Critically review recent public health policy developments

Critically review recent public health policy developments This assignment will critically review recent public health policy developments in the field of Cancer in England also it will evaluate its effectiveness and implications for public health and health promotion practice. This assignment will first briefly review the recent public health policies of England starting from Health of the Nation white paper (1992), Saving lives white paper (1999), Cancer Plan (2000) Choosing health white paper (2004) and the most recent public health policy for Cancer Cancer Reform Strategy (2007). After reviewing the recent public health policy developments for cancer in England, evaluation and implications of these policies will be discussed. From 1992 to 1997, the Health of the Nation (HOTN) strategy was the central plank of health policy in England and formed the context for the planning of services provided by the National Health Services (NHS). The HOTN policy focused on five key areas: coronary heart disease and stroke; cancer; mental illness; HIV/AIDS and sexual health; and accidents. Each area had a statement of main objectives attached to it, together with twenty seven targets across the areas. Cancer targets of the HOTN policy were to, reduce death rate for breast cancer in women invited for screening by more than 25% by 2000, reduce incidence of invasive cervical cancer by 20% by 2000, reduce death rate for lung cancer in those aged less than 75 by 30% (men) and 15% (women) by 2010, halt year on year increase in incidence of skin cancer by 2005 (Department of Health 1992). Health of the Nation white papers importance lay in the fact that it represented the first explicit attempt by government to provide a strategic approach to improve the overall health of the population. But according to the review of the HOTNs policy commissioned by Department of Health 2000, HOTNs policy failed over its five year lifespan to recognize its full potential and was handicapped from the outset by numerous flaws of both a conceptual and process type nature. Its impact on policy documents peaked as early as 1993; and, by 1997, its impact on local health policy making was negligible. The HOTNs policy was regarded as a Department of Health initiative which lacked cross-departmental commitment and ownership. At local level, it was seen as principally a health service document and lacked local government ownership. (The Health of the Nation a policy assessed 2000). The White Paper Saving Lives Our Healthier Nation was published on 6 July 1999 together with Reducing Health Inequalities: an Action Report. These two documents set out the Governments strategy for health for the next 10 years. They brought a new and important focus to the promotion of health and the prevention of ill-health. The health strategy set out in the White Paper was centred on four priority areas (cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke, accidents and mental health). Action to tackle these important areas of ill-health was set in the context of both a Government-wide agenda to address the underlying causes (through, for example, measures to combat poverty, to improve education and work opportunities, and to improve the environment including the quality of the housing stock); also through the wider public health agenda, specifically action to tackle smoking (DH 2000) The NHS Cancer Plan (2000) was the first comprehensive National cancer programme for England. It had four aims: to save more lives, to ensure people with cancer get the right professional support and care as well as the best treatments, to tackle the inequalities in health that mean unskilled workers are, twice as likely to die from cancer as professionals, to build for the future through investment in the cancer workforce, through strong research and through preparation for the genetics, revolution, so that the NHS never falls behind in cancer care again (NHS Cancer Plan 2000) . According to Department of Health (2000), for the first time this plan provided a comprehensive strategy for bringing together prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment and care for cancer and the investment needed to deliver these services in terms of improved staffing, equipment, drugs, treatments and information systems. At the heart of the Plan there were three new commitments. 1) In addition to the ex isting (Smoking Kills white paper 1998) target of reducing smoking in adults from 28% to 24% by 2010, new national and local targets to address the gap between socio-economic groups in smoking rates and the resulting risks of cancer and heart disease. 2) New goals and targets was set to reduce waiting times for diagnosis and treatment of cancer so that no one should wait longer than one month from an urgent referral for suspected cancer to the beginning of treatment except for a good clinical reason or through patient choice. 