Final Rationale

           The future of human success is in space exploration. Thus we must address the possibilities within it. The question to be addressed is: Can humans and robots colonize other planets and moons in our solar system and beyond? I believe that we can. I wish to educate the general populous about our future as a race advancing into space, and hopefully encourage more young scholars to pursue careers in astronomy, astrophysics etc., as to further this goal of exploration and colonization along more quickly, as well as persuade readers of the importance of space exploration. This paper is intended for scholars, as well as anyone interested in the future exploration of our universe. It will be written in the format of a research paper as to inform readers of the issue from different points of view and practicality. I understand that most people don’t know a huge amount about this topic, and I intend to address that. I plan on using work from NASA and scholarly journals written by astronomers, engineers, and astrophysicists. I hope to inform and inspire.

                When people think about the future, they often think of space ships, and aliens and other science-fiction related things. What many fail to imagine is; what if we don’t make it to “the future”? In the second section of my paper, I plan to move into the politics of space exploration. I will address the treaty of 1967, the necessity for humans to explore, different views on colonization, and the survival issues of humans in space. I will also address the phenomenon of private space exploration. Our planet won’t last forever, and if we [the human race] wish to make it to this alleged science-fiction future, we must accept that fact and work towards moving away from our dying planet and into the rest of this universe. Space exploration is no longer an idea of science-fiction; it is now an idea of the near future.

                Astronomy as a science dates back to pre-historical Europe. While they did not possess the tools we have now, it is human nature to be curious, and even in ancient times, people wondered what was beyond the stars. Humans need oxygen and water to survive, thus making many planets uninhabitable. There is also the problem of time taken to reach a planet (i.e. if you left on a rocket to Mars today, it would take you roughly 30 years to get there). The advancement of robotics however has enabled to branch further out than we currently could if we only used human pioneers. I will address the lawyers working for grant money for these advancements as well as human-robotic partnerships. There are many benefits to using robots as opposed to humans, and they must be shared. I will also discuss the technology currently in use and the technology being worked on for future use. Astrophysics, biochemical physics, and aeronautical engineering are all making progress in hopes to further our existence into the universe.

In the 1960s, the United States of America, the Russian Federation, China, and India all began working towards traveling to Earth’s nearest terrestrial body: the moon. Throughout the 1960s, moon travels were all the rage. This decade came to be known by astronomers as the “space age.” After the hype of the first man walking on the moon however, the general public lost interest. There were still advances being made, but people didn’t seem to care. Because of this, financial, and political reasons, with the exception of the International Space Station, little work been done to move humans to terrestrial bodies other than our own. This is not to say that there are not men and women working every day in labs and in the International Space Station to make progress, but unfortunately due to it being seen as a luxury opposed to a necessity, funding for these programs has not been good. It is understandable of course. There are many Earthly problems that need funding to be attended to now, as to where space exploration can be attended to later, but later may be too late. If we do not put effort into expanding our existence now, we may never have the chance.

Physics is a huge factor in every branch of science including space travel. Because of this, I must include the physics of discovered habitable planets, the possible health issues of space travel and the barriers in our way. I must also address the likelihood of our colonization of planets in terms of particle astrophysics, and gamma radiation.

         I will then conclude my paper reasserting the importance and necessity of our advancement into the universe. The advancements in science and technology that we must make, the political and economic issues of space travel, and attempt to personally connect with my readers through appeals to emotion.

Outline

Space Exploration Outline:

I)                   Introduction: I give a brief overview of topic, followed by my thesis statement:

a)      Humans need to expand to survive.

i)                    Future missions by NASA are planned to search for terrestrial planets. (Fridlund)

ii)                  It is thought that in today’s society it may be more practical to send robots on these missions. (Bhandari)

b)      Education of people about space exploration.

i)                    The more that people know about space, the more the issue of exploration will be able to be intelligently addressed. (Scarlatos)

c) Thesis Statement: If we wish to survive as a race, we must expand our existence beyond our planet alone. We cannot put it off any longer. If advancement towards space exploration is not made, the human race will eventually cease to exist out of our own procrastination.

II) The Politics of Space Travel: There are many conflicting views on whether humans should explore space, and how much they should. This can be a big issue in funding space programs.

