After 14 years of exploring the planet’s surface, the rover stopped responding last summer. When a dust storm occurred at the same location as the rover, the solar panels on the rover could not generate enough power to keep the spacecraft functioning. NASA spent a month trying to reconnect with Opportunity and did not want to give up on the rover. The rover which launched in 2003 and was meant to only last three months ended up living for more than 14 years. It traveled the distance of a marathon and provided up-close views of Mars that scientists had never seen before. Today, Feb. 13, NASA announced the passing of the Mars rover, Opportunity. Not to worry, another rover, Curiosity arrived on Mars in 2012 and NASA is planning another launch in 2020. The exploration of Mars continues as craters show signs of water that hint at an environment that might have been habitable. In addition to rovers, NASA has plans to send humans to Mars in the 2030s.
How should the government regulate space claims, if at all?
Should humans travel to Mars to explore the craters?
Is there a possibility of another space race?
Sources:
Rover Picture
Mars Exploration
The New Space Race
NASA's Mars Rover Opportunity Concludes a 15-Year Mission Mars Exploration
I think that the government cannot regulate space claims because these claims are often theories based on visible observations. Therefore, creating theories on observations is an expression of free speech meaning that it should not be regulated. Nevertheless, with the space claims comes many thoughts for the future of humanity. In terms of sending humans to Mars, I think that much can be discovered, but it should not be the first step in order to explore craters because there are no regulations for safety. Nevertheless, sending humans to Mars is very dangerous due to different atmospheric pressures and the unknown terrain on Mars. Thus, these terrains should be explored for longer periods before humans are sent to explore the craters. However, sending humans up is a good idea because it will demonstrate the habitability of another planet. Thus, if humans survive one test and keep surviving the test of Mars exploration, living on Mars may seem more and more plausible. Moreover, this habitability will lead to a decrease in world issues like overpopulation because eventually humans would have two homes. Despite the idea that humans are unified, there may be another divide because another space race is entirely possible. With current day dictator-esque leaders like Kim Jong-un and Putin, there is a lot of pride that comes with accomplishment and these leaders will stride to beat the others in order to claim their pride. Thus, they could create another space race.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Noah, as space claims cannot be regulated in the same manner as other terrestrial claims. Maybe once astronauts begin landing on Mars, they can establish political boundaries and rules. As much as I would like to keep politics out of space exploration, the truth is that there needs to be some form of regulation once humans reach other planets.
DeleteI think space should be a free frontier for all humans. In other words, there should be no government regulation at all. Otherwise, we may face a future similar to that of STAR WARS. No one wants that. There is currently no need for humans to go to Mars in order to study craters. We have the technological power to use robots that will be able to collect sufficient data and expore the planet on their own with human interaction from the Earth base. I don't think the world has the motivation for a space race just because the NASA is sending a couple rovers up there. If the NASA were to discovery some aliens or other cool things in space, then maybe other countries would want to get in on the action. But as of now, there is nothing of extreme worth that is known to be out there so we don't have to worry about the Star Wars in real life yet.
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ReplyDeleteI think that space assets should always stay as international property, like the moon. corporate interests can get charters from the UN or something. Human colonization would be cool but not very useful. The space race is pretty much over as it´s seen as expensive and not very useful now
I don't think that the government should regulate space claims as it should be accessible to all countries and humans. I don't have a strong stance on where we stand sending people to mars. I think it could be beneficial to explore mars more and explore the craters, but I don't believe that we should be sending humans to live there. There is potential for a new space race as we try to inhabit mars, however we have made such an advancement in space technology there might not be a race to the same degree as the one that happened before.
ReplyDeleteI agree that space should be available to all humans and there should be no governmental regulations put on. I support the decisions to keep sending rovers to keep collecting as much data on Mars, and as technological advancements continue to happen we will soon know more about Mars to get better judgment on its inhabitability. As of now, it makes no sense for humans to be sent there. A space race may be possible in the future, but as of now the data collected shows that there is just not enough motivation to have one right now.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that the government should regulate space claims because they are just theories based on observations. I believe that humans should travel to Mars to explore craters because there is only so much we can learn from a rover. A future space race is possible; however, I do not see one happening in the near future dye to the fact that NASA already has sent multiple rovers and we have not seen anything on Mars such as water or living creatures that would push other countries to compete.
ReplyDeleteI think another space race is unlikely because a lot of the world's biggest superpowers aren't at each other's throats. The only reason why there was a space race during the cold war was because two of the world biggest powers hated each other, but these days that rivalry is much less prevalent.
