Twinkle, Twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are…….well this legendary question can now be answered to all the pondering children of the planet earth. It’s the International Space Station. As anything in any technical field there is an abbreviation or acronym tied to it and with no exception, NASA has dubbed this bright wonder the ISS. The ISS is very visible with its solar panels expanded and reflecting light it appears from earth to be slightly smaller than Venus and larger than any other star in the sky.
The ISS is a joint effort led by the US with other countries. Russia and Japan both have labs currently along with the US. This multi-billion dollar colossal is certainly a tribute to the capabilities through technology for mankind. It also marks an incredible team effort amongst many nations coming together to further common research goals and to further the human race. Sound a bit like Star Trek….it is. The ISS promises further exploratory capabilities through research in prolonged weightlessness in long term, low-gravity living conditions. Prior to such research, as is now, survival is uncertain for humans to explore any further than the moon due to the extended time frames. Unfortunately, our current technology doesn’t allow us to proceed to Warp 8 and be at Mars in a matter of minutes or hours, currently it would take us in the vicinity of years just to reach the next planet. The ISS also promises researchers in the private sector the opportunity to do research there. There are many hopes that cures for cancer, diabetes, HIV and other such illnesses can be obtained.
In what I’ve read about the benefits and capabilities of the ISS it seems that every potential benefit listed is still somewhat idealistic. Not much detail was given for exactly, short-term, what will be performed. Most of all that is listed rides directly on future hope and desires of obtaining results. I find it peculiar that the countries doing research there are all nations that rely on capitalism as their economic foundation. Therefore, billions of dollars are going into this, what is the immediate return on the investment. It would be naïve of us to think that there isn’t one, so why is there nothing being explained in detail of what those potentials might be. Then again, maybe I watch too much of the X-files and always see some sort of potential conspiracy involved with such things. Would it be too far fetched to say that genetic testing on humans could take place somewhere where international research treaties do not apply? It’s not so far fetched when you see how far we’ve come on the DNA genetic code since the agreement of no testing on humans would occur in cloning. An agreement that short lives amazing research for humans; however, in the wrong hands could have unimaginable damage.
Personally, I think there is a lot of good to come from the ISS. I don’t believe it’s a waste of taxpayers’ dollars. The innovation and vision that comes from this is clearly a milestone for mankind regardless of what all potentials may lie within. It is monumental to think how far we have progressed in technology in the past 10, 20, or 30 years. In the past 10 years we have forever changed our economy through communications. Of course, I am referring to the availability to the Internet to nearly every home. In the past 20 years we evolved away from really terrible music as well as put computing power in every home. Just over 30 years ago, we walked on the moon. We have walked on the moon. How I love to hear and say that and now we have people practically living there for the past 770 days. What’s next? What will we see and do before the year 2010. If you wish upon a star it can happen.
For info on the ISS please visit the following website: NASA
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