The episode of The Universe I have chosen to write about is Space Travel. I agree that it seems like a long time since there has been anything big done to promote space travel in the last 30 years due to the high cost. However, it is hard for me to relate or believe in the idea of a space elevator. This elevator is supposed to be an efficient way to defy gravity and send supplies and travelers into space. It seems like it would be a very hard thing to figure out how to build.
If and when the space elevator is built, the space traveler must then contend with things such as glass, debris, meteors, and radiation effects from the sun. The effects of heavy iron particles are very dangerous too. So say you defy the odds and survive the beginning portion of your space journey, then you have to continue to thrive while you are there. The loss of gravity on you body has several negative effects. Some examples include motion sickness, muscle atrophy ( especially in the legs ), slowing of the digestive tract, and a decrease in the immune system. Along with these examples, bacteria can grow and mutate due to the radiation. The longer the trip the more complicated things become.
The travelers must pack enough food and supplies with them or figure out a way to make the supplies needed and we are not really at that point in discovery yet. With space travel if there is engine failure and you can't fix it you die. So at this point it seems there are many odds against us. First we must figure a less expensive way to travel into space and once we get there, figure out a way to sustain ourselves for the remainder of the trip. Without sounding negative all of this makes the idea of colonizing space difficult to believe it will ever happen.
The elevator is an interesting thought to send supplies and travelers into space. While attending Mansfield University, I thought it would be cool to build escalators to prevent individuals from tripping on the stairs. I would have never even thought about building an elevator in space. I do see how the elevator could be risky,very risky. Travelers and supplies may be effected by radiation, meteorites, and other debris. I do agree that we should figure out a less expensive way to travel into space. Most importantly, I think we should find a way that provides humans the best benefits and safety when traveling to and living in space. If scientists found a safer and less expensive way to travel to space, would you go?
ReplyDeleteI would agree with you. I believe we have a really long way to go to perfect space travel. After spending yesterday traveling to Florida for a family vacation, I don't see how traveling to space regularly is going to happen. If it's anything like flying on an airplane it will be terrible. We were delayed for over an hour at one of the two layovers and then the minute we began to pull out for takeoff the pilot pulled the plane back in. There were brake issues with the plane. We were asked to get off the plane because it was going to take a while to be fixed. As soon as we got off we were summoned to get back on. It was fixed sooner than expected which was good but now we wait to get all of the passengers back on before we can take off. It was an irritating experience. This is what traveling by air is like and we have been doing this for how long? Still it's not perfect. I can't imagine what it would be like to travel to space when a short trip to Florida has so many glitches.
ReplyDeleteOf course there are always risks to space travel! But, there are risks to everyday life here on Earth. The travelers would obviously be very well educated on all of the risks that they are taking. They would be trained in how to deal with everything that could be thrown their way. As for the physiological problems they will face, they will be educated on how to deal with them. But, I find the space elevator a great idea. I think that it is very far in the future if we ever build one. But, I do like the idea.
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