Space exploration can increase our knowledge of the Earth and the universe. Humans have a natural desire to understand the world around them and to answer big questions like “How did we get here?”

Exploring space has unlocked some of Earth’s mysteries. Specifically, space programs have helped humans learn about the following:

• long-term changes in the surface of the Earth
• changes in temperature in the atmosphere
• how flames spread and move
• the forces, properties, and interactions of different fluids

With space tourism, more flights to space means more opportunities to conduct research and to make that science more accessible. Research carried out in space is incredibly expensive. If private individuals and organizations pay to conduct research in space, that would mean countries with space programs don’t have to spend as many public dollars.

The “Inspiration 4” mission also benefitted research indirectly by raising a huge sum of money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

Space exploration is important because it advances technology. The technologies created in order to explore space have been used to improve life on Earth as well.

Just imagine… What other inventions and technology could be developed as a result of continued space exploration?

Space exploration is the next big adventure for the human race. Simply put, it is thrilling and inspiring. It is human nature to push the boundaries of what we can see and do, and where we can go. In the past, space exploration has only been available to a select few who meet the educational and physical requirements for becoming an astronaut. Space tourism opens up the incredible experience of space travel to a wider range of people.

Space tourism is incredibly expensive. Some 90-minute suborbital flights have been reported to start at $450,000. Theoretically, space tourism makes outer space accessible to the general public. However, the truth is that only very wealthy individuals can afford it. This makes “accessibility” a weak argument. Is space accessible if only an elite group of people get to experience it?

The carbon footprint of launching vessels into space is large. A spaceflight causes very high emissions, approximately 100 times more than an airplane flight. Those emissions damage our ozone layer. If space tourism becomes more popular, the level of emissions would increase significantly.

It is difficult to pin down the exact amount of pollution commercial spaceflight may cause. This depends on various factors such as the type of fuel used, the energy required to manufacture that fuel, and the soot that is released.

In a 2010 study, The Aerospace Corp. in El Segundo, California estimated that the soot produced by releasing approximately one thousand space tourism flights could cause Antarctica to warm by almost one degree Celsius.

Space junk

A second environmental hazard is space junk. There are millions of pieces of human-made debris in space, ranging from large items (like parts of old rockets or satellites) to microscopic flecks of paint. Reaching speeds of up to 18,000 km per hour, space junk is a hazard to people, spacecrafts, and machinery such as satellite technology.

Space travel and exploration are risky because many things can go wrong, endangering the lives of the people on board the spacecraft. Experts expect that with untrained people going to space for the sake of entertainment, this risk will increase.

In addition to accidents that can happen in space, space is simply not a natural place for humans to live. There are harmful radiation levels at times, no gravity, no air, and often extreme high and low temperatures. Astronauts must have excellent health and physical fitness to qualify for space programs. They also require time and support as their bodies adjust to life back on Earth. Canadian astronaut Bob Thirsk explains: “In the same way that every organ system needs to adapt to weightlessness, every organ system needs to re-adapt after a long period of time back to an Earth environment…The rule of thumb is for every month in space, it takes two months for the bones to recover.”

Begin planning your paragraph with your topic sentence. This is also called the introduction. As Teacher Wynne mentioned, a topic sentence can be one sentence or two. For example, you might begin with a statement or a question about your topic, followed by your opinion on the topic.

Here is a sample topic sentence: “Have you ever dreamed of going to space? Space tourism can help you make your dream a reality, and there are several reasons for you to consider it!”

The next step in planning your paragraph is selecting three strong main ideas to support your opinion. Each of your ideas must be explained and supported by details.

In the following video, teachers Shahana and Erika model how to use supporting details:

Comparing paragraphs

In Version 1 of the paragraph, the main ideas are in bold, and the supporting details are highlighted. In Version 2, the supporting details have been stripped out. Compare the two paragraphs:

Which paragraph do you think is more effective? Why?

When you have finished, press Sample Answer.

Sample Answer

Next, plan your concluding sentence. This is also called your summary or conclusion. Did you notice that the paragraph sample in the video had a two-sentence conclusion? Just as with the introduction, a conclusion may be one or more sentences.

To strengthen your writing, use one of these transitional words or phrases to begin your concluding sentence(s) or use one of your own.

• Clearly,
• In summary,
• In conclusion,
• To conclude,
• Without a doubt,
• For these reasons,
• To sum up,
• All things considered,

An adverb at the beginning of a sentence can serve as a transitional word. An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, adjective, another adverb, or – as in this case – a word group. Adverbs often end in “ly.”

Examples of adverbs used as transitional words:

• Therefore, space tourism is too great a risk to our atmosphere.
• Clearly, space tourism is an exciting opportunity.
• Finally, we arrive at the real issue.

A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb, but can’t stand alone as a complete sentence. Its job is to provide information about the main part of the sentence (the independent clause).

In these sentences, the dependent clause is in bold:

• Although there are risks, space travel is still worth it.
• Until we can ensure everyone’s safety, everyday citizens should not be flying in space.