Argumentative Essay: Is Space Exploration Worth It?

Maximus Kil

Mrs. Baxter

ELA 7, 1st Hour

29 March 2023

Final Argumentative Essay

Is Space Exploration Worth It?

A web of ships will sail through the stars peacefully in the near future, but currently, what catches the eye will be a junkyard of shattered ships, debris, and wasted resources and money. Although most people think space is innovative and engaging, some would say that it is not worth it because there are problems on Earth that can be solved with the resources and money we have, and it is currently very dangerous for our astronauts. The bad reasons mostly outweigh the good ones, so space exploration is NOT worth it for the United States.

The first reason that space exploration is not worth it is because the money and resources humans

But there are dangers like boredom and brain damage. What if an astronaut became chronically bored on a long space mission? Boredom might not sound like a threat, but if a person became bored day after day for a long time, they will become prone to taking a risk. Here is the evidence from the news article Danger! This Mission to Mars Could Bore You to Death! by Maggie Koerth-Baker: “[B]ored people are...prone to taking risks[.]” (Koerth-Baker, page 155). Imagine a space mission ending because there is nothing fun to do. That could end multiple missions to Mars. Another danger to astronauts is brain damage from cosmic waves. Without the proper shielding, cosmic waves could zip into rockets, bounce around, and eventually slice through an astronaut’s brain. Scientists have tested it on mice, and according to Trip to Mars Could Damage Astronauts’ Brains by Laura Sanders, here’s what happened: “[T]he scientists beamed mice with high-energy charged particles. The idea was to simulate cosmic rays in space. Six weeks later, the mice showed memory problems. They had a harder time recognizing new toys than did unzapped mice. They also did a poorer job of remembering where a toy had been.” (Sanders). This suggests that since mice showed memory problems, humans might as well. Imagine trying to get back to your rocket to return to Earth, do you think you’ll find it? Or, will you even remember what a rocket