When the federal government announced its plans to end NASA’s shuttle program in 2011, it seemed as though the excitement of worlds beyond was going to be lost, at least for the foreseeable future. We’re glad to see that’s not the case, however, with exciting news continuing to come from those who research the outermost realms of our universe. While we are no longer sending manned spacecraft out into space, technology has advanced to a point where machines can actually gather all the information we seek, and more safely at that.
No, it doesn’t have the magical allure of human eyes gazing upon the planet Earth from above, floating weightlessly in sealed suits, but the findings are still exciting to anyone who wonders what’s out there.
NASA has been sending rovers to Mars for years now, and on Monday, its 10th and newest explorer, Maven, blasted off. If it makes it, the rover will reach the red planet in September, scientists say, joining three other spacecraft already surveying the planet. Scientists believe Mars once had an atmosphere to hold water and microbial life may have existed there. What they find through these rovers may help them discover why it’s now a cold, dry planet ”“ and could help us figure out how to save Earth from a similar fate. It will also help prepare NASA for the thrilling possibility of a manned flight to Mars, which is slated for sometime in the 2030s.
In addition to NASA’s work, earlier this month, the National Academy of Sciences released its findings from years of research using the Kepler telescope, which found evidence of several Earth-like planets. The telescope was researching 42,000 sunlike stars in our galaxy, the Milky Way, and found that about 22 percent of them have planets similar to our size and at an appropriate distance from their sun. That’s often called the “Goldilocks Zone,” not too hot, not too cold ”“ just right to support life as we know it.
It’s unclear yet, of course, if these planets have any water or atmospheres, but the finding is exciting nonetheless. It had long been thought that Earth is a unique planet in its qualities, but now we know that may not be so. Finding so many planets similar to Earth in our own galaxy is one thing, but it’s mind-boggling to realize that the Milky Way is one of only 200 billion or more galaxies in the universe. The sheer numbers make it probable that some sort of life exists on these planets, as on ours, and it’s enough to really get one’s imagination going. With advances in technology coming every day, we just might meet up with some extraterrestrials within the next few generations.
All of this investment in exploring other worlds gives us technological advances that are useful here on Earth; it’s well-known that the space program gave us great inventions such as cordless tools and smoke detectors. But supporting this research speaks to something deeper in us, too. Humans are naturally curious creatures, and we want to know all we can about our surroundings. The efforts by NASA and groups such as the National Academy of Sciences not only inspire wonder and innovation; they help us get closer to answering one of human existence’s biggest questions: Are we alone?
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Today’s editorial was written by Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Kristen by calling 282-1535, ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.
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