ReplyDeleteRIP Opportunity, you will be missed
I agree with the comments above that the government should not step in to regulate space claims, especially because it may be too ambiguous of an area to effectively control which can lead to political controversy. With the freedom for all humans to explore space, NASA’s work has led to highly beneficial discoveries today both in regards to exploration and technology. With this in mind, I do not think it is necessary to begin sending actual people to mars. We should instead continue to strive for new technological advances that allow workers within this field to continue investigations using technology on Mars while actually being present on Earth. In regards to the possibility of another space race occurring, the one that took place after WWII was heavily driven by a clear motive, as the US and the Soviet Union sought dominance in rocket research. I initially considered the possibility of a modern space race occurring due to the high emphasis on technological advances in our society today; however, I ultimately do not believe a strong enough objective, like the past military objective, exists today that would direct all the attention of the superpowers towards space research.
ReplyDeleteSimilar to the comments above, I agree that space should remain as international property, therefore there should be no government regulation on space claim. Claims in space have become ambiguous and have led to a large amount of political controversy between nations competing in space. Many of these claims result from observations from the data we have received from the rover, and may not be completely reliable. Furthermore, at the moment it may not be important to send people to MArs. There are too many unknowns that come with such a big mission, that it may not be safe yet to do so. Besides, the rovers have more than sufficiently done their job on Mars.
ReplyDeleteMuch like those who have spoken before, I do not see a space race existing in the foreseeable future, nor do I condone government regulation on Mars, or in space in general. I believe that space is a vast expanse of territory, and to claim an entire planet or region for a single nation would be unnecessary and unproductive for the future of the human race.
ReplyDeleteLike the past comments, I think that the government should not answer any claim till there is proof that we have the ability to travel to space. We don´t have to rush into space and claim it for ourselves. Going forward with it could separate us internationally, making us look more power hungry than we should at a time like this.
ReplyDeleteThe government should not regulate space claims because I believe it is a free for all and if there are claims, claims could result in a space race when Mars is still being explored and no one really knows enough about Mars to be making space claims, so space should remain an international property. I also think that NASA should continue to send rovers to explore Mars because knowledge is power. As of now, I do not think that there will be another space race because NASA is just exploring mars to learn more about the unknown which is not a threat to other nations.
ReplyDeleteI think regulating space claims would be not only a difficult task, but also might accidentally trigger a space arms race which would be kind of bad for the entire world. Therefore, the government should not regulate space claims and rather just have nobody be able to make claims on space. I think that going to Mars to explore the craters might not have any major scientific benefits for us, but developing the technology needed to send people to Mars would hopefully allow us to eventually treat space as accessible to us as air travel would be. Additionally, triggering another space race would be nice as long as there are no weapons involved, since nobody will get hurt and all the winner gets is a sense of pride and accomplishment
ReplyDeleteYes space is not a private property of the United States. It should be used together with other nations to develop and further the technological advances on earth. If one is overly regulatory of space, it could result in armed conflict. Nations should work together to develop technology that can help people survive in space and to create a potential space colony
ReplyDeleteI do not think that the government should be regulating space claims. Like Marc said above, I think that space should be an open place for all people without government regulation. Other countries should also have the right to explore out in space since it is such a vast area. Right now, I do not see the possibility of a new space race happening soon since countries have not been prioritizing the exploration of space, and it is obviously expensive. To address the second question, I think humans should travel to Mars since it could lead to new scientific advancements. Also, it is just interesting to be able to travel out of the planet and to explore the possibilities of life that out of Earth.
ReplyDeleteTo answer your second question, I do believe Mars could be a valuable asset to us. Yes it costs millions or billions to research and fly out there and what not but in 100 years we will know what truly we can accomplish out there and hopefully even sooner. I would love to see people out on Mars one day and I bet a whole lot of other people do to. Think about flying a car or bouncing around, that would be sick for sure.
ReplyDeleteSimilar to the majority of the previous comments, I do not think the government should regulate space claims. Private corporations should has the freedom to explore space, which will be beneficial to the country and corporations. There are much more pressing issues to worry about on Earth than on Mars, so I don't think a space race will happen soon. If other countries choose to explore space as much as the U.S., I think that should be seen as a collaborative opportunity for the benefit of the human race and shouldn't be seen as a race to who can conquer space faster. I think humans should have the freedom to travel to Mars and explore as long as it is safe. I think it would be really cool to see if some humans could survive on Mars. These are significant scientific endeavors that, if done properly, could help improve and lengthen the time the human race exists. Regulations should be set by the government on corporations to ensure safety, but other than that, I think humans should have the freedom to explore as they please.
