THE SPACE AGE

OPINION ARTICLE

MEMBERS
 FLOWER IDANIA HUAMAN
BLACKBERRY
 ALBERTO ORELLANA ORELLANA
INTEG

Comprehension and Writing of Texts

II Week 13

Sources of information for the transfer exercise

1. Review these sources for understanding and analysis of the controversial topic. You can
look for other sources that allow you to be better informed to support your opinion.

Source 1

The space tourism race began

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ9PXKBW8fQ

Source 2

For its many detractors, space tourism is nothing more than fun trips for the planet's
billionaires that only worsen the climate crisis. But this emerging sector also has defenders
who, without completely rejecting criticism, argue that this industry can also bring
benefits to humanity.

More research opportunities

The first argument is that, in addition to their passengers, private space flights can send
scientific experiments that require microgravity environments into space. In the past, with
national agencies, "it used to take a lot of time to work within the government-subsidized
channels, manage authorizations, obtain funds and be selected to be among the very few
who could go," Ariel Ekblaw, told AFP. of MIT's space exploration initiative. In contrast, it
took Ekblaw just six months—from signing a contract—to send his research project to the
International Space Station (ISS) aboard the private Ax-1 mission, which took off thanks to
the private businessmen who paid for the trip. Their experiment, called TESSERAE,
involves smart chips that form a floating robotic swarm that can self-assemble into a space
structure, which could be how future space stations are built. An earlier prototype floated
in space for a few minutes aboard Blue Origin's suborbital spaceflight, paving the way for a
new test. "The proliferation of these private launch providers allows us to do riskier, more
innovative and faster projects," Ekblaw said. Virgin Galactic, for its part, announced plans
to take scientists on future flights.
Best space technology
Space tourism and the private space sector also act as a vector of innovation to improve
the manufacturing of everything related to space. Government agencies, which operate
on taxpayer money, move cautiously and are deeply averse to failure, while companies
like Elon Musk's SpaceX don't worry about blowing up prototypes until they get to the
right one, accelerating their development cycles. development.

While NASA focuses on big exploration goals, private companies seek to improve the rate,
profitability and sustainability of launches, with reusable spacecraft. In the case of Blue
Origin, with rockets that only emit water vapor.

For now, spaceflight remains a risky and expensive endeavor. "The more we go into space,
the better we will become at it, and the more the industrial base for space technology will
develop," said Mason Peck, a Cornell University aeronautics professor who worked at
NASA as chief technology officer. It can be compared to the era of aviation, when flying
was reserved only for the privileged few. "We started with a lot of accidents, and with a
lot of companies with different types of ideas for building airplanes," explained George
Nield, former associate administrator of the commercial space transportation office of the
US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). "But gradually, we learned what works and
what doesn't." Today commercial air flights are statistically the safest way to travel.

But what will safer and more efficient space flights really achieve? According to experts, it
is currently difficult to imagine the future impact that space will have on transportation. "In
just the next ten years, I'm confident we're going to see companies with systems that can
carry passengers taking off from one point on Earth, traveling to the other side of the
planet in an hour," said Nield, who participated in the last flight of Blue Origin. A journey
like this, from one end to the other, will happen eventually, but space tourism is hastening
its arrival.

Environmental benefit?
The last argument, paradoxically, has to do with the climate. Many who have observed
Earth from space have been deeply shocked by how fragile the planet appears, and
overwhelmed by the desire to protect it. The phenomenon was dubbed the "perspective
effect" by space philosopher Frank White. "It gives you a sense of urgency, a need to be
part of the solution," said Jane Poynter, co-founder of Space Perspective. His company
plans to start taking tourists in a high-altitude balloon to observe the curvature of the
earth from a capsule with a panoramic view. This type of ship was developed precisely
because of its minimal impact on the environment, unlike highly polluting rockets.
The current contribution of rockets to climate change is minimal, but could become
problematic if the number of launches increases. Greater activity in space can also help the
planet in more concrete and less philosophical ways, proponents of this industry say.
"Thanks to advances in space technology, terrestrial solar cells have become more efficient
over the years," Peck said.

France 24 (2022). The arguments in favor of space tourism. Recovered from

https://www.france24.com/es/minuto-a-minuto/20220409-los-argumentos-a-favor-del-turismo-espacial

Source 3

Space activities are breaking out more and more frequently nowadays. It would be easy to
think that what happens in space does not affect us. But the reality is that it does, and in
increasingly less subtle ways.

The current news these days is the competition between Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson,
two billionaires who are behind space tourism companies. Blue Origin, from Jeff Bezos,
and Virgin Galactic, from Richard Branson, have made flights that have been surrounded
by extensive media coverage. And these flights have been, neither more nor less,
enormous marketing maneuvers. The goal is to attract attention. Space tourism comes
with the promise of “democratizing space.” But this phrase, repeated like a mantra, is
often uttered empty of content. Not because space tourism is still only within the reach of
a minority, but also because of the ecological impact that may arise from the
generalization of these activities.