3) An extra  £50 million NHS investment a year by 2004 in hospices and specialist palliative care, to improve access to these services across the country. For the first time ever, NHS investment in specialist palliative care services will match that of the voluntary sector (Cancer Plan DH 2000). There were enormous achievements since the NHS Cancer Plan 2000, like action on tobacco and the smoking ban had led to a fall in smoking rates (from 28% of the population in 1998 to 24% in 2005), amounting to 1.6 million fewer smokers. More cancers were detected through screening by National Cancer Screening Programmes for breast, bowel and cervical cancers. New screening programmes were introduced as and when they were proven to be both clinically and cost effective. Waiting times for cancer care have reduced dramatically. There had been a major increase in the use of drugs approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), to treat cancer with less variation between cancer networks. Since April 1 2009, patients undergoing treatment for cancer, including the effects of past cancer treatment, have been able to apply for a medical exemption certificate. It is expected that the new scheme will benefit up to 150,000 people already diagnosed with cancer, who might pay  £100 or more each year in prescription charges (NHS Cancer Plan DH, 2010) Although there are tremendous improvements of NHS Cancer Plan according to Department of health but according to the The Lancet Oncology editorial 2009 the NHS cancer plan for England was set up, at least in part, in reaction to data from the EUROCARE project, which showed that England cancer survival rates was lagging behind the rest of the Europe. The stated aim of the plan was: By 2010, Englands five year survival rates for cancer will compare with the best in Europe. Despite all the caveats that must be borne in mind when extrapolating from available data, and when comparing across European countries, the evidence available suggests that England is at best keeping track with improvements elsewhere, rather than closing the gap, and that the 2010 cancer target looks optimistic. Solutions to the problems of cancer are not easy, but perhaps the time has come to consider rather more fundamental changes to the NHS than are offered in the cancer plan if England is to truly offer world c lass healthcare (The Lancet Oncology 2009). According to Bosanquet et al (2008) huge amounts of money have been thrown at cancer in NHS cancer plan. The exact sum is opaque but the investment in cancer care has more than tripled over the past decade and now have approached European levels but improvements in cancer survival rates is not comparable with other European countries (Bosanquet et al, 2008). The Choosing Health White Paper was published in November 2004.   Choosing Health identified six key priority areas: tackling health inequalities, reducing the numbers of people who smoke, tackling obesity, improving sexual health, improving mental health and well-being, reducing harm and encouraging sensible drinking (Choosing Health, Department of Health 2004). Choosing health policy was particularly successful in banning the smoking in public places (Department of Health 2010). Before reviewing the most recent public health policy development for Cancer in England it is important to look at the current and past statistics of Cancer in the England. Also according to the Parkin (2006) accurate statistics on cancer occurrence and outcome are essential both for the purposes of research (into causes, prevention and treatment of cancer) and for the planning and evaluation of programmes for cancer control. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) 2010 UK the four most common cancers, breast, lung, colorectal and prostate accounted for more than half of the 245,300 new cases of malignant cancer (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) registered in England in 2007. Of the total number of new cases in 2007 in England, 123,100 were in males and 122,200 in females, breast cancer accounted for 31 per cent of all cases of cancers in England among women and prostate cancer accounted for 25 per cent of all cases of cancers in England among men. Cancer is predomin antly a disease of older people as only 0.5 per cent of cases registered in 2007 in England were in children (age under 15) and 25 per cent were in people aged under 60. Between 1971 and 2007, the age-standardised incidence of cancer increased by around 21 per cent in males and 45 per cent in females in England. In each year in England over one in four people die from cancer. In England cancer accounts for 30 per cent of all deaths in males and 25 per cent of all deaths in females (ONS UK, 2010). Survival rates of cancer patients in England varies by type of cancer and, for each cancer, by a number of factors including sex, age and socio-economic status. Five-year relative survival is very low (in the range 3-16 per cent) for cancers of the pancreas, lung, oesophagus, stomach and brain for patients diagnosed in England in 2001-06, compared with ovarian cancer (39 per cent), cancers of the bladder, colon and cervix (47-64 per cent), and cancers of the prostate and breast (77-82 per c ent). In England