Mission to Mars, continued space exploration vital for the good of all humankind

By Quinn Moticka, The Daily Emerald (University of Oregon) UWIRE Posted: 11/17/08 Section: Opinion Columns

On Nov. 10, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration declared the conclusion of its most recent mission to Mars. Houston, we have ice!

The Mars Phoenix Lander, sent to excavate the planet's northern pole, ended its more than five-month-long mission when NASA received what it believed to be its last signal on Nov. 2. The exploration of Mars will ideally expand our outlook on the climate and composition of the Red Planet. Samples collected of the planet's ground have led to discoveries such as the existence of ice, and where there's ice, one can only hope there is water.

Think for a moment what it would mean if life had once existed on Mars. The impact of such a discovery would be phenomenal. Perhaps as incredible, even, as when we discovered the moon was not, in fact, made of green cheese.

NASA is at the forefront of Mars exploration and the termination of the Phoenix lander mission signals the need for human exploration of Mars. Human space travel is essential to the future of mankind. While I acknowledge space travel and research are far from inexpensive, the cost of not doing so could prove to be far greater. Our resources are limited, and it may not be possible to live here forever. Global warming and pollution, for example, are real issues that call into question the viability of future life on Earth. No one can see the future, but space should, at the very least, be a grand backup plan, acting as the levees in case of a hurricane. If we were able to live on Mars, global flooding or other disasters wouldn't have to mean an end to human life. Humans must do two things: search for the possibility of life on other planets and determine whether we can inhabit those explored territories.

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