        

a)   In 1967, a treaty was signed by the UN governing the principles of space exploration. (Faith)

i)              Different countries have different views on space exploration in terms of morality, necessity, and economy. (Coates)

b)   Many feel that space exploration is necessary for human beings. (Narenda)

i)              Human survival could be based upon prospective planet colonization. (Crawford)

c)   Some humans are wealthy enough to avoid private spaceflight now, and this could be a field that would lead to humans one day paying their way to colonization of planets (Dubbs)

III) Advancement into our solar system will greatly rely on technology.

a)   There are many needs we have as a race in a technological sense that we do not have yet, but could possibly attain through funding. (Krishen)

i)              There are people fighting for these grants and making good cases for them. Simple advancements in technology can change everything. (Crawford)

b)   Human-robotic partnerships may be the biggest tool in advancing us into the solar system. (Garvin)

i)              Robots will be able to withstand harsher conditions than humans, as well as keep humans out of danger. (Bogue)

ii)            Some robotic systems are already being put to use in space exploration. (Gelfand, Hoffstad, Margolis)

c)   There are great engineers working around the world on technology to be used and currently in use.

i)              In addition to robotic systems in use, there are engineers developing technology to be used soon. (Kahng, Li, Peh, Samadi)

ii)            The Hubble Telescope is possible the most famous astronomical instrument, and for good reason. (Aurora, Kirk)

IV) Physics is the makeup of everything, and the advancement of physics means the advancement of human beings.

a)   There are roughly 22,000,000 habitable planets discovered in our universe, and counting. (Fridlund)

i)              The knowledge of physics is helping us unveil the mysteries of outer space and paving the way for exploration. (Greene)

ii)            Radiation and other health problems are also being solved by physics. (Lehoucq)

iii)          The sun may be our biggest obstacle in space exploration. And who is there to help us with this problem? Once again, physics. (Brown)

b)   Colonization of planets will be our biggest goal. (Fridlund)

i)              We must decipher which planets are the “easiest” to possibly colonize. (Fridlund)

ii)            Particle astrophysics are a land barrier in space travel, and we are working into it. (Hallin, Hallman)

iii)          Gamma Rays have been featured in literature causing mutations, but their possible re-precautions are very real. And finding how to survive their effects will be crucial in colonization. (Catanese, Weekes)

V) Conclusion

         a) Importance

         b) Physics/technology

         c) Funding

         d) Presidential quote 

Chapter 14

Chapter 14 is about drafting. Using your outline is an important factor in your draft. Some things to remember to when trying to draft effective paragraphs are focusing on a central idea, following an organizing pattern, using details to capture your readers attention, integrate information from sources effectively, and create transitions between and within paragraphs. When drafting your introduction, you should frame the issue, and  select a strategy. When working on your conclusion, make sure to reinforce your points and select a strategy. Drafting doesn’t have to be clean. It doesn’t have to look good at all in fact. If it helps you to sit down and powerwrite your draft with a pencil, you can. While people or professors may wish to see your drafts, but your final paper will be what matters, so draft how you want. Drafting with people is helpful as they can offer feedback to which you can note but not necessarily have to use. You can write as many drafts as you wish and drastically change all of them. A good strategy might be to draft lots of papers, take your favorite parts form all of them, then combine them to form your paper. Drafting is open to your interpretation. Take advantage of it.

Chapter 17

Chapter 17 is about revising and editing. Things to remember to focus on while revising your document are your situation, your argument and ideas, your sources, your organization, and your genre and design. Some revising strategies are multiple drafting, highlighting your main points, reasons, and evidence, challenging your assumptions, scanning, outlining, and mapping your document, and asking for feedback. When editing your document, focus on accuracy, economy, consistency, style, and spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Some editing strategies are reading carefully, marking and searching your document, and once again, ask for feedback. Editing and revising techniques will vary from writer to writer, but the important thing to remember is to challenge yourself. If you accept that everything you have written is pure gold, you will never make any progress in your document. Playing the “so what” game can be a great way to make sure that you have thoroughly backed up all of your arguments. Never stop editing. The more changes, the better your paper is likely to be, however it is a good idea to take a few days between edits if possible. Looking at things with fresh eyes can be a big eye-opener. Don’t be afraid to take chances with your paper. You can always go make and fix things you don’t like.  

