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Space Exploration Task 2 IELTS Essay: Tips and Samples

Updated on 28 June, 2024

Akansha Semwal

Akansha Semwal

Study Abroad Expert

International English Language Testing System  (IELTS) is one of the world’s leading English language tests that evaluates the English language proficiency among non-native speakers. Writing test task 2 of the IELTS exam is a descriptive essay-type question based on topics related to the general interest. The word limit is a minimum of 250 words, and the task duration is 40 minutes. This article discussesspace exploration, a commonly asked topic for IELTS essays, to help test takers prepare well for the test. Here are the tips for writing the best essay and two samples ‘space exploration’ essays that you can follow.

The IELTS writing task 2 requires you to write an essay on the given topic. The space exploration IELTS essay is one such common topic where students struggle to present a clear, well-organized, and relevant argument in a formal style. 

Based on my discussion with several IELTS aspirants, going through space exploration task 2 IELTS essays and having some tricks up your sleeve can help you secure a good band. 

Here, I have compiled some samples of space exploration essays and tips to write a winning essay, helping you to achieve your study abroad goals.

Word limit for the essay

Applicants will have to write an essay in IELTS task 2 in response to a statement. The minimum word limit should be 250 words. There is no upper word limit. Make sure you are not writing less than 250 words, or it will be counted as an incomplete task. 

Time duration

The time duration allotted for the writing task 2 essay is 40 minutes. You need to manage your time, so make sure you plan and write the essay within the stipulated time. Appear for mocks to work on your writing speed. 

Type of question

In IELTS Essay writing, applicants need to write an essay while responding to a particular premise, statement, or argument. It is an informal descriptive essay, where the applicants need to prepare a 250-word write-up based on opinion, facts, arguments, and experiences. All the parts of the question need to be answered in the essay. 

Essay topics

The essay topics are based on general interest and academic modules. It is important to practice essay writing in common genres like art, education, crime, space, culture, tradition, social problems, and environment. 

Samples on Space Exploration Essay IELTS

The space exploration task 2 in the IELTS examination demands you to write on topics related to space exploration as given in the examination. A space exploration IELTS essay should be such that it hooks the user through the entire time and covers both the negative and positive aspects of it.

Sample 1: Advantages and Disadvantages of Space Exploration 

Space exploration is the detailed exploration of space, the solar system, and the universe. It is explored by robotic spacecraft and spaceflights. Earlier ‘Space Race’ was only popular between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union achieved many milestones in its early days. It is a huge part of American history. On 20th July 1969, Neil Armstrong along with Buzz Aldrin won the space race. Yet, there are many advantages and disadvantages of space exploration. Many opine that the space program costs high, and some take it as an invention.

Advantages of Space exploration

Inventions:

The global society has benefited through new inventions. The additional research conducted by NASA helped to benefit society in different ways. The discoveries benefit transportation, medicine, computer management, agriculture technology, and consumer goods. The space program helped in GPS technology, breast cancer treatment, lightweight breathing systems, Teflon fiberglass, etc. 

Employment:

One cannot deny the fact that space exploration generates numerous jobs globally. Spending less and making it more cost-effective is a better way to approach space exploration. Space research programs add too much to science, technology, and communication in the present unemployment scenario. And this results in a massive employment generation. 

Understanding: 

Time to time-space exploration programs and satellite missions by NASA help unravel the undiscovered facts about our universe. Scientists better understand the nature, atmosphere of Earth, and other space bodies. These are the exploration programs that make us aware of future natural disasters and other related predictions. It also paves the path to save our almighty universe from time to time. 

Conclusion: Every coin has two sides. To sustain on Earth, one has to face the challenge and overcome it. Space exploration is a vital activity that cannot be neglected but can be improved with technology.

Disadvantages of Space exploration

Pollution:

Pollution is one of the alarming concerns in space exploration. Every year, many satellites are launched in space, and not all of them return. Over time, the remains of such instances become debris and float in the air. Old satellites, different types of equipment, launching pads, pieces of rockets are all adding to pollutants. Space debris pollutes space in many ways. Space exploration is not only harming the environment but also space.  

Cost:

A national space exploration program costs high. Many individuals argue that space mission programs are cost-effective. It must be noted that NASA in the recent program, celebrated its 30th anniversary with an expenditure of $196.5 billion.

Danger:

Space exploration is not a bed of roses. Many historical events prove the danger associated with tragic incidents. One must focus on the incident on January 28, 1986, with the Challenger space shuttle. Within just 73 seconds, the shuttle exploded and resulted in a massive loss of life and property. 