The general population is getting used to the idea of using fewer planes and more trains;
and eat less meat. Those are just part of the changes we will have to make if we want a
just ecological transition. Meanwhile, space tourism emerges as an activity that is not very
accessible and highly polluting. Reaching space is, first of all, very energetically expensive.
The fact is that we don't have enough energy. Fossil fuels are at the root of climate
change. The so-called renewable and nuclear energies are not free of problems and
limitations either. So, yes, reaching space is associated with carbon dioxide emissions.
That is, a carbon footprint.

Environmental impact
Although the environmental impact of space launches has not been sufficiently studied, it
is known that it goes beyond carbon emissions. The release of gases in high layers of the
atmosphere during space launches has negative effects on the ozone layer. A gas
frequently emitted in launches and seemingly innocuous, such as water vapor, contributes
to the greenhouse effect.

There are many types of fuel that are used and some are toxic when released during
launch or due to the production process. The good news is that most
The new launch systems use liquid fuels, which are less problematic in this sense than
solid ones.

Rockets themselves usually have different orbits around our planet as their destination.
We must clarify that, on the other hand, Virgin Atlantic and Blue Origin tourist flights are
“suborbital” flights. That is, they do not enter orbit, but rather rise to a height of 80 and
100 km respectively, experience zero gravity for a short period of time, and fall back to
Earth. A suborbital flight requires much less energy than entering orbit. Therefore, its cost
is more affordable and its ecological footprint is smaller.

Currently about 100 rockets are launched per year. Its carbon footprint is still smaller than
that of the 100,000 airplanes that fly around the world every day. But the space sector is
experiencing strong growth. Therefore, its environmental impact could become very
relevant.

Luxury tourism and carbon dioxide emissions

International awareness and regulation of environmental impact is therefore one of the
aspects in which the management of space activities will have to improve. While it is true
that launching a satellite into Earth orbit has a greater impact than a suborbital tourist
flight, satellites can benefit many people. While a tourist flight is a luxury for a limited
number of people.

To put it into numbers, it is estimated that each Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin tourist
flight emits about 60 and 90 tons of carbon dioxide, respectively. That is, between 8 and
15 tons per passenger. In comparison, on average, each person in the world emits about
4.8 tons of carbon dioxide each year. This figure is very different between rich and poor
countries. In the United States, the figure is 15 tons. In Spain, it is 5.4 tons, although these
data can vary considerably according to different sources. China is a big polluter, but when
its emissions per capita are considered, the value is 7.4 tons.

A questionable print
Therefore, the carbon footprint of these suborbital flights is not extremely high compared
to that of other activities. But it remains questionable that at a time when it is urgent to
reduce our environmental impact, this new form of leisure emerges. It is accessible only to
a minority and means that each passenger emits in just a few minutes the same carbon
dioxide as 2 or 3 people on average during an entire year. Let us remember that other
environmental impacts of this activity must be added to this carbon footprint, such as the
erosion of the ozone layer.

Hernandez, J. (2021). What is the ecological footprint of space tourism? Recovered

from https://theconversation.com/cual-es-la-huella-ecologica-del-turismo-espacial-
164824
2. Read the communicative situation. Plan your opinion piece, then write it.

Spacial tourism? Hotels on the Moon or Mars? Now, it seems to be a reality, but
within the reach of a minority. With this business booming, many companies have
emerged offering trips to the stratosphere, suborbital trips or orbital trips. Despite
the enthusiasm of many, some environmental groups believe that this activity will
cause damage to the environment.
Although this type of tourism is still quite small, do you think it will significantly
affect the environment?

The opinion article must have a title, introduction, development 1, development 2 and
closing.

PRODUCTION SCHEME

Title: The Space Age

I. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Contextualization: Space activities break out more and more frequently in
these modern times, it would be turning a blind eye to say that what happens
in space does not affect us. But the reality is that, yes, it does, and in
increasingly more dangerous ways, especially due to the environmental
impact it generates. What an outrageous situation! To see how Jeff Bezos
and Richard Branson, two billionaires who are behind space tourism
companies, who don't give a damn about the carbon footprint they leave on
the planet, do everything to fill their monetary coffers. .

1.2. Controversy: Do you think that space tourism generates risks or benefits?

1.3. Thesis: Yes, we consider that space tourism generates risks.

1.4. Prayer of anticipation: Below, the arguments that justify our

position will be mentioned before
 mentioned.

II. DEVELOPMENT:

2.1. Main idea = thesis + argument

Yes, we consider that space tourism generates risks, because it would cause a
great environmental impact.

