Former NASA Astronaut Explains The Importance Of Space Exploration For Gen Z

Former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly insists that the public has not lost interest in outer space. (photo: doc. NASA)

JAKARTA – Former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly insists that the public has not lost interest in space, despite recent reports showing widespread apathy among young people, Gen Z, towards the world of space.

The 58-year-old American naval aviator, who spent a year on the International Space Station from 2015 to 2016, says the resurgence of space tourism driven by billionaires Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Sir Richard Branson has sparked public interest once again in the world. space.

He stated that after a report found that a lack of awareness drives fear among Generation Z, those born between 1997 and 2012 who are more likely to associate space with aliens and Star Wars than exploration or satellite communications.

Even in a survey as reported by the Daily Mail states, only one in three adults of all ages are 'excited' about space. The survey of 20,000 people in 11 countries around the world also found one in five was 'nervous' and one in nine was 'afraid' of outer space.

A total of 97 percent of respondents said they see the cosmos as a threat, citing space debris and climate change as their main concerns.

The report has been published by Inmarsat, the UK's largest satellite group, which said the findings were a wake-up call for the space industry.

Kelly, a veteran of four space flights and the face of the 'What on Earth is the value of space' survey, told MailOnline that the public was 'absolutely not' in love with space, despite the findings.

“I think they are very interested. I think the activities of commercial space companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virgin Orbit and Virgin Galactic really grab people's attention," he said, as quoted by MailOnline. "There's a lot going on in the world right now."

He also dismissed the notion that the allure of space has been lost due to the rise of wealthy businessmen blowing up rockets built by billionaires Musk, Bezos and Branson.

"I think that's a great thing, personally," Kelly said of the increase in space tourism and the commercialization of low-Earth orbit.

“It's time for private investment in space – governments have been doing it for 70 years now. It's time for the world's entrepreneurs to step up,” he added.

When asked if space exploration was important, Kelly said: "First of all, we are explorers".

"That exploratory DNA is what drives us out of caves, through mountains and across oceans, and finally into space," he added.

“The long-term survival of a species depends on its ability to grow and progress. To do that, you don't have to be afraid to venture into the unknown."

In response to people who are 'afraid' of space, Kelly cites another recent survey that found many young people today aspire to become social media influencers. "Maybe that's what they're all afraid of!" he joked.

“But no, spaceflight is risky. I know that because I lost two friends at Columbia (the 2003 space shuttle disaster)," Kelly said. "Therefore, you have to take the risk."

He also added that space exploration was the most difficult thing they had ever done so far.

"The extreme environment and the technology we need to survive and thrive, is the technology that also improves our lives on this Earth," he said.

"Areas such as computing power, satellite communications, GPS technology and even healthcare advancements were achieved initially to support our efforts in space," he added.

"Space also allows us to better study and understand our home planet so we can be better stewards of Earth," Kelly said.

"It also gives us a perspective on humanity when you look at this planet without political boundaries and with a thin and fragile atmosphere," he said.

"Seeing the Earth hanging there against the black void of space makes us want to take care of our homes even more," Kelly said.

When it comes to the UK, almost half (42 per cent) of Britons are concerned about space junk and collisions in space. In fact, 32 percent are afraid that space activities are damaging the Earth's atmosphere and 14 percent are worried that we might pollute space.

Just last week, the UK government announced a series of new measures designed to promote sustainability in space and help clean up the millions of debris clogging near-Earth orbit.

Kelly supports the need for action, which he says many companies, including Elon Musk's SpaceX, take very seriously.

Critics of the Tesla founder say his Starlink constellation has a monopoly on space, as well as China and the European Space Agency aiming for its internet-satellite system, but Musk has dismissed these fears.

"Orbital debris and collisions in space can be and are, in fact, a major risk," Kelly added.

“If this problem is not addressed, one day we could end up in a situation where certain orbits become unusable and that will impact the quality of life on Earth because those limitations will be placed on the space technologies we have relied on. in our daily lives," he said.

One of the measures proposed by the UK government includes the 'Active Debris Removal' programme, which involves launching a new spacecraft to physically collect and destroy bits of space junk floating around Earth.