Moreover, there are different opinions on the advantages of space exploration with more innovations and improved technologies.

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Essay sample 2: 

The first man to walk on the moon claimed it was a step forward for humankind. However, it has made little difference in most people’s lives.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

A greater number of people believe that space exploration has not made enough contribution to the lives of people. It has not made a sufficient impact if the expenses associated with it are justified. As per my understanding, various questions arise out of this, but if considered on an overall basis, the scientific impact is very encompassing. 

A man to the moon and expensive satellites and telescopes had no impact on the life of an average wage earner or the one without proper meals a day. A large population is still vulnerable and facing various economic challenges. Many enjoy watching the man traveling to the moon, or the NASA videos, but there is no justification for the huge amount of money that was spent over the years for space exploration. It could have made a lot of difference if these investments were directed towards employment, medicine, education, infrastructure, and culture. 

Nonetheless, the impacts are directly related to science and culture. A man on the moon was a moment of utilitarian concern. It was a powerful incident that encouraged countless lives to attain achievements. Space exploration has led to concrete and fruitful innovations. For example, new aspects of entertainment, microchip, the internet, and countless other discoveries. From small to huge, there are several discoveries, and the most important one can be staying connected throughout the globe. We are truly indebted to the funding of space exploration for all of these innovations and discoveries. 

Far from being utter waste, as some belief it to be, space exploration has been the reason for the progress of humankind. It must receive more support and advancement.

Sample 3: Spending Money on Space Exploration

Space exploration is a front that has been challenging humans for centuries. While the secrets of space amaze mankind and increase its curiosity to explore more and more each day, the question arises is all this investment worth it?

Are human beings actually advancing in space exploration or is it just the tiny dot that we are able to see until now? With opinions that go for and against this topic,  this essay explores the justification for the spending of money on space exploration programs and examines its technological, economic, and inspirational impacts.

Firstly, considering the technological aspects of science exploration, technology has driven significant advancements to uncover major secrets in the field of science. Moreover, as the exploration of spaces demands cutting-edge technology, it pushes the limits of mankind to come up with new technological aspects and advance in the field ultimately. 

Secondly, space exploration also helps in providing economic growth and opportunities. Since space exploration demands bright brains and the human power to carry out many aspects, it generates job opportunities at a large scale. 

Moreover, investments in space also promote the development of other related sectors including telecommunications, geospatial analytics, etc. Additionally, space exploration attracts private investments and helps grow new companies focused on space tourism, asteroid mining, space colonization, and other similar concepts.

Thirdly, space exploration also plays a major role in inspiring young minds and instilling a feeling of curiosity in them. It helps develop interest in science in young minds and explore technology, engineering, and mathematics. 

Moreover, a record of our past achievements in science exploration, like the Apollo mission, NASA’s landing on the moon, and other similar yet great achievements, serve as a strong motivator for young generations and foster a sense of curiosity to carry the legacy of mankind ahead.

Moreover, science exploration also gives a gist of our overall scientific progress as a community to people who remain unaware of the latest updates, scientific news, and achievements of humans.

Lastly, science exploration also helps humans address global challenges in various ways. Some major examples include satellites monitoring environmental changes, tracking natural disasters, and managing resources remotely from space, which help humans trace useful insights and information needed.  

For instance, the website from space tracks the deforestation rate of the earth and updates us about the current status of rainforests and other environmental changes.

Additionally, a global view from space also fosters collaboration among nations to come together and overcome various challenges that hinder our progress in exploring space.

To conclude, investing in space exploration is something human beings must constantly focus on. While some might consider it a waste of capital for a nation, it has its own unexplored pros. Though this fact cannot be denied that the immediate benefits of scientific exploration might not be visible, it will undoubtedly yield fruitful results for future generations.

Sample 4: Contacting Aliens Essay

Ever since human beings have started to explore the depths of space, the concept of life existing somewhere in the dimensions of space apart from the Earth has been in the limelight. We, as human beings, refer to foreign bodies existing in space (if any) as aliens.

Despite the fact that the existence of aliens might act as a threat to the human race on Earth, the curiosity to make the first contact with aliens still persists among scientists. This has been the main reason scientists constantly send wave signals in space, expecting to receive responses from people like us existing somewhere unknown in the mysterious spatial dimension.

This essay explores the complexities involved in contacting aliens and the constant efforts put in by scientists to find life somewhere in space apart from our Earth.

