Mission to Jupiter
Dev Patel | May 16, 2023 | Opinions
On April 14, 2023, the European Space Agency launched the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) spacecraft on a mission to research Jupiter’s three biggest moons and their potential for habitability. If the moons’ oceans have life on them, it could lead to new events on a galactic scale such as revolutionizing our technology, ideals, and worldly views. This project is a significant development in the search for extraterrestrial life and contributes to the growing knowledge of other planets and moons.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientists have previously announced that they will try to send people to the moons of Jupiter and Saturn by 2080. This first trip made by JUICE can map out what technologies need to be developed and what materials exist on Jupiter’s moons. JUICE builds on scientific and technological heritage from previous space missions – including ESA’s Mars Express, Venus Express, Rosetta and Bepi Colombo, and it will be the first spacecraft to ever orbit a moon in the outer Solar System.
However, there is an argument that people should focus on fixing the issues on Earth before exploring the universe. Yet this disregards the connection between space exploration and addressing global issues. In space, humanity may discover new ways to harvest energy and obtain food which can make tasks simpler on Earth. The development of new technologies from space exploration such as water filtration can lead to advancements in accessibility to clean water to areas around the world. Additionally, the NASA has discovered asteroid mining can solve a variety of our resource problems such as the need for silicon, which is mainly used to make computer chips.
This voyage will advance our understanding of other planets and moons, which is valuable for the survival of humanity. People will be able to pioneer other livable planets, which would provide a safety net in case earth becomes uninhabitable due to problems such as climate change and natural disasters. The possibilities of human extinction are greatly limited with the more planets' inhabited.
It is critical to remember that space exploration is more than just fulfilling our curiosity and exploring the unknown. It can help society by creating new technologies and in addressing global concerns. Space exploration has already resulted in amazing innovations, ranging from satellite communications to GPS, that have changed the industry Now, it will continue to do so with JUICE being a revolutionary mission, which will mark the path for exploring the rest of the solar system. With this, humanity can look into the future, and see a civilization not built upon one planet but upon thousands and reflect on this mission not as the pinnacle but the start of a new era.