for the majority of cancers, a higher proportion of women than men usually survives for at least five years after diagnosis. Among adults, the younger the age at diagnosis, the higher the survival for almost every cancer. In England five year survival rates for patients diagnosed between 2001-06 have improved slightly or stayed stable for 16 of the 21 most common cancers compared to the period 2000-04 (Cancer Research UK, ONS UK 2010). The most recent public health policy for cancer in England is the Cancer Reform Strategy (DH 2010). The Cancer Reform Strategy published in December 2007, builds on progress made since publication of the NHS Cancer Plan in 2000 and sets out a clear direction for cancer services. According to the document of Cancer Reform Strategy published by Department of Health (2007), it shows how by 2012 cancer services in England can be among the best in the world. It also launched three new initiatives: 1) The National Awareness and Early Diagnosis Initiative, aimed to raise awareness of cancer symptoms among the public and health professionals and encourage those who may have symptoms to seek early attention. Almost  £5 million was allocated to the NHS to support cancer networks and primary care trusts in improving awareness of cancers and promoting early diagnosis. 2) The National Cancer Survivorship Initiative is working to improve support for the 1.63 million people currently living with and beyond cancer in England. 3) The National Equality Initiative is working to reduce inequalities in cancer care. According to the Department of health (2010) the aims of the Cancer Reform Strategy is to build on progress already made and meet remaining challenges, the government has developed this strategy to set out the next steps for delivering cancer services in England, by saving more lives through prevention of cancer whenever possible and through earlier detection and better treatment, by improving patients quality of life by ensuring services patient centred and well-coordinated and by offering choice where appropriate, increase public awareness of cancer, reduce inequalities in access to services and in service quality thereby reducing inequalities in cancer outcomes, build for the future, through education, research and workforce development, and enable cancer care to be delivered in the best place, at the right time. Prevention of cancer by screening is a most important aspect to tackle cancer. NHS Screening programmes are part of the Cancer reform strategy 2007. According to NHS Screening Programme (2010), over half of all cancers in the past could be prevented if people adopted healthy lifestyles such as: by stopping smoking, avoiding obesity, eating a healthy diet, undertaking a moderate level of physical activity, avoiding too much alcohol, and excessive exposure to sunlight. According to the NHS Cervical Screening Programme (2010), it saves up to 4,500 lives in England every year. Within the NHS Cervical Screening Programme in England, women aged 25 to 49 are invited for free cervical screening every three years, and women aged 50 to 64 are invited every five years. Women over the age of 65 are invited if their previous three tests were not clear or if they have never been screened. According to the NHS Breast Screening Programme (2010), its breast screening awareness programme regarded as one of the best screening programmes in the world, saving an estimated 1,400 lives each year. 96.4 per cent of women who have had invasive breast cancer detected by screening are alive five years later. Under the NHS Breast Screening Programme, breast screening is provided every three years for all women in England aged 50 and over. Currently, women aged between 50 to 69 years are invited routinely and women over the age of 70 can request free three-yearly screening.  The eligible age range for routine breast screening will be extended further to provide nine screening rounds between 47 and 73 years. According to the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (2010), it is one of the first National bowel screening programmes in the world and the first cancer screening programme in England to include men as well as women. All men and women aged 60 to 69 are expected to be included by December 2010, meaning around 2 million men and women will be screened and an estimated 3,000 cancers detected every year. The programme will be extended from 2010 to include men and women aged 70-75 years. According to the Lancet Oncology editorial (2009), although the Governments Cancer Plan and Cancer Reform Strategy has had some impact on how long sufferers survive after diagnosis, it is still struggling to close the gap between England and other European countries. A study by Bernard Rachet et al, (2007) published in the Lancet Oncology journal also suggested that some of the improvements in cancer in England merely reflect ongoing trends in cancer cure rather than real change. There are also large variations in cancer cure and survival rates across the country, with patients in the North West of England still more likely to die earlier from