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ing for space tourism, which he howev- ing more spacecraft, capable of taking
er intends to restrict to low earth orbit. astronauts to the space. Even the means
Virgin Galactic has successfully tested of launching the astronauts aboard the
its latest spacecraft after a few failures ISS are provided through Russia, using
last year. their Soyuz craft. After the US retired its
Humanity’s most groundbreaking space shuttle programme in 2011, there
progresses in space exploration have has almost been little to no progress
always been the result of some sort of to build more spacecraft, owing to the
competition. The Apollo Missions that ever-shrinking space budget.
took us to the moon in the 1969, and The global experts agree on the fact
the later years, was a result of Cold War that if space exploration is to advance
rivalry. This time around, it’s about there has to be aggressive privatisation
commercial rivalry. Except this time, — since the governments can no longer
instead of the governments, it’s the pri- take it. The budgets involved in space
vate billionaires, fighting for a chunk in transportation are massive. Ironically,
the evolving space travel market and the defence and war budgets mas-
the tremendous potential it holds in sively surpass those of space explora-
the future. tion, while in an ideal world, it should
be the other way round. The world right
now is involved in a series of wars and
The foray of tensions, leading to staggering race for
private companies firepower, ever powerful defense and
the most modern weapon systems.
and players in the This is resulting in nations spending
space exploration more and more on modernisation and
upgradation of weapons, powering
has increased the the armies and stockpiling weapons,
whether by import or indigenously.
stakes of space Other areas, like space have therefore
travel by encouraging remained thirsty for funds, resulting
in a stagnation-like situation for space
The foray of private players in the renewed research agencies around the world.
space exploration has increased the and development of Conclusively, in order for the hu-
stakes of space travel by encouraging manity to advance its interests beyond
renewed research and development of space transportation the earth and get into space explora-
space transportation amongst organi- amongst tion, governments around the world
sations. It has helped to break the bar- will need to prioritise space research
riers of miniscule funding by govern- organisations and innovation. Space travel needs far
ments and create avenues for greater more attention than it’s getting from
participation by scientists and corpora- academicians, technologists, govern-
tions alike. The privatisation era will be NASA on the other hand has its own ments and organisations worldwide,
a boon for the space industry and the ambitions. They plan to create a moon and the people in general.
chances of extending our civilisation outpost, known as the Lunar Orbital The fact that there has been no
beyond earth, as it will give a free mar- Platform-Gateway — a moon-orbiting manned mission beyond the earth’s or-
ket to explorers and investors to work space station, intended as a deep space bit since the 70s should force our gov-
together and help advance human platform, besides enabling research ernments to hang their heads in shame
interests to dream of interstellar travel. and commercial experiments on the — for giving exploration and scientific
With the shrinking NASA budget, moon. The agency intends to start advancement less importance than
the torch of space exploration has building the Gateway in the next half- the wars, for ignoring the colossal and
passed on to the private space players decade. NASA, through SpaceX, Boeing game-changing potential space travel
that seem overly enthused to embark and Lockheed Martin, is developing the holds for the humanity, and for ignor-
on the challenge. Amazon Founder, space vehicles for the United States — ing possibilities that could transform
Jeff Bezos, has his plans to colonise the one of them being the Orion space cap- the humankind beyond anyone’s
moon through his little-known project sule, for launch on the Space Launch imagination.
Blue Origin. Richard Branson, through System (SLS). The space agency’s limited
his Virgin Galactic, is aggressively push- budgets have prevented it from build- letters@tehelka.com

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60-61 Younis Dar.indd 3 02/11/18 11:42 AM