Al-Jazeera English, the international English-language news channel created by the controversial Qatar-based network, invited Jeff Brooks, Director of the Committee for the Advocacy of Space Exploration, onto their nightly news program yesterday to discuss the benefits of space exploration and whether it made sense to fund it.
While the interview was only a few minutes long, the discussions ranged from the benefits derived from space exploration, the question of manned vs. unmanned missions, and the hypothetical challenge of China to American superiority in space. Mr. Brooks attempted to convince his somewhat skeptical host that space exploration is an extremely worthwhile goal that should receive increased funding, that manned and unmanned missions should be viewed as complimentary to one another rather than in competition, and that space exploration provides golden opportunities for international cooperation rather than serve as a theater for international rivalries.
Al-Jazeera English is the third-largest international English-language news channel, behind the BBC and CNN International.
