A few weeks for many of us it is humiliating. Serve as a reminder how happy devastating scenes in Japan from the earthquake, tsunami and now the nuclear crisis, many of us are.
For me, it was followed by comic watch relief charity event in the UK on 18 March and see poverty in Uganda on the TV-it was nothing short of shocking. In the same period I was closely following NASA spacecraft MESSENGER, when it sank into orbit around mercury, the next planet around the Sun.
Slide show: Messenger: first photos of mercury orbit
I found myself wondering whether it is right that we all this money to the topic of space research are issues when people on our own planet either nature or bad governments so terrible suffering in the hands of mother.
Mission to mercury
Mercury itself actually had plenty to try by press of late, as the last few weeks were a great opportunity, observe planet elusive to this tiny. When inner planets (mercury and Venus) orbit and the extreme which reach their orbit of the Earth, they are in their simplest to recognize.
For mercury it was on the East side of the Sun so at "greatest Eastern elongation," a SIP should be, which means that it is value that try it on the spot in the Western sky after sunset.
It was great to see, the nearest planet to the Sun, close and amazing to know that we it tiny spacecraft have sent, to study. But for me even more spectacular just discovery was dock with the international space station a few weeks ago.
This question of the financing still NAGs me to though.
Large numbers
The Messenger mission costs $280 million (which in reality is not a large amount for a space mission). The introduction of a space shuttle will cost $450 million and there were about 130 of them. It costs $1.7 billion to only build one of the five-strong fleet.
Finally, cost, that is, and not including the wealth of smaller space missions of other space agencies and other issues involved in space has an estimated $142 billion of the international space station in the years of its existence.
As you can see, these large numbers are. However, there is an urgent need for funding to save lives down here on Earth.
Although certainly over-funded space research is not, we should keep money in space when there are so many examples of human suffering?
Suffer less from more money?
A great effort saw in this year of the comic relief campaign 70 million pounds (114 million$) to increase. But this is only an example; There were countless great efforts fundraising international over the years. Public fundraising brings in money for this great causes, but Governments give to billions in development aid. The UK shows, for example, about $11 billion a year in foreign aid.
So, my mind drifts back to the last year's comic relief show when I I this year saw many of the same scenes and another question POPs into my head was witness: "why is not it always better?" It seems that money is not the answer, or maybe the money is spent in the right places get (the problem is too large to with the money raised will be resolved?). So or will do so, I do not believe that more and more money into these problems magically they leave Gie?en.
Don't get me wrong, if I thought for a second that stop space research would mean would these issues be resolved, then I would be one of the first call for missions in be scrapped.
I have very specific and fond memories of the space research; especially the pictures of Giotto, see the surface of Titan (Moon of Saturn's) back of Halley's Comet Lander Huygens and incredible recordings come out from the surface of Mars by Pathfinder.
Memories are one thing, but many people see only space research as "a bit of fun" and something "to do nice" is - in the light of the recent science budget cuts and one of the first Government expenditure is often cancelled missions, space exploration to be - but I would argue, Space research is crucial for our future.
Spin offs
We see already tangible benefits for the development of space technology, ultimately resolving questions down here on Earth and enriching all our lives. Water cleaning techniques developed for space exploration are in countries of the third world, ultimately used prevention of disease and saving lives.
It room controlled technology, admits more income across cultures to more accurate thermometer mention advances in medicine of treatments for brain cancer.
Benefits for the environment is diverse, such as satellites in orbit provide valuable data about developed as our atmosphere. Data from studies of other planetary atmospheres in the solar system will help us understand us.
Frankly, a variety of space motivated technologies - too many to be listed-have changed the form of the company. Of interest, NASA maintains a "Spin off" online database details such as the NASA space efforts have real advantages.
Enrich society
I leave you to your own conclusion on this emotional issue, but for me, the I continue to enjoy and support the man's exploration of the universe to know that money alone can not simply get rid of world suffer.
I sit back and enjoy the pictures of MESSENGER, to know that space efforts not only of humanity requires understanding of the universe, but also drive the technologies that enrich our planet. I will donate money to help others, to know... in the hope that one day those who the final decision on how it is spent it will send in the right direction.
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