Space technology refers to the apparatus utilized for extraterrestrial activities like space exploration, spaceflight, and Earth observation. Spacecraft, satellites, space stations, and orbital launch vehicles all fall under the category of space technology. It also encompasses tools and strategies for supporting infrastructure, deep space communication, and in-space propulsion, among many other technologies.
Because of how strange the space environment is, trying to work in it frequently requires learning new tools and methods. A few commonplace services that strongly rely on space infrastructure include the capacity to predict the weather, undertake remote sensing, use satellite navigation systems, watch satellite television, and use some long-distance communication systems. Earth science and astronomy are two disciplines that gain from space technology.
Application of Space Technology
Here are some instances where we use space technology:
Space Exploration
The term “space exploration” refers to the use of astronomy and space technologies to explore the universe. This applies to both already-existing spacecraft and telescopes that are anchored to the Earth, like the Hubble Space Telescope.
Educating people about the Sun, as well as the planets, moons, and other natural satellites in our solar system, is the aim. It also enables us to explore outer space and investigate comets and asteroid belts.
The possibility of human space colonization and the existence of extraterrestrial life are further areas of interest in the fields of astrobiology and exobiology, respectively. The latter gave rise to a wide range of research fields, including bioastronautics, space medicine, space facilities and settlements, and specialized architecture technology.
Read Educational Technology: Types, Benefits, and Drawbacks.
Life on Earth
Artificial satellites can record climate and weather changes and gather data on the oceans, land, air, and clouds of the planet. The data analysis improves planning for sustainable development, disaster management, and global health. It also meshes well with artificial intelligence, machine learning, and agricultural technology.
As a result, we have remote sensing, mapping, crop planning, satellite photography, and navigation, among other things. Space-based technologies are also less expensive and require less infrastructure.
For instance, satellites can offer text, video, and audio communications on a worldwide scale. Furthermore, SpaceX has already put Star Link, a constellation with more than 1700 satellites as of 2021, into orbit. They want to give the majority of the planet access to high-speed, low-latency broadband internet.
Examples of Space Technology
Some significant examples of space technology are as follows:
Satellite
A satellite is a thing that is put into orbit on purpose. To distinguish it from natural satellites like the Moon, it is frequently referred to as an artificial satellite. The first piece of technology to enter orbit was an artificial satellite. On October 4, 1957, the USSR succeeded in doing this when their 83 kg (183 lb) satellite, Sputnik 1, orbited the Earth at a height of roughly 250 km (160 miles).
To analyze the density, pressure, and temperature of the ionosphere, which is located between 48 km (30 miles) and 965 km (600 miles) in height, radio waves were emitted at frequencies of 20.005 MHz and 40.002 MHz. These radio waves were also instrumental in the discovery of the first meteoroid.
What Number of Satellites are in Space?
There are 7389 active artificial satellites in orbit as of the end of April 2021, according to the Outer Orbit Objects Index of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. When compared to 2020, this indicates an increase of 27.97%. It is significant to remember that only 11,139 artificial satellites in total have been sent into orbit; the others have either burnt up on the ground or have stayed in orbit as junk.
Spacecraft
Machines or vehicles called spacecrafts are built to fly across space. Since they can orbit or completely fall towards Earth, spacecraft are a form of artificial satellite. They are useful for many different things, including Earth observation, planetary and space exploration, person or cargo transfer, communication with the Earth, navigation, meteorology, and even space experiments.
Single-stage-to-orbit vehicles are the only kind of spacecraft that can travel into space on their own. Others need a launch vehicle, such as a carrier rocket, to supply the propulsion required to escape the atmosphere. There are two types of spacecraft:
Uncrewed Spacecraft
German-guided ballistic missile V-2, which ascended to an altitude of 189 km in June 1944, was the first unmanned spacecraft. According to the Federation Aeronautique Internationale, the global authority on record-keeping, this significantly exceeded the height threshold of 100 km that the Fédération Aeronautique Internationale defines as entering space. Unmanned spacecraft have now evolved to encompass other categories, including:
- Semi-crewed: A space station’s supporting spacecraft.
- Lunar probe: Spacecraft that circle the moon or travel, observe, map, or land there.
- A plant-based probe: Spacecraft that orbit, fly by, observe, map, land on, or travel across other planets and their moons.
- Deep space satellites: A piece of equipment made for deep space exploration, both within and outside the Solar System.
Crewed Spacecraft
On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin, a 27-year-old USSR astronaut, was aboard Vostok 1, the first spacecraft to carry a human into space, and he spent one full rotation of the Earth there. From takeoff to landing, the mission took 108 minutes, and Yuri descended from the capsule at a height of 7 km. The service module and the capsule, which split apart upon reentry, both touched down in Kazakhstan. Because of their extremely high production costs and intentions for commercial space flight, today’s crewed spacecraft both use fully reusable launch systems and are reusable themselves.
Space Station
The largest inhabited artificial satellite in orbit is the International Space Station (ISS). As a collaboration between space agencies from Japan, Russia, Europe, the United States, and Canada, it was launched on November 20, 1998. It completes 15.5 orbits every day at an average altitude of 250 miles (400 km) and spins the Earth in around 93 minutes. Researchers also utilize the habitat to develop and test the space technologies required for missions to the Moon and Mars.
Read Revolutionizing Transportation: The Power of Autonomous Vehicles.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Space Exploration
One of the reasons why imaginary worlds like those in Star Wars or Star Trek are so popular is because they portray a world where hope may live everywhere. In the latter, humanity triumphs over its fundamental issues with war, starvation, and poverty to become great space explorers.
Over the years, many science-fiction books and movies have shown us that exploring space may be profitable and entertaining. We don’t usually talk about the risks and costs that taking such action can involve for us. Some tribes in the Caribbean had population losses of up to 90% as a result of the introduction of new illnesses by European explorers.
