And because of its location 200 miles above the surface of our planet, astronauts aboard the ISS have been able to study weather patterns, monitor pollution levels, and collect data about climate change.

All of this helps scientists better understand the impact humanity has on our natural world.

It Helps Us Learn About Life Outside Earth

We also want to know more about life outside our planet.

Since the dawn of civilization, people have wanted to learn more about extraterrestrial life.

With each passing year, there are more and more discoveries coming from NASA’s various missions.

This includes evidence of water on Mars, proof of past microbial life on Europa, and observations of oxygen molecules in Titan’s upper atmosphere.

There are many theories about the origin of life. Some believe that life began spontaneously and evolved over billions of years.

Others think that it was deliberately created by God or some higher power.

Regardless, the search continues. Scientists continue to discover new species of bacteria, archaea, fungi, algae, plants, and animals.

These organisms might seem tiny, but they contain the building blocks of life itself: carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, cobalt, nickel, selenium, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, and iodine.

It Provides A Window Into The Universe For Everyone

If you had asked someone 100 years ago if humans would ever be able to leave Earth, most people wouldn’t have believed you.

After all, we’ve barely left the confines of our planet since the beginning of time.

So imagine their surprise when the first human ventured beyond the moon and saw another world for the very first time.

In 1959, Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the Moon. He did so during Apollo 11 mission number one.

At the time, he wasn’t sure what he’d find. Would there be any signs of alien life?

What about resources such as gold, silver, or oil? Instead, he found something much bigger than anyone expected.

It Gives People Hope

When we talk about going to other planets, we often focus on the science and technology required to do so.

We tend to forget that exploration also requires bravery, determination, and hope. In fact, without hope, none of these things matter.

Astronaut Scott Kelly spent nearly a full year on the International Space Station back in 2015.

During his time there, he experienced several setbacks. But through it all, he never lost sight of why he was doing this.

“I’m here today to answer your unasked questions like ‘Why?’ I’m here to tell you that yes, we can go,” said Kelly.

“We’re going to explore. We’re going to seek out new worlds and see what else is out there.”

It Makes Our World More Beautiful

One thing we don’t realize is how beautiful our home planet is.

From space, we can see its oceans, mountains, deserts, and even its wildlife.

We can watch clouds form and storms rage across the land below us. And we can marvel at the beauty of our blue marble.

It Shows How Important It Is To Protect Our Planet

As scientists have explored the solar system, they have discovered that countless objects were hurtling towards Earth at high speeds.

Many of them could cause significant damage to our planet.

Exploring space has meant they have learned a lot from studying the Tunguska Event for example, (also known as the Siberian Explosion).

This event happened more than a century ago, but we still aren’t entirely sure what caused it.

It’s Made Us Long For Future Generations

We’ve seen some pretty incredible pictures coming down from the ISS.

But nothing compares to seeing our children grow up to potentially become astronauts ourselves.

Or seeing them become teachers. Police officers. Firefighters. Nurses. Doctors. Engineers. Scientists. Leaders.

There are an infinite amount of possibilities. And they all owe their existence to the explorers before them.

It’s A Representation Of Resilience And Bravery

Going into space isn’t easy. You need to prepare yourself physically and mentally.

You need to train nonstop until finally, one day, you get to experience everything NASA has to offer.

Once there, you discover just how big the sky truly is.

That no matter how hard you work, how long you travel, or how far you may roam, there will always be new places for you to discover.

It’s Expanded Our Horizons

When we look at the night sky, we often think of the wonders of space.

But did you know that it also holds amazing things right above us?

Every day, astronauts aboard the ISS capture images of animals, plants, and other life forms that you can barely make out without special equipment.

The ISS now acts as a giant microscope, allowing NASA to study life on Earth much closer than ever before.

It’s Created Scientific And Technical Jobs

Exploring space has paved the way for thousands of jobs in the industry.

It takes years to design, build, and launch missions to Mars and beyond, so there’s always a demand for people with the skills needed.

Sparks The Youth’s Interest In Science

Kids love science because it sparks their interest in learning about the world around them.

When kids learn about space exploration, they begin to wonder — “What else is out there? What else do we not yet know?

Why can’t I go explore it?” It pushes them to aim high and reassures them that one day, they can be astronauts too.

Inspires Cooperation Between Countries Around The World

The ISS orbits the Earth every 90 minutes. So when you’re looking at the stars, it’s like you’ll see it from time to time.

By sharing this orbital facility with countries like Russia, Japan, Germany, Italy, Canada, France, Spain, Brazil, China, India, and many others, we help foster international cooperation in scientific research.

Final Thoughts

We hope after reading this article you have learned all about space exploration and what the everyday benefits can be.

Not only does exploring space allow us to understand the universe, but it is so much more than that.

From providing hope to representing bravery, to creating jobs and inspiring future generations, space exploration is a vital part of our society and without it, we would be extremely limited, so keep exploring far and wide!