Why space exploration and innovation is

The accomplishments and future plans of SpaceX represent the cutting edge of space technology and discovery.

Overview of recent space achievements Motivations for space activity Although the possibility of exploring space has long excited people in many walks of life, for most of the latter 20th century, only national governments could afford the very high costs of launching people and machines into space.

This reality meant that space exploration had to serve very broad interests, and it indeed has done so in a variety of ways. Government space programs have increased knowledge, served as indicators of national prestige and power, enhanced national security and military strength, and provided significant benefits to the general public.

In areas where the private sector could profit from activities in space, most notably the use of satellites as telecommunication relays, commercial space activity has flourished without government funding. In the early 21st century, entrepreneurs believed that there were several other areas of commercial potential in space, most notably privately funded space travel.

In the years after World War IIgovernments assumed a leading role in the support of research that increased fundamental knowledge about nature, a role that earlier had been played by universities, private foundations, and other nongovernmental supporters. This change came for two reasons. First, the need for complex equipment to carry out many scientific experiments and for the large teams of researchers to use that equipment led to costs that only governments could afford.

Second, governments were willing to take on this responsibility because of the belief that fundamental research would produce new knowledge essential to the health, the security, and the quality of life of their citizens. Thus, when scientists sought government support for early space experiments, it was forthcoming.

Since the start of space efforts in the United Statesthe Soviet Unionand Europenational governments have given high priority to the support of science done in and from space.

From modest beginnings, space science has expanded under government support to include multibillion-dollar exploratory missions in the solar system. Examples of such efforts include the development of the Curiosity Mars rover, the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn and its moons, and the development of major space-based astronomical observatories such as the Hubble Space Telescope.

Mars; CuriosityLearn about the various scientific efforts to study the planet Mars, including the Curiosity rover. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in used the fact that his country had been first to launch a satellite as evidence of the technological power of the Soviet Union and of the superiority of communism.

Eisenhower had decided not to compete for prestige with the Soviet Union in a space race, his successor, John F. Kennedyhad a different view. Other countries also viewed having a successful space program as an important indicator of national strength.

Even before the first satellite was launched, U.

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Following on the success of its photoreconnaissance satellites, which began operation inthe United States built increasingly complex observation and electronic-intercept intelligence satellites. The Soviet Union also quickly developed an array of intelligence satellites, and later a few other countries instituted their own satellite observation programs.

Intelligence-gathering satellites have been used to verify arms-control agreements, provide warnings of military threats, and identify targets during military operations, among other uses.

Corona reconnaissance satellite images made a year apart—in mid top and mid bottom —revealing the construction of a new Soviet SS-7 Saddler R intercontinental ballistic missile site.

National Reconaissance Office In addition to providing security benefits, satellites offered military forces the potential for improved communications, weather observation, navigation, timing, and position location. This led to significant government funding for military space programs in the United States and the Soviet Union.

Although the advantages and disadvantages of stationing force-delivery weapons in space have been debated, as of the early 21st century, such weapons had not been deployednor had space-based antisatellite systems—that is, systems that can attack or interfere with orbiting satellites.

The stationing of weapons of mass destruction in orbit or on celestial bodies is prohibited by international law. Governments realized early on that the ability to observe Earth from space could provide significant benefits to the general public apart from security and military uses.

The first application to be pursued was the development of satellites for assisting in weather forecasting. A second application involved remote observation of land and sea surfaces to gather imagery and other data of value in crop forecasting, resource management, environmental monitoring, and other applications.

These satellites quickly found numerous civilian uses in such areas as personal navigation, surveying and cartography, geology, air-traffic controland the operation of information-transfer networks.

They illustrate a reality that has remained constant for a half century—as space capabilities are developed, they often can be used for both military and civilian purposes.With a renewed focus on space exploration, Boeing will raise that bar and ensure America remains the leader in space exploration and innovation.

Through every space shuttle launch, technological advancement and satellite built, Boeing continues to open new doors beyond Earth. future exploration goals promise to increase the innovation factor of space exploration.

6 E.g. out of the 67 flights of Ariane 5 between January and July , 59 launches (88%) were commercial. 7 "International Space Station Benefits for Humanity", Ed.

But those who've long dreamed of humans becoming a truly spacefaring race argue that exploring space provides down-to-earth benefits in areas such as health, mining and security.

And more inspirational benefits, too. Here are some of the most compelling arguments for continuing the exploration of space. How SpaceX Is Driving Space Development and Innovation SpaceX has been all over the news lately regarding its mission to Mars and its unprecedented ability to land and reuse its rockets.

The accomplishments and future plans of SpaceX represent the cutting edge of space technology and discovery. McKinsey & Company Home Article-October Why exploration matters—and why the government should pay for it By Neil deGrasse Tyson Why exploration matters—and why the government should pay for it revolutionary (and marketable) technologies of the past decades have been spun off research done under the banner of US space.

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