Space exploration has affected the earth’s climate and environment. However, exploring space has only affected it positively.
Given the popularity of the recent blockbuster movie, “2012”, that portrayed Nostradamus’s prediction of the end of the world coming true, many people wonder just how and when the world, as we know it will end. Not to give away the plot for those who have not seen the movie, it is safe to say that the reason given in the movie for the end, is something that NASA and all those involved in America’s Space Program, will be able to predict.
NASA, and its team of navigators, engineers, scientists, physicians, and technicians, is responsible for our knowledge of environmental and climate changes taking place on earth. Data collected from NASA satellites, along with observations made by astronauts in the US Space Program, provided valuable information for scientists to study regarding the age of, and conditions of earth’s atmosphere, including the hole in earth’s ozone layer.
In addition, NASA, partnered with a European spacecraft, recorded a solar eruption. The blast of high-energy particles took four days to reach the earth, and pumped huge amounts of this energy into the earth’s atmosphere. These blasts are responsible for interruption of radio communications, and for setting off aurora displays.
Given the intense effect the sun has on the entire solar system, NASA will use information they record to understand and analyze how and why the sun affects all the planets in the solar system, including earth. NASA personnel believe that although disruption of radio communications may seem minor, they need to further study the sun’s emissions of solar energy particles that may produce long-term effects, such as environmental and climate changes on earth.
Many people are concerned more now than ever before about global warming. The men and women involved in space exploration are responsible for what we already know about how and why changes in climate take place.
There are many other benefits derived from space exploration. These include research and discoveries in the areas of science, technology, and medical fields as well. Computer technology, cell phone technology, cancer detection, and the building and placing of, satellites in orbit to help fight wildfires and to develop GPS technology, to name a few, all came from space exploration.
If we are to learn more on how to stop changes that could be harmful to the earth and its natural resources, no one is better equipped for the job than those who study, journey into, and explore space.
