Counterpoint: We All Benefit from Space Exploration.Authors:Issitt, MicahMoreno-Riano, GersonSource:Points of View: U.S. Space Program, 2011, p3-3, 1pThesis: Space exploration is a beneficial and productive use of government funds and should be maintained and expanded as a matter of policy.Summary: The United States space program began as an attempt to prevent the former Soviet Union from gaining control over outer space and using it to their strategic advantage during the Cold War (1947-1991). Since that time, however, the U.S. government has considered space exploration as a peaceful venture that can expand human knowledge and engender international cooperation.Research into space technology has led to the development of a myriad of technological advancements, and has also increased scientific understanding of the universe and cosmological history. In addition, space exploration has become a model for international scientific cooperation and has helped secure space as a peaceful frontier for the exploration and education of all humankind.A Campaign of National Pride When Soviet scientists launched the worlds first orbiting satellite, Sputnik, in 1957, it ignited already rampant fears in the United States about the threat of the spread of communism. In an effort to prevent the Soviet Union from using space exploration to gain a military advantage, the U.S. rapidly expanded its own national space exploration program in 1958, headed by the newly-created National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).Despite the fear of imminent war with communist forces, President John F. Kennedy, who was arguably the space programs most ardent executive supporter, announced that space exploration would be a peaceful venture intended to foster knowledge and science, and not a tool for war.With this executive endorsement, NASA exceeded the progress of the Soviet Union and established the United States as the worlds leader in space exploration. The space program became a source of national pride, showing that the U.S. could overcome obstacles to its progress.Kennedys vision of peaceful space exploration was fulfilled, and space became an arena for multinational collaboration. The International Space Station (ISS) project, initiated in 1998, represents the culmination of international cooperation in space. It is headed by collaboration between NASA and the Russian Federal Space Academy (RSA), but also involves components and technology developed by fourteen other international teams.The Cost of Space Exploration As the Cold War ended and it became clear that space was not going to become the next great battleground, public interest began to wane. The space program retained support from subsequent administrations largely because of its scientific and practical benefit in terms of the new technology that resulted from NASA research. In addition, a portion of the American public remained interested in space out of an intellectual desire to learn about the universe. As recent as January 2009, in a poll conducted by the Coalition for Space Exploration, 88 percent of respondents expressed the belief that the space program is a worthwhile venture even despite the tough economic climate present.In 2008, President George W. Bush earmarked a total 17.61 billion dollars for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration projects for the coming year. As concerns about healthcare and rising consumption costs increased, legislators and taxpayers expressed concern over allocating funds to the space program. To gain a better perspective, the cost of space exploration must be compared to government expenditures in other areas. For the 2008 budget, the President requested that national defense receive $481.4 billion and Medicare receive $386 billion in federal funding.In 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia exploded over Texas after re-entering the atmosphere, killing the seven astronauts aboard. In the wake of the tragedy, the benefits of space exploration were called into question. The ensuing debate actually aided the space program by helping NASA identify problems within its organization and propose budget reallocation. It also helped educate the public on the various benefits and innovations arising from the space program.The Benefits of Space Exploration Historically, many of the technological advancements resulting from the space program were unexpected discoveries. For instance, research on better lenses for the cameras used in space satellites led to the development of scratch-resistant eyeglasses. Similarly, Nitinol, a metal that can withstand extreme contortion used in the arms and legs of space satellites, has found a secondary use in the manufacture of orthodontic braces. Today, each potential problem overcome by NASA scientists represents the potential for new technology that meets some previously unforeseen human need.One of the primary goals of the space program has been to investigate the effects of space flight