The Final Frontier: The benefits of space exploration to provide a better life on Earth.

Man once dreamt of flying, of touching the night sky and trampling the dirt on the surface of the moon. And for a long time we kept thinking it was only a dream. But on the 4th October 1957, Russia launched Sputnik 1, the first satellite into the depth of space, officially starting off the space age for us. And then on the 20th of July 1963, Neil Armstrong steps off onto the moon’s surface with the now famous line, ’That’s one small step for man, a giant leap for mankind’ and this marks the beginning of an new era of space exploration and many more discoveries. But now often times you will hear the cries of society claiming that space explorations are a waste of government funding and that it should be channelled to things that are more important. However, despite what the majority of society believed, space exploration is a highly beneficial investment as it has in turn, not just provide us with knowledge of our endless universe, it had also vastly improve the qualities of our life on Earth.
Several outer space accomplishments had benefitted our life greatly such as the usage of foam insulation that was originally used to protect the shuttle’s external tank is now available for the production of master moulds for prosthetics. By doing so, they have replaced the older version of prosthetics that were made from heavy, fragile plaster and in its place, a new and improved material that is light, virtually indestructible and easy to ship and store. There is also the creation of artificial hearts that was developed from space shuttle fuel pump technology. It weighs less than 4 ounces and is only 1 inch diameter and was developed by NASA and renowned heart surgeon Dr. Micheal DeBakey. The development of LASIK surgery, a surgery that is used to improve vision, can also be credited to space exploration as well. The technology that made this possible; LADARVision© 4000, was originally used to make autonomous rendezvous and docking of space vehicles to service satellites possible.
Some technologies were created to solve problems regarding space explorations and have been modified to solve the problems on Earth. Such modifications can be seen in the application of the video stabilization software that was initially used by NASA to analyse space shuttle launch video. This software removes defects due to image jitter, rotation and zoom-in video sequences. Although this technology was later shared with law enforcers to help clarify crime-scene videos, it has proven useful for various other applications such as medical imaging, scientific applications and even home videos. According to “Park Smart,” (2003) Other space-research-turned-problem-solver was one Parking Garage Automation System (PGAS) that was based on Robot sensorSkinTM , a technology whose initial purpose’s was to aid robots that worked in Space Shuttle’s operations. With the smartSensorTM, the robots would have been able to better detect and steer clear of obstacles in their paths. On Earth, however, it was integrated within the PGAS and was installed around and within public parking garages. Once in place, the sensor guides a motorist to an open facility and once he/she had entered, it will proceed to guide them to an available parking space. Another example would be the usage of the popular scratch-resistant lens and UV-blocking lens commonly found on sunglasses and glasses. The technology for creating ultraviolet-blocking lenses was first developed for the windows of a space shuttle and the helmets of an astronaut suit. They later realised it would also be beneficial to use this technology on sunglasses. Scratch resistant lens was created using the technology of synthetic diamond coatings that was originally used for aerospace systems.
It is safe to say that the majority of technologies that stemmed from space research have been made into a solution to our daily life problems. In “Heating and Cooling,” (2005), homeowners are now insulating their homes with the same lightweight, flexible aerogel NASA uses to insulate cryogenics on space shuttles. Not only the insulation is thinner and more effective than standard fiberglass insulation, it can also be installed with the same traditional methods making it easy for the user to install it. Not only it can lower the electric bills of the house as the aerogel insulation regulates the temperature of the house on its own, it can also extend the life of the home’s heater and air-conditioning unit. In “Easy Meals,” (1978) another prime example of space research-inspired solutions is freeze-dried foods. They were made by extracting water from freshly cooked food by dehydration at very low temperatures, making it last longer without having to store it in refrigerators. This method of cooking was actually used to create nutritious and wholesome food for astronauts. There is also the usage of NASA’s high-performance, biodegradable lubricants that was made available commercially to the public. Before, it was used the enormous crawlers that was used to move the space shuttles to and from the launch pads in Florida and was later developed to be used for sporting equipment and cars.
It is conclusive to say that the exploration of space have greatly benefit us with not just knowledge regarding our universe but also with the methods on how to make life here on Earth a lot easier. Therefore, it is crucial that parents and teachers cultivate interest on space exploration amidst youngsters by early exposure and constant support of their interest in science and space as this will ensure a higher potential for more discoveries in the future. Words: 966

Reference used:
A Children’s History of Space Timeline. (2006). Retrieved August 23, 2013, from http://www.spacekids.co.uk/spacehistory/
Clarke, A.C. (1981). Man and Space (Life Science Library) : Time Life
Benefits of Space. (n.d.). Retrieved June 30, 2013, from spacecoalition.com/benefits-of-space
Scratch-Resistant Lenses. (1996). Retrieved July 2, 2013, from http://spinoff.nasa.gov/spinoff/database
Ultraviolet-Blocking Lenses Protect, Enhance Vision. (2010). Retrieved July 2, 2013, from http://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2011/
The Right Track for Vision Correction. (2003). Retrieved July 2, 2013, from http://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2011/
Heating and Cooling Efficiency for Homes. (2004). Retrieved July 3, 2013, from http://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2011/
Park Smart. (1999). Retrieved July 3, 2013, from http://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2011/
Easy Meal. (1978). Retrieved July 4, 2013, from http://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2011/
Space Shuttle Spinoffs. (2011). Retrieved July 5, 2013, from http://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2011/

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
KAMPUS SRI ISKANDAR

BEL 311
THE FINAL FRONTIER: BENEFITS OF SPACE EXPLORATION TO PROVIDE A BETTER LIFE ON EARTH

NAMA: AIDA FARZANA BINTI SAHLAN
GROUP: AD118 3A
MATRIC NO.: 2012838418
LECTURER: MISS HAZEL TANUSHA FERNANDEZ
SEMESTER: JUNE 2013 – OCTOBER 2013