Claire Zimmerman: SpaceX: The Next Part to Reach the Final Frontier (maybe?)

Space: The final frontier. Or, so was thought, about a hundred years. Not so much any more, considering there have been hundreds of missions to space, including twelve people walking on the moon. We are no longer strangers to the void, and are eager to expand our knowledge and the commercial value of space. Yes, you heard me. There are multiple private aerospace companies whose goals are to send people to space not for knowledge, but for money. This is known as Space Tourism. Out of the many companies who are attempting to pursue space tourism, SpaceX is making the most influence on people. They have had a plan for a REUSABLE ROCKET. I'm not sure if you people understand how remarkable that is, but it's pretty freaking spectacular. They are saying that they will design a rocket so that it can go up to space, and come back down vertically instead of landing horizontally like an airplane, which is how they land shuttles and rockets these days. This will allow them to reuse the rockets and save LOADS of money and materials.

Image of SpaceX Rocket

Okay, I'm not going to lie: I dislike SpaceX very much. Anyone who's talked to me about my aerospace nerdiness knows this. It's not that I don't respect them, it's as simple as I just don't like what they're doing. Not scientifically, that's ground-breaking and incredible; I mean economically. I personally love to see space exploration as a scientific endeavor. Every time we send a mission to space, they return with more knowledge to enlighten us about not only space, but about biology, medical treatment, ways to improve engineering designs, and loads more. For every dollar put into NASA and other scientific based space exploration programs, $7 is returned in the form of technology. What will the people get back from space tourism other than just the opportunity to go to space? What will happen if space is commercialized if companies like SpaceX and Virgin Space make it a tourist attraction rather than the remarkable, infinite, fantastical, indescribable wonder that it is?? (Although I have to admit, I like Virgin Space more than SpaceX simply because Richard Branson is one of the coolest people living.) I feel like these companies will make people used to and bored of space, when in reality, it should NEVER be that way. We should always remember how remarkable it is that we can shoot people in a metal tube out of the Earth's atmosphere, defying gravity so the people can go beyond our orbit, in free fall the entire time! Plus, if these companies are put into action, then people will start funding them than NASA, who is trying to pursue research rather than profit, and relies mainly on donations. Space travel will never be the same. Space will be like the next Hawaii. It is one of the biggest tourist attractions on the planet, yet all the gift shops and tourists make it less attractive than it would be if it was a mysterious, less known beauty.

Also, I'm not trying to say that it would not be amazing to go to space. I'm just saying, perhaps we need to learn more about space before . Recent studies have shown that the radiation from space is more deadly than expected, and is causing growths and tumors in people and animals who live in space. So if you fund SpaceX and go to space, you will get radiation, AND DIE.

^All hyperbolic, except the tests on radiation. Those are true, though they can be fixed with technological advancements.

Also also, I cannot deny that SpaceX's reusable rocket idea is a pure genius idea, though it's been around since science fiction began. However, the simple fact that they are trying to make this a reality is enough to be admired.  I may not like the company that much, and may prefer NASA to them 100 times over, but I still respect the engineers and the people they have working for them. It is a remarkable team.

Sorry for this super long current event. I have a lot of feelings that come out in the form of space talk.

http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-spacex-f9r-reusable-rocket-test-flight-20140421,0,184797.story#axzz2zZKdWydk