Research, Development, And Exploration Shape Our Lives

Whenever I hear someone say space missions like Artemis are wasteful, part of me actually “gets” what may be inspiring that sentiment. Luther Vandross had a hit song called “Here and Now.” Many people live by those words and are motivated by what they see or experience in the moment. For them, that moment is made up of economic, health, job, and other “kitchen table” issues affecting their household. A rocketship traveling to the moon and back seems frivolous and far removed.

However, the scientist and “bigger picture” thinker in me frowns upon the “it’s wasteful” narrative because it is short-sighted. I spent the first twelve years of my career as an Earth scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and currently conduct atmospheric science research as a professor at the University of Georgia. In both capacities, I have observed that many people take research and development for granted. Ironically, those same people use cellphones, GPS systems, medication, airplanes or weather forecasts. Heck, they may even watch the Master’s golf tournament on a 4K-enabled smart TV or via streaming service on a tablet.

All of those things are products of research and development related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. STEM R&D matters, but people often notice the TV rather than what went into making it. I often wonder if they believe in the STEM fairy and that it produced these technological or medical advances. In reality, basic research on electrons, neurons, viruses, and artificial intelligence led to many of the things we enjoy.

Space exploration is the same way. It provides many advances used on Earth in manufacturing, automation, medicine, transportation systems, agriculture and communication. One study specifically noted that electronic miniaturization required for space travel is a hallmark of many of the things we use daily like cellphones or laptop computers.

It Is A Unifying Moment

Our country is quite divided right now. There are political, socio-economic, cultural, religious and other differences that are exploited and amplified by the social media landscape. Over the past week, I noticed something. Many people across my social ecosystem were locked in on the Artemis mission. They were posting about incredible moon or Earth pictures, asking about the splashdown process, and affirming awe or pride in the moment.

Beyond patriotic or personal moments here in the U.S., missions like Artemis are often collaborative. “Since its inception, every state in America has made a contribution to the success of NASA’s Artemis campaign, with companies hard at work on innovations that will help establish a long-term human presence at the Moon,” said NASA’s website. It went on to say, “Men and women across America and around the world are building the systems to support missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond…. These missions are critical to an expanding space economy, fueling new industries and technologies, supporting job growth, and furthering the demand for a highly skilled workforce.”

Multiple presidents, policymakers, government staff, university researchers, and industry enabled the investments, workforce, and innovation that led to Artemis and future missions. Space exploration is a long game. It requires sustained investments and a deep bench of expertise.

The Canadian Space Agency, Japanese Space Agency, European Space Agency, and Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center were key contributors to Artemis II. One of the four crew members was Canadian. Additionally, several American companies, small and large, contributed vital components to the mission. For example, the University of Georgia recently highlighted contributions of the company Vista Photonics. The company was founded by one of its alumni. The Orion cabin air quality system provided by the company emerged from basic research on laser spectroscopy.

What if our planet faced an alien invasion? Would we set aside political or global differences for the sake of humanity? When we look back at the pictures of Earth taken from Orion, there are no boundaries or political party colors. For me, Orion was one of those rare unifying moments. With the exception of the space conspiracy theorists, the online narratives reflected awe and excitement.

It Is About Survival Of Humanity

People are focused on the “here and now," and everything tends to be local. As a meteorology expert, I know this well. If a forecast is not what someone expects in their backyard, people perceive the entire forecast as wrong even if it rained a mile away. For the most part, people probably don’t think about the fact that there is no “plan B” planet. Future generations cannot be tethered to this planet for ever, and the moon is a stepping stone to Mars or space colonization.

These are the topics of movies today. However, it will likely be the reality for future generations. Our planet is under stress, so it is certainly within our best interest to have a “plan B,” right? We have to start somewhere. There was a significant break between Apollo and Artemis. In that time, technological advancements have made things possible that were likely not envisioned during the Apollo era. I have actually seen the question, “Why are we repeating something already achieved fifty years ago?” The answer lies with intent. During Apollo, we were trying to win a space race and prove we could do it. Now, we need to do it to spark a pathway for human existence beyond Earth. As one of my favorite hip hop groups De La Soul rapped years ago, the stakes are high.

Artemis set a record for the greatest distance traveled in space by humans. This is the tip of the iceberg. Future lunar bases and “rest stops” to Mars are inevitable, but that all has to start now. Space exploration is not a “microwave” process. It is a slow crockpot recipe.

The Children

Speaking of future generations, Artemis is an inspiration for students of all ages. Students were asking questions, and that is always a good thing. Inquiry is the seedling of progress and antidote of ignorance. “The U.S. science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce in 2023 represented about a quarter of all workers in the domestic economy and demonstrated distinct patterns of educational attainment and industry concentration,” according to the National Science Foundation.

The NSF website continued, “Recent assessments reveal concerning trends in U.S. K–12 STEM education, with incomplete recovery from pandemic-related learning losses and declining international competitiveness, particularly in mathematics." For example, U.S. eighth graders scored in the middle of the pack in science and in the bottom third for mathematics in recent assessments comparing 18 countries. Those numbers are disturbing.

“Space exploration fuels our children’s curiosity and imagination. Role models like astronauts inspire students to dream, and consequently, achieve their goals,” according to the Canadian Space Agency website. It continued, “Many astronauts, engineers, scientists and innovators remember watching the Moon landings as kids and being motivated to work towards their dreams.” While everyone will not be an astronaut, the world needs scientists, engineers, technicians, and coders for future missions in space as well as everyday missions in our daily lives.