the same cancer as those in the South of England. An editorial in the journal also warns that the time has come to consider more fundamental change in the NHS than the Cancer Plan and Cancer Reform Strategy offers. The study by Bernard Rachet et al, (2007) in The Lancet Oncology journal looked at survival rates for 21 common cancers, comparing the rates in England and Wales, ( in Wales a similar scheme like Cancer Plan was introduced only in 2006) most cancers showed a rise in survival rates in England compared to Wales after 2001, but there was a fall in the survival rates in England compared to Wales for bladder cancer, Hodgkins lymphoma and leukaemia (blood cancer). According to the Professor Karol Sikora, medical director of Cancer Partners UK, (Lancet Oncology 2009) that there is no striking improvement in the cancer cure rates and survival rates in England, despite the huge resources involved in the NHS cancer Plan and Cancer reform strategy, also there is still wide regional variation in survival, with deprivation still being linked to poor outcome, a factor which the plan was meant to address. Also according to Karol Sikora, access to new cancer drugs in England is also poor, the latest EU comparator (2008) shows that the use of six cancer drugs approved in the past three years is fivefold less in the UK than the EU average. According to Ciaran Devane Macmillan Cancer Support (Telegraph UK April 2010), although there are more cancer survivors in England because of both the improvements in treatment and an ageing population, but this does not show the whole picture of cancer policy of England. After once the treatment of cancer ends, many patients feel abandoned by the NHS and struggle to cope with the long-term effects of cancer, and cancer treatment. The NHS cancer policy needs to ensure all cancer patients have the support they need to manage the long term effects of cancer treatment. A recent report by National Radiotherapy Advisory Group (2007) suggests that England need a massive 90% expansion in radiotherapy provision for cancer patients. According to Crump (2009) that in England radiotherapy for cancer patients is at the same level as it was in the 1980s, with only 7% of eligible patients getting precisely targeted intensity-modulated radiotherapy. In conclusion of this assignment, although the recent public health policy developments in field of cancer have shown some success in England but there are certain areas where significant improvement is require like early detection of cancers to reduce higher incidence rates of cancer by decreasing the waiting times for patients and cancer survival rates especially when comparing to other top European countries. There is a need to change cancer policy of England to meet the real requirements of current and future cancer patients.

Interview Question and Ans

Tell me about yourself? Ans1) My name is Sakshi Malhotra. I am from Faridabad. I have done my graduation degree in BBA from MD University, Rohtak. I am currently pursuing PGDM degree from IMS college. Apart from the academic interests I am a creative person. Q2) What is your greatest strength? Weakness? Ans2) (i) Strengths: * Good communication skills * Strong will power * Dedicated nature. (ii) Weakness: * I cannot tolerate back biting. I may easily lose temper if I come across dishonest people. Q3) Why did you choose to interview with us?Ans3) I chose to interview with you because the job profile fits ideally with the kind of work experience that I am looking forward to. This is the firm in which I can realize my full potential and gain quality experience in my professional life. Q4) What are your short-term and long term goals? Ans4) (i) Short –Term Career Goals: To work in any of the four competitors –KPMG, E & Y, PWC, DELLOITE (ii) Long Term Goal: Long-Term Goa l of mine is to broaden my experience in different departments and work processes of the industry so that I can become qualified enough to lead a company as the CEO.Q5) Describe a time you had to make a difficult decision? Ans5) The most difficult decision I had to make so far was to choose between a career in Hotel Management and a career in management. With the help of my family I decided to choose a career in management as it will still fulfill my dream of managing and I also get to choose the industry I want to work in. Q6) What do you do when a team member is not pulling his/her weight? Ans6) When a team- member is not pulling his/her weight then I will try to find out the reason for the de motivated behavior of the team member.If a can resolve the issue then I will put my efforts in that direction else if I cannot find the reason then I will try to lead by example by putting extra efforts and involving the team member. Q7) Think about a time you made a mistake. What did you le arn from it? Ans7) The mistake that I made was very trivial and hence not worth mentioning here but the lesson that I learnt was much more important. I learnt that it is always easier and better to admit your mistake and apologize for it. Trying to hide the mistake is just another mistake.

