PRIVATE SPACE TRAVEL?
Is it worth it?
By Carson Cody
WHAT IS PRIVATE SPACE TRAVEL? IS IT
ALREADY HAPPENING IN TODAY’S SOCIETY?
•
Space travel IS the ultimate goal for transportation… Besides teleportation.
•
People build space crafts capable of carrying one or more people into and through outer
space.
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This isn’t the Starship Enterprise. That is most likely a ways away. The idea is a small
ship, most likely about the size of a large car, that has the power to move itself and others
into and out of space. Larger, more commercial ships have yet to be developed.
•
Companies are already creating the first generation of crafts.
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Some include:
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ARCA – Super Haas
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Boeing – CST-100
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Reaction Engines Ltd. - Skylon
WHY WAS IT DISCONTINUED?
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There are many reasons why the US Space Shuttle Program was shut down. Some of
them are right, and some are wrong.
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Here are a few reasons:
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It was dangerous to the crew. During lift off, reentry, and in space. Some of the past
attempts ending abruptly following explosions and malfunctions, and debris in space can
harm the astronauts.
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The shuttles were taking significant damage, and NASA didn’t have enough money to fix
them.
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The government didn’t think that any progress was being made during manned flights.
PROS AND CONS OF SPACE TRAVEL
• Pros:
•
Possible good investment since it is growing more popular.
•
Almost all of our material we hold of value (metals, minerals, energy, etc.) is near-infinite
in space.
• Cons:
•
Obviously, the cost… We’re talking millions and millions of dollars.
•
Only one company has actually achieved the goal of space flight since it is very difficult to
test out.
•
So far, no space craft has been able to go farther than a low-earth orbit. Nothing will
probably go any farther for many years.
IS IT WORTH THE MONEY? WHAT CAN BE
ACCOMPLISHED?
•
This is purely a matter of opinion. There is no right answer. The only time there was a
right answer was during the space race. Personally, I think that we, as a united world,
need to put our efforts together and search for a better future.
•
People have become so caught up in who is better, who is the most powerful that we have
forgotten what gives us a chance, unity. The world will not last forever, at least not at the
rate that we are killing it.
•
If everyone just looked up at the sky once in a while, they would see an endless place of
possibility. Who knows, maybe Earth is the ONLY planet capable of sustaining life, but if
we don’t look then eventually there won’t be ANY planet that can do so.
•
Of course it is worth the money. If we are truly a species worthy of something more, then
we need to prove that. We must show that we are not merely animals with a eat or be
eaten mentality. There are no lone wolves. Wolves live in packs because that provides the
best chance for them to survive and more wolves to be born. We need to do the same.
CITES PAGE
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_private_spaceflight_companies
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http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703382904575059350409331536
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https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2011/08/shut-a19.html