Contemplating the benefits of a year in Space

Was the year gone by everything you hoped it would be, or would you rather have spent the entirety of 2012 in space? Two astronauts will soon get to experience this rather unique way of spending 12 months. Scott Kelly from the USA and Mikhail Kornienko from Russia will spend 365 days on the International Space Station (ISS) to study the effects of long-term space travel on the human mind and body. This mission will not take place until 2015 but is part of NASA’s longer term goal to send humans to Mars, tentatively scheduled for 2030.

Microgravity can wreak havoc with one’s bone density, vision and cardiovascular health. Not to mention the psychological effects that long-term space travel might induce, which may prove even harder for these men to endure. A one way trip to the Red Planet is expected to take around seven to nine months so it’s vital that scientists ensure that humans can endure the harsh conditions of space for long periods of time.

While my first thoughts on hearing of the mission turned to how well the astronauts will cope with the potential medical problems, cabin fever, and frustration of being away from their families, I realise that many would instead question the absurdity of investing so much time, money and effort into getting humans to Mars. Just what exactly is the point?

A notable yet unlikely critic of Red Planet exploration is daredevil space jumper, Felix Baumgartner. Baumgartner risked his life on behalf of caffeinated beverage Red Bull to become the first person to break the sound barrier without vehicular power on his sky jump in October. He reportedly told the Telegraph: “People should decide ‘are you willing to spend all this money to go to Mars?’ I think the average person on the ground would never spend that amount of money – they have to spend it on something that makes sense, and this is definitely saving our planet.”

Baumgartner is not alone in his opinions. When only a government budget (and therefore taxpayers) can supply NASA with the funds it needs to enable state-of-the-art space experiments, such as the NASA’s largest Mars mission so far: the $2.5 billion Curiosity Rover that landed on the Red Planet in July, the situation is fundamentally political. The current economic crisis may leave people resentful of financing pie-in-the sky research with uncertain benefits. When there is a global food shortage, poverty, HIV, malaria and other unresolved suffering in the world, many would argue that spending such an immense amount on space travel is impractical and self-indulgent.

A passion for science, investigation and knowledge and a dislike of considering the economic viability before an avenue can be explored may render me somewhat biased but I’m struggling to agree with the sceptics.

While undoubtedly expensive, NASA’s budget actually only accounts for 0.8% of America’s total federal expenditures. For example, the federal government spends over 20 times as much money on defence as it does on Space research.

A common complaint about space science is that is has no benefits for this planet and that it has few useful applications. But utilising space technologies has changed our world beyond recognition. Consider the many inventions that we would never possess were it not for the Space Race. Since 1976, about 1400 documented NASA inventions have benefited industry, improved quality of life and created jobs around the world. These range from medical inventions such as dialysis machines, and CAT and MRI scanners to fire-fighter safety equipment to air and water purification. Satellites orbiting the Earth allow us to broadcast to and converse with people all over the world… Who knows what the future applications of this mission may have?

On a more morbid note, exploring other planets may prove very helpful if we encounter real problems with our own. Stephen Hawking notably said: "I don't think the human race will survive the next thousand years, unless we spread into space. There are too many accidents that can befall life on a single planet. But I'm an optimist. We will reach out to the stars."

Even if a doomsday virus or asteroid does not pose a threat to our planet for millennia, it cannot be denied that Earth is becoming increasingly overpopulated. Yes, Felix Baumgartner is right in that of course we should be looking at preserving Earth, but colonising other planets or space travel may one day be the only option for the continuation of our species.

Finally, the least directly useful but possibly most important defence of all for space science is that exploring the unknown and advancing our knowledge is a fundamental human characteristic. Space science has immense power to inspire each and every one of us which is arguably something far more valuable than money.  Since the beginning of time, humans have looked up to the sky in wide-eyed wonder, asked questions about the great beyond and philosophised about our place in the universe.  With advancing technologies that allow us to image our universe in ways never previously imagined, space cannot fail to stimulate us, regardless of our background.  We are driven to find out what lies beyond our planet because it’s fascinating, the quest for knowledge exciting.  Space research is also undoubtedly a great inspiration for children to study science.

Consequently, if these men are willing to embark on what may well be a rather unpleasant year, but will likely advance our knowledge in ways we may not have even considered yet, I cannot help but support the mission. Let’s embark on closing the boundary between our planet and the rest of the universe.