Science has reached a stage where scientists use various techniques to detect signals traveling in space from other civilizations. Researchers constantly strive through radio telescopes to scan the cosmos for unidentified and unusual signs that might confirm the existence of intelligent life somewhere in the cosmic world. These efforts to find alien civilizations are solely carried with the assumption that there are civilizations in the world that are far more advanced than ours and would preferably use radio waves to communicate with other spatial bodies.

When trying to contact aliens, a major question is what methods of contact scientists should use. Here are some methods that might be used to contact aliens:

  • Radio and Optical Signals: This technology sends radio signals to specific stars, planetary systems, or other potential locations where scientists believe life can exist.
  • Physical Probes: Launching probes that contain information about the existence of life on Earth and other information related to space with the hope that aliens existing in some corner of the universe will ultimately find it and establish contact with our planet.
  • Interstellar Messaging: Interstellar messaging involves creating encoded messages that include mathematical, scientific, and cultural information. These messages are so designed that they can be universally understood by any potential intelligent life who receives them.

With all these technological ways, humans expect to contact aliens in space someday. However, contacting aliens comes with some potential risks. These risks include revealing our existence to potential aliens who might be stronger, more advanced, and much more powerful than us. As a result, showcasing our existence might lead to alien organizations trying to eliminate our potential competitors.

Other risks include the moral responsibility to be prepared for the consequences of our actions. Contacting alien organizations can ultimately threaten human existence, which may last for ages.

Overall, contacting aliens is necessary to silence our curiosity and thirst for exploring space. However, as human beings, we must take all the necessary steps to ensure our safety and privacy while exploring the untouched dimensions of the universe.

Tips to write a winning IELTS essay 

   Here are some common tips to consider that can help you write a winning space exploration essay IELTS:

  • Allocate around 40 minutes to your writing task 2 to ensure that you have enough time to write a well-structured essay.
  • Do not jump straight into writing. Rather, consider reading the question twice or thrice to understand its needs and what it actually expects you to do.
  • Outline your response prior to writing your answer. This means creating a blueprint for your essay before starting to actually write it.
  • Once you are done with the writing part, ensure to proofread your essay. This will help you overcome any potential mistakes, grammatical errors, and other negative aspects of the essay.
  • Maintain the flow in writing. You cannot derail your thoughts and write an essay that is not relevant to the topic. The essay should be in complete sync with the question. The ideas in the essay should be directly related to the question. Use examples, experiences, and ideas that you can connect well with. 
  • Organize your essay using linking phrases and words in a limited manner. Avoid using normal linking words, and go for adverbial phrases.
  • The entire essay should be divided into small paragraphs with a minimum of two sentences each. There should be three parts to your essay, introduction, body, and conclusion. 
  • Do not fill your essay with too many complicated and long words. Use collocations and idioms correctly. You must have a clear idea of using words and contexts.
  • The essay should be grammatically correct. There should not be errors in terms of spelling, punctuation, and tenses. To avoid grammatical errors, avoid long and complicated sentences. Write short and crisp sentences. 
  • Practice various essay questions like to agree/ disagree, discuss two opinions, advantages & disadvantages, causes, and solutions, causes and effects, and problem- solution. 
  • Write a good introduction. The introduction should offer a clear idea about the rest of the content. An introduction is an important part of creating an impression and developing interest. 
  • Use facts, statistics, and data if necessary. If you are unsure about the data and numbers, it is better to avoid any factual information. Do not write anything that you are not very sure about. 
  • The body of the essay should be descriptive and contain all the points, facts, and information in a detailed manner. 
  • The conclusion is prominent. The way you conclude your essay plays an important role in boosting your IELTS band. 
  • Take care of the spelling mistakes. Do not write complicated spellings that you are not sure of. It is better to use simple and common words. 
  • Do not write any informal or personal comments. It is not permitted strictly. 
  • Proofread your essay once you are done writing. It helps you to scan minor and major issues in terms of grammatical and spelling errors. 

With all these tips in check, you can expect to write a winning essay in your writing task 2 on space exploration.

In conclusion, attempting the space exploration task 2 requires a good strategy, backed by thorough preparation and clear understanding of the task requirements. 

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Akansha Semwal

Study Abroad Expert

Akansha Semwal is a content marketer at upGrad and has also worked as a social media marketer & sub-editor. Experienced in creating impressive Statement of Purpose, Essays, and LOR, she knows how to captivate the attention of Admissions Committee. Her research-driven;study-abroad articles helps aspirants to make the prudent decision. She holds a bachelor's & master's degree in Literature from the University of Delhi.

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Disclaimer

The above tips are the Author's experiences. upGrad does not guarantee scores or admissions.