Chapter 18

Chapter 18 is about understanding and using design principles. To use design effectively, you must understand design principles such as: balance, emphasis, placement, repetition, and consistency. You must design for a purpose and design for your readers. Help your readers understand the organization of the document. Make it easy for them to locate information and ideas, and help tem recognize the function (parts) of a document. And be sure to look at your genre and design to address its conventions. Some ideas for design elements are; fonts, line spacing, alignment, page layout elements, color, shading, borders, rules and illustrations like photos, charts or graphs, and tables. But use your illustrations for a purpose. Make sure to place the illustrations near the text they represent, and MAKE SURE to include a title or caption that identifies or explains said illustration. Design can make or break a paper. Some readers will give up if a paper doesn’t hold their interest, and design is a good way to avoid that problem. In addition to this, design is another way in which you are able to add your own personal feel to a formal paper, and possibly use this to connect with your readers more. 

Chapter 15

Chapter 15 is about using sources effectively. To use sources to accomplish your purposes as a writer, make sure that you introduce your idea or argument, contrast other ideas or arguments, and make sure to supply evidence for your arguments. Aligning your argument with an authority figure can provide some prestige to your opinion. Remember to define a concept, illustrate a process, and/or clarify a statement. When introducing your argument, remember to set a mood, provide an example, and amplify or qualify your point. When integrating sources into your draft, you must be sure to identify them. You can do this by using attributions and in-text citations or providing context. Paying attention to your quotes and place them strategically. Feel free to use partial quotes along with complete and block quotations. You can modify your quotations as appropriate, but be sure to remember to correctly punctuate them. You can paraphrase information, ideas, and arguments as well as summarize them. Other ways to display your information are the presentation of numerical information as well as the use of images, audio recordings, and animated sources. When documenting your sources, you must first choose a document style. Then provide in-text references and publication information, check for unattributed sources in your document, and distinguish between your ideas and ideas in your sources.

Beginning Rationale

           The future of human success is in space exploration. Thus we must address the possibilities within it. The question to be addressed is: Can humans and robots colonize other planets and moons in our solar system and beyond? I believe that we can. I wish to educate the general populous about our future as a race advancing into space, and hopefully encourage more young scholars to pursue careers in astronomy, astrophysics etc., as to further this goal of exploration and colonization along more quickly, as well as persuade readers of the importance of space exploration. This paper is intended for scholars, as well as anyone interested in the future exploration of our universe. It will be written in the format of a research paper as to inform readers of the issue from different points of view and practicality. I understand that most people don’t know a huge amount about this topic, and I intend to address that. I plan on using work from NASA and scholarly journals written by astronomers, engineers, and astrophysicists. I hope to inform and inspire.

                When people think about the future, they often think of space ships, and aliens and other science-fiction related things. What many fail to imagine is; what if we don’t make it to “the future”? Our planet won’t last forever, and if we [the human race] wish to make it to this alleged science-fiction future, we must accept that fact and work towards moving away from our dying planet and into the rest of this universe. Space exploration is no longer an idea of science-fiction; it is now an idea of the near future.

                Astronomy as a science dates back to pre-historical Europe. While they did not possess the tools we have now, it is human nature to be curious, and even in ancient times, people wondered what was beyond the stars. Humans need oxygen and water to survive, thus making many planets uninhabitable. There is also the problem of time taken to reach a planet (i.e. if you left on a rocket to Mars today, it would take you roughly 30 years to get there). The advancement of robotics however has enabled to branch further out than we currently could if we only used human pioneers. Astrophysics, biochemical physics, and aeronautical engineering are all making progress in hopes to further our existence into the universe.

In the 1960s, the United States of America, the Russian Federation, China, and India all began working towards traveling to Earth’s nearest terrestrial body: the moon. Throughout the 1960s, moon travels were all the rage. This decade came to be known by astronomers as the “space age.” After the hype of the first man walking on the moon however, the general public lost interest. There were still advances being made, but people didn’t seem to care. Because of this, financial, and political reasons, with the exception of the International Space Station, little work been done to move humans to terrestrial bodies other than our own. This is not to say that there are not men and women working every day in labs and in the International Space Station to make progress, but unfortunately due to it being seen as a luxury opposed to a necessity, funding for these programs has not been good. It is understandable of course. There are many Earthly problems that need funding to be attended to now, as to where space exploration can be attended to later, but later may be too late. If we do not put effort into expanding our existence now, we may never have the chance.