Our entire planet might face the same issues as those island cultures if we started exploring other planets or finding new species. To guarantee that we can all reach the greatest potential outcome, it is crucial to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of space exploration before launching these missions.
Advantages of Space Exploration
Space exploration enables us to anticipate hazards.
Given the size of the universe, hidden threats could be present in practically any place. Even if you merely look at our solar system, asteroids, and comets pose a hazard that, in the event of an impact, would obliterate our planet. Through space exploration, we have the chance to identify these dangers beforehand and set up an encounter that might help to save our race.
Then there are the matters of interstellar concern. With funding from the University of Hawaii’s Near-Earth Object Observations Program, the Pan-STARRS1 telescope discovered Oumuamua, or 11/2018 U1, in 2017. It was up to 10 times longer than it was wide. Additionally, these objects might have an impact on other stars.
It provides us with more knowledge about the cosmos, our galaxy, and our solar system.
We can learn new realities about our planet and culture at the same time when we make the effort to start exploring space. We can then use our domestic STEM resources to put the knowledge we learn from these studies to use. Some NASA technology that was first developed for space programs includes infrared ear thermometers, LED lighting, ventricular-assist systems, anti-icing equipment, and even temper foam. Our attempts to address pressing issues present chances to simultaneously improve life on our planet because innovation is necessary for us to reach the stars.
Space exploration allows us to view humanity in a new light.
Voyager 1 should photograph Earth at a distance of 4 billion miles and more than 30 degrees above the ecliptic plane, according to Carl Sagan’s suggestion. Our planet can be seen as a 0.12-pixel crescent in the picture. This tenth of a pixel represents all of our disputes, political struggles, victories, defeats, loves, losses, and everyday experiences. We are only one little point of light among countless others when viewed through a universal lens.
Sagan wrote, “Look at that dot again.” It’s right here. Home is there. We are that. Every person who has ever existed everyone you know, everyone you love, everyone you have ever heard of lived out their lives on it. On a speck of dust suspended in a sunbeam, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer, every king and peasant, every saint and sinner in the history of our species resided there. Additionally, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines.
Space exploration is one of the few human endeavors that transcends national boundaries.
There are currently 72 nations that claim to have a space program, but only three of them Russia, China, and the United States have a functioning government space agency. These countries’ ability to produce human spaceflight sets the bar for future exploration efforts, despite the political tensions that exist between them.
Six countries (including India, Europe, and Japan) can launch or retrieve several satellites, whereas just 14 of the 72 countries that operate in this sector even have a basic launch capability.
The remaining nations collaborate with those who have the ability of a full launch to handle this aspect of human existence due to the costs and resources required to achieve space flight. This project is one of the few instances where people from different nations can work together without clashing.
New resources are made available to humanity through space exploration.
We were able to discover new raw material resources on our planet that we could utilize to improve life here when we started launching satellites into orbit. This technology gives us the same advantage of discovering minerals, valuable metals, and even brand-new materials that we can employ.
If we extend it to the rest of our solar system. Even though space exploration is expensive, this benefit allows us to somewhat offset those expenditures. If we can give these initiatives enough funding, there’s even a chance they might eventually get profitable.
Disadvantages of Space Exploration
Space travel is already risky given the state of our technology.
Numerous organizations are creating “space tourism” packages that will transport customers to the extreme edge of our atmosphere in a nice aircraft, but this is not an exploration effort.
Over 20 people have died in the course of duty in advancing the goals of the U.S. space program, beginning with Theodore Freeman, who died in the crash of a T-38 in October 1964. Two people, Gus Grissom, and Peter Siebold, were able to endure a crisis that resulted in the destruction of a spaceship.
There might not be a good reason to start spelunking right now.
Human societies have always been fascinated by space exploration because it satisfies our curiosity about the universe. The Hubble telescope’s long-distance images are not the same as going to the place in person. Whether there is a good reason to begin this endeavor needs to be clarified right away. In reality, there aren’t many practical applications to consider.
We might begin mining minerals and raw commodities from asteroids in the future. The urge to colonize other planets may arise in the future. Given that we are still battling issues like poverty and crime here at home, focusing on future requirements that may or may not be necessary in the future may be preferable to addressing our current challenges.
While in space, astronauts are exposed to natural hazards.
During a manned space exploration attempt, if the launch process doesn’t kill you, then the natural threats that exist outside of our planet’s atmosphere could become troublesome in several ways. Astronauts are always at risk from the sun’s radiation, and the absence of gravity could have an impact on their physical well-being.
Experiments with identical twins, one of whom stayed on Earth while the other spent a significant amount of time in space, show that space travel also affects cellular and genetic processes.
The cost of space exploration should be considered account.
The expense of space exploration is one of the key objections to starting initiatives that take humanity beyond our planet. When the American space shuttle program was in operation, the launch’s overall cost was close to $500 million. This amount does not include the expenses associated with postponements, which regularly took place when it was not practical to launch a rocket into orbit.
In our solar system, manned trips could cost ten times as much, but they might be able to take us to Mars or one of Jupiter’s moons. Technology developments in recent years might make this problem more affordable for the younger generation, but we should consider whether spending billions on space exploration is the proper course of action when there are people on Earth who are starving to death.
The current space exploration missions might only go one way.
Our technology gave the astronauts a chance to land on the moon’s surface and then return to their spacecraft when we placed them there. For asteroids, moons orbiting other planets, and other celestial worlds devoid of an atmosphere, we might take a similar course of action. If we decide to start exploring it, the astronauts’ trip to Mars might be a one-way excursion.
The amount of time required to go to a location beyond the moon makes staging a rescue effort almost impossible if something goes wrong, even if this mission does not turn out to be a one-way expedition.
