Throughout 2019, 2020, and now 2021, there have been many new developments in the space industry. From the formation of the new military branch, Space Force, to the multiple developments for SpaceX, scientists are now predicting that humans could be on Mars by the end of the decade. 

Most people have probably heard of or seen firsthand the launches of and test flights of Rockets by SpaceX. Even after seeing and learning about these impactful events, many people still don’t understand what these developments could mean for humans themselves, and this lack of knowledge could impact how many think of SpaceX, NASA, and all other space-related programs. 

After landing on the Moon, the government began implementing greater space exploration efforts and programs that require an enormous amount of money and time. After all, there is a meaning behind the phrase, “It’s not rocket science,” as learning about these complicated phenomenons can only be understood by the most talented individuals and minds. When the Space Shuttle program ended in 2011, many people were disappointed that there would be no more launches in the U.S  for a while, with the possibility of never having any launches again. 

Thankfully, Elon Musk, a billionaire and entrepreneur, utilized his private rocket manufacturing company’s (SpaceX) resources by joining forces with NASA to get the space game back on. With new money that came with it, NASA was able to get back on track with SpaceX building the rockets, and NASA putting astronauts in them. Now everyone, including iUP students with interests in space and space exploration, can make the future dream of becoming an astronaut come true with hard work and dedication. 

SpaceX and NASA have now set their eyes on the ultimate goal, landing on and colonizing Mars. Their goal is to land astronauts on Mars by the end of the decade, or the year 2030, and have a sufficient and working colony on it by 2050! To prepare for all of this, SpaceX has released a RideShare program that will get you on an orbit around earth as early as May 2021 for prices as low as 1 million dollars to as high as 4.5Million per person! Despite how extreme these prices are, people see this space program as the beginning of a new era for humanity and are willing to pay the prices for the fantastic view of earth from space.

With all of these new developments in space, the majority of the iUP students participating in a poll expressed that they would rather live on Mars compared to fewer students who said that they would not like to go to Mars. Another question in the poll asked if people would be willing to spend 1 to 5 million dollars in order to get in a spaceship and orbit the earth and it turns out that by a slim majority that the students of iUniversity Prep would rather spend their money on something else. The most surprising result from the poll is that about three-quarters of the iUP students surveyed said that they would consider or even decide to pursue a career in astronomy regarding all of the new breakthroughs and developments! This shows that this new generation could allow for a surge in more people wanting to become an astronaut or pursue a career in the field of astronomy.

In conclusion, the space agency has picked up the pace and is back to its original glory and excitement. Through numerous launches and missions, Nasa and SpaceX plan to have astronauts on the surface of Mars by the end of the decade. With all of these new developments, the government’s need for astronauts and staff to manage its missions is going to continue to grow, thus opening up the opportunity for students at iUP to pursue a career path involving space which they clearly would like to take advantage of.

Sources:

Launches. https://www.spacex.com/launches/.