Sarah Eskreis-Winkler: NASA grows more relevant with age

Forty-five years ago today, a star was born. NASA's founding on Oct. 1, 1958 -- a direct result of the Sputnik crisis -- ushered in a space race which prompted human space flight and lunar landings, momentous achievements inconceivable to the human mind just years before.

I always found it striking that until relatively recently, a map of the world consisted of known unknowns -- unfilled empty spaces, like the heart of Africa -- and unknown unknowns -- like substantial islands yet to be uncovered. Over time, these white spaces and tropical places were filled in, yielding our present world map. Explorers like Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand Magellan discovered new worlds and waterways, spurring colonization and catalyzing human progress itself.

Today's astronauts, the explorers of our new frontier, are driven by the same motivations and inspired by the same forces that have propelled such expeditions for centuries. A thrill of discovery and endless curiosity are defining characteristics of human nature.

Since NASA began operations, grand endeavors have been pursued under its auspices. At the same time that exploring the universe is paving the way into our future, it aims to answer the most fundamental questions about our past. Space exploration could elucidate the origin of the universe.

Space missions are also instrumental in the search for extraterrestrial life. Is it really possible that we're alone in the universe?

NASA is engaged in fascinating stuff. For thousands of years, we've been confined to this planet. Only in the past half century have we stepped off Earth, cultivating an entirely new perspective on our place in the universe.

But in the absence of a Cold War threat, the exorbitant costs of the space program are difficult to justify in a strict cost/benefit analysis. Not surprisingly, funding for NASA has slipped to less than 1 percent of the federal budget. NASA must secure its future by presenting itself as an investment in our future.

I'm not asking the government to divert education spending to fund adventures in the sky. But maybe NASA could work at attracting more money from private sources. Perhaps a greater effort to court citizen donors is in order. My willing contribution wouldn't make a dent, but I've never even been asked.

Even if you're not one to gaze at the night sky and wonder, there's still something in it for you: the unforeseen benefits of the space program. Serendipitous discoveries made through astronomical exploration have led to numerous practical applications. Many companies stand a chance to make considerable gains due to spinoffs of space technology.

Communication satellites -- an outgrowth of the space program -- provide an efficient way to transmit signals and messages over long distances. The satellites have revolutionized our daily lives, airing live television footage from Baghdad and facilitating the incessant ringing of cell phones during our classes. This multibillion dollar industry paved the way to globalization and the information revolution.

Satellite images are integral in weather forecasting. Crucial information on approaching hurricanes and other natural disasters is obtained by watching cloud formations and collecting wind data, as well as monitoring temperature and humidity. Severe weather warnings save lives.

All sorts of inventions developed to serve the space program -- smoke detectors, fire resistant suits, bar code scanners, water filters -- have been modified to serve as everyday gadgets. Even medical imaging technology is based on methods used to send images from space.

Furthermore, developments have led to advances in our military capabilities, instrumental to national security. Satellite data collection permits accurate information on battlefield conditions, dissolving much of the fog of war.

But ultimately, the true purpose of the space program is not to serve as a hotbed of new ideas that can be transformed and put to practical uses. It is to find out what is beyond the horizon. NASA's mission is to explore the universe and to prepare for eventual human expansion past planet Earth.

We must continue the legacy of exploration, excited about the practical applications derived, but proceeding for the sake of human progress.

Perhaps the secret of time travel or signs of intelligent life lay around the corner. Unimaginable today. But, as we have seen, reality has done an incredible job keeping up with our imagination.

The boundaries between the cosmos and us are daunting. Then again, try to comprehend a New World as you gaze west, in 1492, at the edge of a flat earth.

Sarah Eskreis-Winkler is a College sophomore from Wynnewood, Pa.

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