Employee Compensation and Benefits Essay

Black Corporation, an innovative new technology corporation, has just hired John as the director of their Human Resources Department. As HR Director, John has been tasked with hiring an Administrative Assistant/ Secretary for the advertising department and to develop an employee compensation and benefits package that will be used for that position upon hire. He must elaborate on Black Corporation and the type of organization for which he is designing the package and develop an employee compensation and benefits package for this new position. He must be able to support his ideas the compensation/benefits package. This is the first time that John has had the task of hiring for Black Corporation and he will need quality resources to assist him to ensure that he is able to make the process as smooth and effective as possible. What type of Organization is Black Corporation? To begin with, John has recently been hired by Black Corporation as the director of their HR department. John has may years of HR experience and is also a certified Senior Professional in Human resources. BC is a brand new addition to the technology industry, which has just introduced an innovative communications device called the Talk Tablet. This device is a cellular telephone that is also a tablet that can be used for Internet access and app purchases. The head of Advertising, Mary, is in the process of launching a multi million dollar ad campaign and is in need of a Administrative Assistant/Secretary to assist her. Although BC has been open for less than a year they have established their stake in the industry with their ability to enhance current products and out sell many of its competitors. They are also known for employee satisfaction. BC considers its employees their greatest asset and offers excellent benefits and compensation. They are a very competitive employer; therefor e their employees are all experienced professionals in their area of expertise. The Administrative Assistant/Secretary Compensation Package Next, John has to develop the compensation/benefits package for his new hire Elizabeth. According to  BLS.gov the median pay in 2012 (the most updated reporting) for an AA/Secretary is $35,330 or $16.99 per hour. (â€Å"Secretaries and Administrative Assistants,† 2014) BC prides itself in hiring and retaining the cream of the crop in all of the areas they employ. They will pay Elizabeth a base salary of $61,000, due to her experience in this industry and position, and her performance will be evaluated in 90 days for a compensation increase. The base salary for an entry level AA/Secretary will be $51,000. This is $975 more than one of their competitors Apple Inc., according to Glassdoor.com (â€Å"Apple AA hourly pay,† 2014) Additionally John will decide on the benefits package. Susan Hatchfield, management and organization development consultant, who specializes in human resources, explains that â€Å"health insurance is the foundation of a comprehensive employee benefits package. Health insurance is the preferred employee benefit of the majority of people who work. [†¦] No comprehensive employee benefits package would be complete without employer paid time off from work. [†¦] Short-term disability insurance ensures that an employee will still receive a percentage of income if they cannot work due to sickness or a disabling injury. [†¦] Long-term care is an insurance policy that protects an employee from loss of income in the event that he or she is unable to work due to illness, injury, or accident for a long period of time. [†¦] Various dental insurance plans are available for employers to offer as part of a comprehensive employee benefits package. [†¦] Vision insurance is a lower cost addition to a comprehensive employee benefits package that is provided by employers. [†¦] Life insurance is an appreciated component in a comprehensive employee benefits package. [†¦]† (Heathfield, 2014, para. 6) All of these benefits will be the basis for the package for the Administrative Assistant/Secretary. Health, dental and vision insurances will be competitively priced with BC covering the majority of the premiums. The short term and long term insurance and a basic life insurance policy will be provided to the employees at no additional cost. BC will also provide a 401(k) investment option to allow employees to invest in their retirement with a 7% match to all investments. They will also allow an employee stock option with the improved dividends of the corporation. She will be given paid time off on a tiered scale, 4 weeks to begin with as well as a 2 day increase every 3 years with a maximum of 6 weeks. All major holidays will  also be paid with additional days off for some selected holidays. The package will include 12 stress/sick days per year. Elizabeth has been an AA/Secretary for the Advertising director with Google for 10 years and is excited to make the transition to Black Corporation. Google is the dream gig for many young professional according to a survey conducted by CB S News. Amy Levin-Epstein, of CBS News’s Money Watch reports that Google offers â€Å"a standard package of fringe benefits, but on top of that are first-class dining facilities, gyms, laundry rooms, massage rooms, haircuts, carwashes, dry cleaning, commuting buses – just about anything a hardworking employee might want.