With our endless discovery of the universe, the galaxies and planets within it, humans have felt the need to explore other worlds. The aim of this exploration is to find Earth-like planets, answering the question: are we alone in the universe? In this essay I will compare space travel today to space travel of the future and the science behind how these forms of travel work and how one form is more effective than the other. I will also point out the pros and cons of each form of space travel. The current method of space travel used by NASA is the Space Shuttle. NASA has since discontinued the use of space shuttles, using them only for missions to the International Space Station for maintenance. The Space Shuttle is made up of a number of components: the orbiter, the fuel tank and the rockets. The orbiter is where the astronauts reside and control the entire shuttle. The orbiter also contains any equipment or spacecraft needed for research on a planet or the ISS. The fuel tank and rockets or Solid Rocket Boosters are used during the initial launch into orbit. The physics behind the Space Shuttle's propulsion is based on hydrogen. A shuttle's fuel tank is filled with pure liquid hydrogen and oxygen used to push the orbiter into orbit through Earth's atmosphere. Hydrogen provides maximum thrust power to break Earth's gravity. The orbiter then detaches from the tank and boosters to later dock with the ISS or use its rockets to travel into space for more distant missions. Long shuttle missions usually take months to reach their intended destination. (NASA) Space shuttles are not the best form of travel. A space shuttle must use huge amounts of hydrogen and oxygen just for launch. During one launch the shuttle... half of paper... propulsion program will be successful as NASA seeks to develop a true warp drive for all of its journeys. We don't know the future but we will always travel in it. Works Cited Bland, Eric. "The warp drive would travel faster than light." DNews. Np, July 28, 2008. Web. November 10, 2013. Dunbar, Brian. "Space shuttle." NASA. NASA, July 28, 2011. Web. November 10, 2013. Millis, Marc G. "Warp Drive and 'Star Trek': Physics of Future Space Travel (Op-Ed)." Space.com. May 22, 2013. November 10, 2013 .Thomas, Andy. “Space Shuttle”. Vasto: academic video library. A&E Television Networks, 1995. Web. November 10. 2013.