ReplyDeleteI agree with most of the comments about in that the US should not attempt to regulate space claims due to the risk of starting an unneeded space race. The arrival of people on Mars would not really prove to be much use, as even if there is water on Mars, it would not be enough to support an entire population of humans. Adding on to what Stan said, in preparing to explore the Martian surface, the technology we develop could serve to be beneficial to our future not only in our galactic missions and air travels, but also help us adapt to our changing climate, as if we are able to develop technology to withstand Mar’s frigid temperatures that drop to below -73 C and constant windiness, we could be able to better handle the frigid climates and increased and more severe natural disasters as a result of global warming.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that a single government should regulate space claims, but an international organization comprised of space capable nations should. One problem that is already somewhat affecting space travel is debris that is in orbit around the globe. Even a tiny particle, maybe a loose bolt or screw, at orbital speeds can be devastating to a satellite or rocket. Currently, there is no regulation on space debris so a rule that would solve this issue would be beneficial for all. Humans should travel to mars not because it is practical or because we should build a sustainable habitat there, but because we as a human race should push the boundaries of exploration. We should land on mars just to land on mars. There is a possibility of another space race, but it will most likely be between the US and China. Recently, China was able to land on the far side of the moon, a feat that no other country has been able to accomplish; however, whether the US wants to compete with China or not is another question. So far, it seems as if China and the US are focusing on different areas of space travel and most likely instead of a race, there will be cooperation between China and the US.
ReplyDeleteI believe the government should regulate space claims, as this is necessary to maintain order in an otherwise out-of-reach location. Currently, space travel is viewed as an opportunity for more resources and discoveries. However, to an extent, this parallels the view of the Wild West during the American expansion westward a few hundred years ago. Without regulations in space, space may quickly turn into chaos and disorder. I believe that space regulation should be a combined effort of many countries (optimally the whole world). NASA's Curiosity and other rovers are only the first step of many to come, and regulations are essential to prevent irreversible damage to outer space and prevent space exploration from becoming a battle royale.
ReplyDeleteI believe that space exploration should be encouraged and not regulated by the US. Thus, humans should definitely be sent to Mars once enough is known about it. However, I do believe that there should be some international organization for regulating space civilization, because we know so little about space outside the galaxy, and who knows, maybe there are other intelligent species furthering their understanding of space and technology, and thus also considering space civilization. Thus, there should be an international union for space affairs so that we can work together to advance our knowledge, not have a space race.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jason that international cooperation between all countries and parties is necessary to regulate space claims. The Outer Space Treaty, signed by 108 parties (including China and the US), claims that “mankind” shares the “common interest” of space exploration, which leads me to believe that there will not be a space race similar to that between the US and the Soviet Union. I think that an international agreement like the law of the sea is necessary as space exploration becomes increasingly more important and feasible, and that countries around the world should once again seek a new treaty to clarify the implications of outer space – like how to manage resources, deal with space debris, and maintain fair/equal access.
ReplyDeleteAs of right now, I do not believe that using resources to explore Mars is something that the government should focus on. We do not quite have the technology yet available to make space endeavors less costly, and there is little practical benefits in exploring Mars for the average individual. There are so many other projects that the government could spend its money on. However, although I do not believe that there is a need for federal aid in space exploration, I do believe that private corporations should be encouraged to do so. By doing so, they are able to create more jobs, as well as develop space technology to a point where it can be much cheaper and viable for the government as well. The only potential issue with handing over space exploration to corporations is that they could exploit potential resources. Therefore, there should be increased regulation in regards to space exploration conduct, although such legislation should not be and is unlikely to be a priority for the government.
ReplyDeleteWith the boom of newer and more advanced technology, space exploration has become more and more of a priority for people. And just from an human enrichment standpoint, space exploration is a great idea. There have been many projects, such as Elon Musk's SpaceX, that are promoting exploration and may soon send people to Mars. Although unpredictable, these missions do seem promising.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the government can regulate space claims because that space should be there for all humans and all countries. I don't think that the claims on mars should be technology that the government should be worrying about right now. I think that for further exploration of the universe we should encourage more people to go out and explore and with that we need to not regulate space territory.
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