Evenpeoplebornafter1968caneasilynamethefirstmantolandonthemoon;wehaveallseentheblackandwhitefootageofNeilArmstronginaspacesuittakingslow,boundingstepstoplantanAmericanflagonthemoon’ssurface.Now,fortyyearslater,somemightsuggestthatgovernmentsshouldcontinueexploringouterspace,andshouldevendevoteahealthyamountofmoneyfromtheirbudgetstothisend.However,theneedsofourworldhavechanged,andwemustprioritizeourspendingaccordinglyandallocateourfinancialresourcestohelpingtheEarthitself.
Whenweconsidertheexplorationofouterspacethathaditsheydayinthe1950’sand1960’s,wemustalsoconsiderthepoliticalfactorsthatwerepresenthereonEarth.DuringtheColdWar,countriesliketheUnitedStatesandtheSovietUnionwereinterestedindisplayingtheirintellectual,scientificandfinancialresources,andouterspacebecamethearenainwhichthistookplace.The‘‘SpaceRace’’culminatedin1968whentheUnitedStateslandedthefirstastronautsonthemoon.Spaceexplorationwasoftheextremeinteresttoordinarycitizens,butwasconnectedtothemesofnationalstrengthandpatriotism.
Now,asweconsiderwhethertocontinuetheexplorationofouterspace,ourworldisfacedwithadifferentsetofcircumstances.Governmentsarelesspreoccupiedwiththeirstandingintheworld,andmoreinterestedinthewell-beingofthosewholiveinit.Thegreatestthreattoourwell-beingisourdamagedenvironment,andthisisaconcernoftheentireworld.Forexample,pollutioncausedbyfactoriesinSouthAmericamightcontributetorisingwaterlevelsinBangladesh.Spaceexplorationwouldrequireagreatoutlayofmoneyonequipment,personnelandfuel;insteadwemustallotourfinancialresourcestowardcooperatingwithothercountriestoimprovetheenvironmentandhelpmakelifemorebearableforourfellowcitizensonearth.
Insummary,thosewhowerealiveduringtheAgeofExplorationofthe1950’sand1960’scanremembertheexcitementofthatera;thescientificfindingsofthosemissionstoouterspacehaveprovidedpreciousinsightsintotheuniversebeyondEarth.However,oneofthegoalsofgovernmentspursuingspaceexplorationwastoprovideashowofstrengthfortheircountries.Now,thebestwayagovernmentcanshowitsstrengthistoshowthatitcaresforitsfellowcitizensaroundtheworld.
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