5 sentence summary 20 points In July, 2015, the world watched in awe as close-up photographs
of Pluto streamed back to Earth from three billion miles away.
The spacecraft New Horizons had traveled nine years to study the
dwarf planet at the edge of our solar system.

As a result of the mission, scientists discovered that Pluto is not just a giant ball of ice. It has a molten core, tectonic plates, and volcanic activity, just as Earth does. It may even support some form of life. The New Horizons mission has been hailed as a triumph of human ingenuity, and a huge leap forward for the future of space exploration.
Yet it almost didn’t happen. The mission had to overcome some serious challenges before it could get underway—such as repeated threats to defund it.
There have always been naysayers who’ve questioned the need
for space exploration. The argument goes that the United States
has more important things to spend its money on, such as ending
hunger and poverty.

Others argue that a successful space program adds to our
national prestige, helps the economy, creates jobs, and improves
national security. It inspires students to pursue innovative projects
and careers in science and technology. At a cost of six-tenths of
a percent of the federal budget, it’s well worth the price: The
cost of exploration is vastly outweighed by the idea of extending
humankind’s sphere of influence to outer space.
But these are not the real reasons for continuing the space program, says Michael Griffin in Air & Space Magazine. Griffin makes the point that people go to space for reasons that are not necessarily logical. In other words, money doesn’t have much

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: Should we make a home in space?
to do with it. “When we contemplate committing large sums of
money to a project, we tend to dismiss reasons that are emotional or value-driven,” Griffin says. He goes on to say that Americans need the prospect of exploring space.
Humans explore space because it’s in our genes. We’re hardwired with certain built-in features that compel us in that direction. Here’s how it breaks down:
First, there is something about the human condition that strives to be the best, or the first, at something. Our ancestors survived by outperforming others.
Second, humans are by nature curious about exploring new places. Everyone remembers being a kid and wanting to see what’s “over there.” Humans will not tolerate boundaries; their dream is to explore what’s beyond.
Third, humans have always created monuments to commemorate their great achievements, so that the next generation will remember who they are and how they spent their time here. What we want to be remembered for is finding life on other worlds, maybe even for landing on Mars.
Finally, NASA’s space program inspires competition and innovation. The Hubble Space Telescope and the robotic missions to the planets have been shining examples of what can be achieved when a project is based on goals set by scientists rather than by politicians.
If we stop exploring space, soon society will have forgotten what it’s like to be human. It’s human to wonder about things we can’t see, to look for what’s over the horizon. And how can we be so narrow-minded as to think we’re the only ones out there? ❧