Week 9
This week’s topic centered on exploring space and its influence on art, making me feel frivolous compared to the vastness of space. In the Pale Blue Dot, Carl Sagan states when it comes to the Earth, “every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there on the mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam”(Sagan). Space exploration originated in the Cold War with the “space race” between the United States and the USSR, which advanced in math and sciences to compete.
Moreover, the impact of space on art and the media was profound. For instance, numerous space movies such as Star Wars and Interstellar have significantly impacted humans, connecting space to us. Another example is the space elevator, which tries to get the average person into space through a massive elevator. NASA claims “the basic concept of a space elevator is sound, and researchers worldwide are optimistic one can be built” (Snowden). The idea of a space elevator seems extraordinary but more realistic now as people like Jeff Bezos attempt to commercialize space flight.
Conclusively,
if space transportation exists for tourism purposes, space may begin to
function as a business. Marketing the idea of moving to space is a desirable
option for various companies. When Jeff Bezos and Blue Origin traveled to
space, tickets meant 100 million dollars (Duffy).
Duffy, Kate. “Jeff Bezos Said Blue Origin Has Sold Nearly $100 Million Worth of Tickets for Future Tourist Trips to Space.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 21 July 2021. https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-blue-origin-sold-100-million-space-tourism-tickets-2021-7.
Go, Van. “ Everyone Loves You When You're Gone.” I Wish i Could Be Grateful, Bandcamp, https://vango4.bandcamp.com/album/everyone-loves-you-when-youre-gone.
Sagan, Carl. “Pale Blue Dot.” Youtube, Uploaded by carlsagandotcom, 24 Mar 2009, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wupToqz1e2g.
Snowden, Scott. “A colossal elevator to space could be going up sooner than you ever imagined” NBC News, 2 Oct 2018, https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/colossal-elevator-space-could-be-goin sooner-you-ever-imagined-ncna915421.
Hi Sue Yan, I really like your post. Like you said it is incredible how big space is. It really makes us feel incredibly small. It is also interesting how humans seems to be fascinated by space by making countless movies and TV shows. I personally hope that space transportation becomes a reality in my lifetime.
ReplyDeleteHi Sue Yan! I found your mention of Jeff Bezos very interesting! With all of the history I didn't think of how our space travel scientific journey looks today. Comparing it to the science fiction of the past, I don't believe our ideas have changed much! So much literature and art from the 1960s and 70s look at space with a similar eye as we do. The only thing that has really changed is the feasibility of reactional space travel!!
ReplyDeleteHey Sue Yan
ReplyDeleteGreat detailed work this week. I liked how you were able to tie Jeff Bezos into this