After the Americans landed on the Moon, many people on the planet believed that at the beginning of the XXI century no one would be surprised by traveling in outer space. However, this reality is still very far away. Despite the vigorous activity in this direction, it is unlikely that a similar scenario will be realized in the next decade. Thanks to the study of outer space, it is possible not only to organize flights to other planets in the future, but also to improve life on Earth. Research in this area provides valuable information to help develop new technologies.
Protection against asteroids
According to astronomers who study celestial bodies, the possibility of the Earth colliding with an asteroid is great. According to their calculations, once in 10 thousand years such a probability can overtake our planet.
The celestial body in the form of an asteroid represents a serious threat to humanity. If we assume that its dimensions will be equal to the dimensions of the football field, then after the collision, irreversible consequences will arise. Such a catastrophe will lead to the death of people on the planet. What happened to the dinosaurs is going to happen to us - extinction. Therefore, scientists constantly monitor the movement of asteroids in outer space. This will allow to bring down such a body on the approach to the planet. Of course, you have to use nuclear technology. At least, a powerful charge is enough for a dangerous asteroid to change its trajectory.
If a cosmic body with a diameter of 100 m collides with the Earth, then a huge dust storm will form on the planet and the forests will die. Surviving people will be doomed to hunger. Therefore, there is a high probability of the complete destruction of humanity.
Space Raw Materials
The number of valuable metals on Earth decreases annually. Therefore, in the future, people will sooner or later have to mine minerals on other planets. However, in order to achieve the objectives, it will be necessary to use new technologies. With their help, we will have to create spaceships capable of delivering at least robotic equipment to other planets, and in the opposite direction - gold, platinum, silver, and so on. To ensure the transportation of equipment and raw materials over long distances will not fit the engines used in the present. Therefore, space research of the 21st century is carried out in the field of nuclear technology. They, probably, will allow to create a truly efficient nuclear engine, with the help of which the flight time between space bodies will be significantly reduced.
Some companies are already conducting research on mining, for example, on asteroids. Some scientists even argue that in the relatively near future there will be such a profession as a space miner. Most likely, the first such specialist will work on the moon. On our satellite, you can mine helium-3. It is already used for MRI today. Helium-3 is also supposed to be used as fuel for nuclear power plants. Currently, the cost of this substance is 5,000 US dollars per liter. In addition to helium-3, tantalum can also be mined on the moon. It is a rare earth element. It is used in the manufacture of solar cells and other high-tech devices.
Development of medicine
Space research has influenced the appearance of a large number of medicines used directly on Earth. Especially many discoveries were made in the field of drugs that help in the fight against cancer. A new way of introducing the drug into the cancer was also developed. In addition, such studies have helped to invent a special mechanical arm-manipulator, which performs very complex operations inside the tomographs. Space exploration has also contributed to the invention of osteoporosis medicine. It not only treats the disease, but also allows for effective prevention. The appearance was facilitated by the development of means by which astronauts are protected from the loss of muscle and bone mass when gravity does not act on them. Testing of invented drugs was carried out in space, as a person in such conditions loses about one and a half percent of bone mass in one month.
Colonization of outer space
Scientists are increasingly concluding that sooner or later they will have to populate other planets. They come to this conclusion because the number of people on Earth is constantly increasing. In this case, the amount of resources on the planet regularly decreases. At the same time, the ecological situation is deteriorating. Scientists even performed some calculations and came to the conclusion that a maximum of 16 billion people could normally exist on Earth. However, the deterioration of life will begin in the near future, when you and I will be 8 billion.
Such predictions have launched a program for the study of space. Scientific research is aimed at exploring the possibility of interplanetary travel. One of the planets in question is Mars, on which, it is supposed, life already existed before. Probes are launched regularly to this cosmic body. On its surface, the rover is already running. He not only takes pictures of the surface of the planet, but also studies its atmosphere and soil.
Scientists are also developing modules that allow people to live and work on Mars. This issue began to be dealt with in the last century. However, the problem of delivering heavy loads to Mars and in the opposite direction has not yet been fully resolved. Various power plant options for spacecraft are being developed. Some of them are designed on the basis of solar cells, while others may work on nuclear fuel. In any case, it is required to develop such an engine that will allow delivering people and equipment to another planet in the shortest period of time.
Conclusion
People from the very beginning of their appearance were a nomadic way of life. As a result, new areas were settled. Today, man lives on all continents of the Earth, each of which he has studied quite well. Therefore, with the advent of new technologies, humanity has turned its attention to near and far space. People every year conduct a huge amount of research in this area. They constantly set new goals for themselves. Although it is very difficult to achieve the desired results, the study of space still allows you to regularly receive some innovative technology that improves the lives of people on Earth.
