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Space Race 2.0
On December 11, 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump signed the first space policy directive released by his administration. This space policy directive orders the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to focus on sending humans back to the moon. It can be recalled that the last time that Americans set foot on the moon was during the 1972 Apollo 17 mission. President Trump said that this new directive aims to refocus America's space program on human exploration and discovery. He added that in the near future, America will not only plant its flag and leave footprints on the moonbut also establish missions to Mars and many worlds beyond.
There are people who take the latest space policy directive of the U.S.as a way for the Trump administration to start a modern-day Space Race or, as some would call it, Space Race 2.0 because it seemsto goagainst China’s grand space plan. China has been very transparent about its plans to launch its first space probe to Mars by 2020. It is also investing a lot in improving its space technology. People who say that the U.S. may be starting a new Space Race believe that the country may either be threatened by the headstart that China has in terms of space exploration, or it may just want to hold the lead in space exploration. These people add that no matter what theTrump administration’s real motive is behind its first space policy directive, this bold move done by the U.S. will create a large impact in the world.
Those who do not support space exploration maintain their position and reiterate that the plan of the U.S. will only take away resources like money, time, and attentionfrom people suffering from existing worldly issues that need immediate solutions. They say that although space exploration may now be more meaningful than ever because of the threats of space militarization and the extent that space technology can be misused, there are still a lot of other races that powerful nations face such as the race againstglobal warming and the race against world hunger.
On the other hand, those who are for the possible occurrence of Space Race 2.0 say that it is high time for the U.S., China, and other nations to focus on space exploration. They say that this modern-day space race is no longer just a showdown of which country is faster and more effective in terms of dominating outer space. Instead, it is a healthy competition among nations that will further catalyze the exploration of space.
1. 1. What
is President Trump’s space policy directive about?
2. 2. Why do
others see the new directive as the start of what
they call Space Race 2.0?
3. 3. Do you
think Space Race 2.0 will do mankind good? Why or why not?
directive 지시 / footprint 발자국 / transparent 투명한 / probe 무인 우주 탐사선 / headstart 유리함 / motive 동기 / reiterate 반복하다 / showdown 마지막 결전 / catalyze 촉진시키다
