TED EDİRNE COLLEGE / 8-A
The
COMMITTED
The Legacy of Space Exploration
Kerem Rüzgar PAKSUZ
On July 21, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first person to step onto the Moon. Just 56 years later, twelve people have walked on its surface. As of now, there are seven spacecraft orbiting the Moon and ten more orbiting Mars. Since the launch of Sputnik 1, the first satellite, 68 years ago, over 3,000 spacecraft have been sent into orbit around Earth.
What legacy do we want to leave for future generations? After decades of space exploration, will we simply remain on Earth, never fully answering the questions of where we come from and whether we are alone in the universe? We must pass on the legacy of space exploration to the next generation so that they can build on what we have started. There are countless worlds beyond Neptune, similar to our own, waiting to be explored. We should strive to reach these distant worlds.
Consider how fortunate we are to live in this era— the first time in human history when we are venturing beyond our home planet. The surface of Earth is like the shore of a cosmic ocean, and we have only just begun to sail its waters. Mars is the next logical step in our cosmic journey. It is a frozen, dusty version of our home, and we now have“ eyes” and“ ears” on its surface. Reflect on how far we have come in the past 60 years and imagine where we could be in another 60. Space remains largely unexplored, and there is still so much work to be done.