Advancements in technology have provided mankind with the
ability to travel farther and over longer periods of time than ever before, all
without risk to human life. In support
of unmanned vs. manned explorations in space I offer the following blog with an
article that supports my view.
From the pre-historic trek of humans across the land bridge
over the Bering Strait some 12,000 years ago to the mid-20th century deep sea
voyages of Jacques-Yves Cousteau (Patenaude, 2015, para. 1), mankind has explored
the unknown since the beginning of time.
Much to their peril, humans have ventured out on expeditions beyond
mountainous terrains, expansive deserts, endless ocean scapes and the vastness
of the universe.
Mankind has always wondered about the marvels of space; the
moon, distant planets, our sun and those of distant galaxies far, far, away. But mankind didn’t jump on the first rocket
in an effort to visit the outer boundaries of the Earth’s atmosphere. First came Sputnik, the world’s first artificial
satellite. Launched by the Soviet Union
on October 4, 1957 it marked the start of the space age (Garber, 2007, para.
1). Then on November 3, Russia launched
Sputnik II, with a payload that included a dog named Laika. The successful missions that followed and the data
collected led to the knowledge that man could survive in space, beyond the
protective blanket of Earth’s atmosphere.
But these missions don’t come without cost, a cost both in technology
and in loss of human life.
While manned missions can result in the injury or death of
humans, they also offer a unique perspective on exploration. However, robotic
missions can go places humans cannot and often for far less money (Chavis,
2015, para. 1). With increased pressure
to mitigate the costs associated with manned space operations, technological
advancements have introduced unmanned systems capable of traveling long
distances, over decades of time, searching for answers to life itself all while
collecting valuable scientific data in hopes of supporting colonization beyond
that of Earth and its dwindling resources.
An article written by Jason Chavis, Disadvantages to Manned Missions to Space (2015) introduced the benefits
of robotic spaceflight versus that of manned operations by presenting concerns of Safety, Health, Time and Costs. The following are excerpts from
each of these concerns:
Safety Concerns
Safety is a major issue of manned
and remote space missions. Both government agencies and the public regard the
deaths or injuries of astronauts or cosmonauts a major failure. Conversely,
robotic spaceflights have virtually no risk to humans outside of ground accidents.
In total, five percent of all people who have attempted to fly into space have
died (para. 2).
Health Risks
When astronauts or cosmonauts fly
into space, they can experience a number of illnesses including immune
deficiency, collapse of bone and muscle tissue, decompression sickness and
radiation poisoning. Robotic
spaceflights have no issues in regards to health. Since there are no humans present, very little
affects the spacecraft. Robots are able
to achieve their missions with almost no threat to human life (para. 3).
Time Frame
Manned missions are definitely at a
disadvantage when it comes to time. Human crews are required to train for
months to years in order to pilot spacecraft. Robotic spacecraft, on the other
hand, are built to conduct their mission immediately. However, there is a
disadvantage to construction because of the fact that it takes years to build
an unmanned craft.
In addition, there are limitations
to what manned space flight can accomplish in regards to the time it takes to
get to destinations. Humans are limited on lifespan, which causes the timespan
of a flight to become an important factor. Meanwhile, robotic spacecraft have
no such factors impacting their lifespan. This becomes highly important since
no medical emergencies can be handled from the ground crew short of advice to
the astronauts (para. 4).
Costs
The overall cost of human
spaceflight versus robotic missions is a significant factor in the decision to
continue missions. According to NASA, each space shuttle mission costs $420
million on average, but increased drastically after the Columbia disaster.
These missions generally only last one to two weeks. Robotic missions cost
significantly less money considering the tasks can take place over the course
of years. For example, the Cassini-Huygens and Voyager missions have lasted
years. In many ways, robotic missions are preferred over what many people may
consider a traditional manned mission to space (para. 5).
References
Graber, S. (2007). Sputnik and The Dawn of the Space Age Retrieved from https://history.nasa.gov/sputnik/
Patenaude, M. (2015). What drives humans to explore the unknown? Retrieved from http://www.rochester.edu/newscenter/journeys-into-the-unknown-91212/
