Do we need to continue searching for new planets?
Do we need to keep searching for new planets?
Voyager 1
The Voyager 1 is the rocket which currently holds the record for the farthest travelling man-made object in space.
It reached outside of our solar system, crossing the heliopause, in 2012.
At the present moment, it is floating over 64,200 kilometres above cloud level.
We can still communicate with it today.
The last on-board photo was taken in 1990 and is named 'Solar System Family Portrait'.
Voyager 2
The Voyager 2 is twinned with Voyager 1.
It is a more recent craft than Voyager 1 and has not travelled out of Earth's solar system yet.
Together, Voyager 1 and 2 have discovered all of the giant planets in our outer solar system.
The Golden Record
The Golden Record was found inside Voyager 1.
It carries a message which shows images and sounds from Earth.
It is 12 inches wide and is made of gold.
There are 4,000 exo-planets in our solar system alone.
Multiple are yet to be discovered.
However, we have already found and studied many planets in our solar system.
Should we bother trying to find the planets which are undiscovered? Or could the money be better spent?
My opinion: We should continue to try and find different planets because:
It could help to find solutions for problems on Earth.
It can support scientific discoveries and help us improve on technology.
It can give us trading materials and boost our economy.
Therefore, I believe we should keep attempting to find more planets.
Source used:
voyager.jpl.nasa.gov.
Thank you for reading!
happy_politics
Comments (19)
20 Nov 2019
I have a split mind; I do agree with you because we could discover new elements or maybe even liquid water on an exoplanet. However, the point that you made on 'finding solutions for problems on Earth' could be good or bad. Good, because we could discover a material that could be used to replace plastic (although that would be very unlikely) BUT the amount of money we would use for it tips the scale.
The funding needed for all the research and the cost of making a ship or vessel needed to actually reach the exoplanet PLUS the technology needed ON that spacecraft would cost millions. In addition, the fuel for the journey to and from the planet would probably add quite a bit to the bill! The money could be spent here on Earth solving other problems on earth like animal conservation or reducing plastic pollution.
I do see happy_politics' side of the argument but I do believe that my main point here is that we MAY find something out there but the money wasted could be spent on more important things here.
Thanks!
I agree with intuitive power that the cost of finding more and more exo-planets is out of this world, mind bending and preposterously over priced. we could spent this money on things which truly matter like reducing extreme poverty and tackling climate change and The NHS. However I do see the point which is finding a new home if our planet is no longer safe to support life we could live on other worlds, but then again why are we looking too far in the future. we need to look at the present and save this planet from the fire of climate change. we need to show younger minds that the future is bright. Their future is bright.
I do agree with you because we would need to find a planet, but AS A LAST RESORT. We shouldn't be spending billions each year on space research for exoplanets when there are, as I have said, more pressing matters. Space travel is exorbitantly expensive and governments need to use those funds on other, more important matters.
I agree!
i disagree because what if it fell down
20 Nov 2019
We should continue to find new planets because as you said "voyager 1 is out of our solar system" and is now able to take photographs of other planets that are surrounding it if there are any. It is important that we explore beyond because the footage that we find can be used to create an aircraft that is suitable for that atmosphere around it. We could use the aircraft as an updated version of voyager 1 and send it up there along with voyager 1 and 2. There should be 3 voyagers in case one of them gets broken.
Good idea, however, the cost just to make a spare rocket would be too great is it is not necessary. If the rocket breaks, surely we have enough patience to build one then?
20 Nov 2019
Some people would say space exploration is necessary. It quenches our thirst to reach to new heights and can often provide solutions to problems here on Earth. One thing that exploring space has brought us is the satellite. Satellites are the reason we can watch TV. A lot of people would argue that we don't need to TV and that it makes us lazy however for many TV is great. It keeps us entertained, some times we need to relax after a long day, It can make people who are alone feel connected to the world and helps us keep track of what is happening around us. Satellites can warn us about natural disasters so people can evacuate the area therefor saving countless lives just like SMAP does which is an earth orbiting satellite that monitors changes in temperature. There are also many people who think space exploration is a bad idea for many reasons. One of them is it can badly damage the climate due to launching rockets, they say that we are in a climate emergency and that launching rockets will not help due to releasing huge amounts of HCI NO2 and HNO3 hydrazines which are all extremely toxic, rockets also burn carbon dioxide which is a greenhouse gas, to much of this in the atmosphere and lots of heat and light will be trapped and the Earth will be scorched dry.
Lots of reasons for either side here, versatile_molecule. Can you tell us which convinces you the most?
The side that convinces we the most is not doing space exploration because it contributes to climate change which is a global problem.
20 Nov 2019
I believe that we should keep trying to find more mysterious planets so that we can find which planets are safe to travel to. Also in future there will be many more generations of people and family and we might have to send people to space so then they can live on the planets because if there is too many people on earth then we need to find more space for others therefore we should keep trying to find more planets. Your post really inspired me,Thankyou.
Thanks!
21 Nov 2019
We should because it would be fun and if we find more it would be an opportunity for man kind
21 Nov 2019
I have a split mind of the argument because because it would help us out and finding medicines such as the cure to cancer and other medical needs this can help us in ways that can't be found on our planet this is one of the reasons why I believe that we should keep on exploring space but as I said I have a split mind freezing to the other
I also have a mix of mind I think it is good to explore space but I'm not too sure I believe it is good to explore space we can find medicines such as the cure to cancer and other medical needs I think this would help us a lot but I guess my opinion
21 Nov 2019
I totally agree!
Where did you get the information from?
I got the information from:
voyager.jpl.nasa.gov.
Wrong person, sorry!
22 Nov 2019
We don't need to but it would be nice to no things out of space like a new planet
23 Nov 2019
I totally agree with you but I sort of disagree; space could go around in circles and if we discover one new planet we might discover it again and again. Also, we need to take good care of Earth before we start to look at the others. The reason I agree is that it'll be very exciting to find new stuff and maybe find things that might help Earth.
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