5 Reasons You Need Space Technology | Explore the Universe

The space industry has come an incredibly long way since the first rocket was launched. Today, there are hundreds of countries in the world working on technologies that will further our understanding of space and help us explore the stars better than ever before. Even if you don’t believe in off-world life or if you aren’t even the tiniest bit interested in space travel, there are many reasons you should care about space technology and how it is affecting our society today. The list below will give you five effective reasons you need space technology and why it isn’t going anywhere, anytime soon.

1) To Understand Our Planet Better

There are many things about our planet that we still don’t understand. We don’t know why some people get sick or what causes earthquakes or where all of our species are going to end up. The more data scientists can collect, the better they can understand Earth and humanity. A recent study by Space researchers actually predicted that a super-volcano in Iceland could erupt at any time... Which could lead to mass destruction on Earth! That’s pretty scary stuff and not knowing when it could happen is even more alarming. With space technology, though, we may better predict these crushing events and be ready for them if they ever occur.

2) To Establish Communication With Mars

While some companies are already working on what it would take to establish communication with Mars, others are working toward exploration and colonization. Elon Musk’s company SpaceX, for example, is already making progress toward that goal. While there is a barrier to establishing a permanent presence on Mars (and questions about if it’s even possible), exploring beyond Earth has been a dream of humanity, since we first started looking up at our Moon and wondering what else might be out there. The next decade or two will be important for pushing technology forward; only then will NASA and other space agencies truly can determine if living beyond Earth is workable.

3) To Develop New Technologies Here On Earth

Without space technology, we wouldn’t have many of our most useful and common products. GPS devices? Space technology. Automated systems for air travel? You guessed it—space technology. Space technologies provide us with big data that tells us what’s happening around Earth in real-time, too. That information helps scientists study weather patterns and other elements that affect our lives, even on a day-to-day basis. Not to mention, space technologies are critical to modern scientific research efforts—from studying how materials behave in zero gravity to curious farther into space than ever before to track asteroids and potentially dangerous weather in outer space.

4) To Inspire New Technology Developments

Space Exploration is all about innovation and discovery, it generates applications that improve life on Earth. Satellites provide communication, navigation, and scientific measurements from a viewing point almost 400 miles above our planet. GPS tracking apps help people get from Point A to Point B without getting lost or speeding tickets; weather forecasts use satellite data to warn us of incoming storms; agricultural researchers can track precise moisture levels in soils and crops by monitoring how plants absorb radiation in visible light. Even laser eye surgery—which corrects vision problems by removing some parts of your cornea—makes use of technology initially developed for astronomy to just target tiny structures deep in your eyes.

5) How Space Technology Inspires Us

When we look up at night, we see a world that's far beyond our borders and even beyond our lifetimes. Aspiring for space technology means aspiring to something greater than what is right in front of us. We can't say how many decades or centuries it will take to get there, but that doesn't mean we can't dream big. With space technology and dedicated scientists and engineers, Nothing Is Impossible.

Conclusion

We hope that we have made an effective case for why space technology is important for our future. The world has gone through many technological revolutions in its history. Each revolution changes life and society in ways previously incredible. Although there is no way to know for sure, it seems likely that humanity’s ongoing technological revolution will be no less transformative than any of those past events. And, with private companies like SpaceX, and Orbital Sciences Corp is leading an effort to re-open space commerce and settlement, it appears we are at a turning as the greatest point in our history.