When people hear the word ‘space’, they often think of the planets, stars, the sun, and the moon. However, many do not think about the dangers and life-threatening events that astronauts face daily in space.
Why is space so intriguing?
People love traveling to space and exploring everything it has to offer. Researchers have found that people love space travel so much due to a natural desire to understand where we are in the universe, and the purpose of everything being the way it is. Space travel has created a better understanding and appreciation for our planet, Earth.
Most people would not choose to travel to space due to all the dangers it poses, yet some are willing to go and explore. When going to space, people feel a sense of freedom due to the lack of gravity, and they gain the ability to move around anywhere they would like to. People want to push the boundaries of human knowledge and learn more about our solar system.
What are some benefits of space travel?
Space travel has so many amazing benefits for us! Space travel allows us to improve health care, protect our planet and environment, improve our day-to-day lives, enhance safety on Earth and so much more. Wh
ile astronauts are in space, they can gather information that will help us understand Earth so much more. Astronauts have discovered water on Mars which means it is potentially habitable for us. This is a good thing because if people are able to live there then Earth will not reach its carrying capacity as fast.
Astronauts can also see what different storms look like, which can help us figure out why they occur in the first place. When in space, people can see all of Earth and observe what is happening. They can also take pictures and see what changes Earth undergoes year round from the impact people have on our planet over time.
The dangers of space travel
The majority of people would be terrified to travel into space because of the dangers it poses. While in space, there is little to no gravity which is a problem for the human body since we are so used to the constant gravitational pull. This results in needing physical therapy for a while after the return to Earth.
The most dangerous parts of space travel are when you are leaving the atmosphere and when you re-enter the atmosphere. However, while you are in space there are many more dangers and possible go wrongs. While in space, astronauts face harsh conditions and run the risks of oxygen hoses detaching from the ship, space suits tearing, and any possible infections that linger on their suits or in the space craft.
As for eating, using the bathroom, sleeping, and drinking water, there are a lot of challenges. Astronauts have to eat freeze-dried pre-made meals that were prepared for them on Earth and packed. In order to drink water, they have to drink sweat and urine once it is filtered out and safe for consumption. In order to use the bathroom, astronauts must use suction so the waste does not float around the spacecraft. And in order to sleep they have to stay in small phone-booth-sized pods while being strapped down to insure they do not float around.
What do you think?
The risks are high, but the discoveries are incredible. The possibilities are endless, yet we have only discovered a fraction. Would you want to go to Outer Space one day?