2.2. Secondary idea: The dark side of space tourism

2.2.1. Tertiary idea: A study by NASA and The Aerospace Corporation

estimates that within five years there will be 1,000 annual trips to
space for purely tourist purposes.

2.2.2. Tertiary idea : What little is said about this industry is that it has the
potential to cause an environmental disaster. The research explains
that the soot that space tourism will emit into the atmosphere will
reduce the temperature of some areas of the planet by up to 0.7
degrees and increase it by up to 0.8 degrees in regions such as
Antarctica.

2.3. Secondary idea: Space tourism: risks or benefits?

2.3.1. Tertiary idea: Sixty years after man reached the moon, Richard
Branson in his Virgin Galactic ship and Jeff Bezos in his New
Shephard rocket made the first tourist flights into space.

2.3.2. Tertiary idea : Regarding space tourism, there is the question of

whether an investment of 1 billion dollars and 17 years of work is
justified despite the possibility of accidents, the risk of working with
rockets and that it is not clear that this project contribute to humanity.
III. CLOSING

3.1. Closure connector : In summary,

3.2. Reaffirmation of thesis + synthesis of arguments

We agree that space tourism generates risks, because it would

cause a great environmental impact. As NASA and Aerospace
Corporation point out in their research that the soot that space
tourism will emit will damage the atmosphere, obviously this
nonsense does not contribute anything to humanity, on the
contrary, it harms in the long term.

3.3. Critical comment or opinion

We recommend the total cessation of operations of these large companies
that only harm the already battered planet and, as in the movies, these dark
characters with economic power, give up their intentions and can think
more about humanity and not so much about their interests.
 Title: The Space Age
Space Tourism according to Domínguez (2015), is the trip to outer space for recreational, pleasure
or business purposes; and it is a relatively new type of tourism, not the lack of interest or resources
of potential travelers that has delayed its commercialization, but the firm opposition of the nations
that had the necessary means to make it viable. Journalist Clemente (2021) for the newspaper El
País reports that, as of today, there are already three companies that exploit the travel market outside
of Earth. However, what seems extremely interesting and innovative, may be signing the
condemnation of our planet due to the negative consequences it represents for various sectors of
humanity and this is how while we seek to discover new homes we end up killing our own.

Space activities break out more and more frequently in these modern times, it would be turning a
blind eye, meaning that what happens in space does not affect us. But the reality is that, yes, it
does, and in increasingly more dangerous ways, especially due to the environmental impact it
generates. What an outrageous situation! To see how Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson, two
billionaires who are behind space tourism companies, who don't give a damn about the carbon
footprint they leave on the planet, do everything to fill their monetary coffers. . But space tourism?
Hotels on the Moon or Mars? For them, in the face of this great problem, do you think that space
tourism generates risks or benefits? Yes, we consider that space tourism generates risks. Next, the
arguments that justify our aforementioned position will be mentioned.

Firstly, it seems to us that space tourism generates risks, since it will cause great damage to the
environment, generating a great environmental impact. On the other hand, there is a dark side to
space tourism. According to a NASA study, The Aerospace Corporation estimates that within five
years there will be 1,000 annual trips to space for purely tourist purposes. On the other hand, what
little is said about this industry is that it has the potential to cause an environmental disaster. The
research explains that the soot that space tourism will emit into the atmosphere will decrease by up
to 0.7 centigrade.
temperature of some areas of the planet and will increase it by up to 0.8 degrees in regions such as
Antarctica.

Secondly, in our opinion, does space tourism have risks or benefits? For example, to understand
the multiple negative consequences of space tourism, it is necessary to understand some of the
main problems that our planet faces, in this way, identifying environmental pollution as one of the
main problems and that is that the high degree of pollution generated by rockets that serve as a
means of transportation for space tourism is truly alarming. Furthermore, he adds that during these
space trips these spacecraft emit gases and particles with numerous negative effects on the various
layers of the atmosphere, and as a result of this they cause accelerated wear. of the ozone layer.
Likewise, sixty years after man reached the moon, Richard Branson in his Virgin Galactic ship and
Jeff Bezos in his New Shephard rocket made the first tourist flights into space. Regarding space
tourism, there is the question of whether an investment of 1 billion dollars and 17 years of work is
justified despite the possibility of accidents, the risk of working with rockets and that it is not clear
that this project contributes to the humanity.

For all of the above, we reaffirm our position. Unfortunately, we screw up as a population by not
being aware of the great damage that will be caused to the planet, as NASA and the Aerospace
Corporation point out in their research that the soot that space tourism will emit will damage the
atmosphere, obviously this nonsense does not contribute anything. To humanity, on the contrary, it
harms in the long term.

States must invest in plans to completely cease operations of these large companies that only harm
the already battered planet and, as in the movies, these dark characters with economic power,
desist from their intentions and can think more about humanity and not so much. in your interests.