† (LEVIN-EPSTEIN, 2011, para. 2) They even offer free beer. With this in mind, John needs to develop a package that can offer some of the great fringe benefits that Elizabeth is used to. Although BC is a fairly new company they have invested in a state of the art facility, and they have done their research. They incorporated all of the amenities that Google offers as well as onsite training facilities and the option to go to school on campus to earn certifications and degrees. In conclusion, John has completed his task. He has hired Elizabeth as the Administrative Assistant/Secretary for Mary and he has developed a compensation package for the AA/Secretaries of Black Corporation. Elizabeth will start after she submits her 2 weeks notice. References Apple Administrative Assistant Hourly Pay. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.glassdoor.com/Hourly-Pay/Apple-Administrative-Assistant-Hourly-Pay-E1138_D_KO6,30.htm Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, †¨on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/secretaries-and-administrative-assistants.htm (visited June 16, 2014). Heathfield, S. (2014). What’s In a Comprehensive Employee Benefits Package? Retrieved from http://humanresources.about.com/od/compensation-structure/tp/employee-benefits-package.htm LEVIN-EPSTEIN, A. (2011). Google Job Perks: Top 10 Reasons We Want to Work There. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/google-job-perks-top-10-reasons-we-want-to-work-there/

The Future of Space Exploration - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1102 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/07/01 Category Science Essay Level High school Tags: Space Exploration Essay Did you like this example? As long as humanity has existed, people have looked to the stars. They were used for navigation or just to tell stories or explain the universe. Mankind has always dreamt of reaching into the cosmos, and with technology constantly growing, that dream is now a reality. We are reaching further into the sky to learn more about the universe and our own Earth. In order for us to understand the direction of development for new missions, the history of space exploration should be known. The new age of exploration began in 1957 when the Soviet Union successfully launched a satellite, Sputnik, into low-earth orbit. This launch also kickstarted the Space Race between the Soviet Union and the United States of America. In 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space, orbiting the Earth once. In that same year, Alan Shepard became the first American in space. Marking a new step in outer-space research, Mariner 4, an American spacecraft, began transmitting photographs of Mars in 1965. In a giant leap for mankind. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to walk on the moon in 1969. Setting the stage for further exploration into the cosmos, the United States launched the first space station, Skylab, into orbit in 1973. In 1972, Viking 2 discovers water frost on Mars, paving the way for future studies on possible li fe on the red planet, and in 1997, the Mars Pathfinder rover lands and begins transmitting images. In 2009, the Kepler space telescope was launched in an effort to search for planets the size of Earth orbiting other stars. Setting a precedent for future commercial companies, SpaceX successfully launched a rocket, Falcon 9, into orbit and retrieves in successfully, a first for a non-government company. These past events set the stage for the growth of space programs around the world. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Future of Space Exploration" essay for you Create order The future of space exploration has already been planned for many years ahead. One of the soonest, the EXOMars mission is set to launch in 2020. The mission will take a European rover and a Russian surface platform to Mars, taking 9 months to travel from earth. This mission is being operated by the European Space Agency, also known as the ESA, and Roscosmos, the Russian space Program. EXOMars plans to collect samples to search for any signs of life or habitable conditions on Mars. The next mission is Euclid, also set to launch in 2020. Euclid is operated by the European Space Agency, and will research dark matter and dark energy. The universe is expanding, and the rate at which it does so is accelerating. The source thought to be responsible for this is referred to as dark energy, and represents up to 75% of the energy content in the universe today. Euclid aims to study this energy, to better understand the accelerating growth of the universe as well as the physics behind the creation of the universe. Prospector 1, operated by Deep Space industries, intends to revolutionize commercial goals involving space. The launch date is not yet set, but is expected to launch between 2020 and 2030. Prospector 1 will land on a near Earth asteroid to analyze the materials found, and determine their worth. If this mission goes well, Deep Space Industries hopes that it will inspire other companies to look to space for materials, and allow for a lower cost alternative to sending some supplies into space. Operated by NASA, the Europa Clipper is set to launch in 2022. Europa will orbit Jupiter, to avoid the strong radiation the planet projects onto its moon, Europa. The spacecraft will makes several quick passes near Europa to research its oceans and icy crust. Europa Clipper will study the thickness of the icy surface, the depth and salinity of the ocean, search for any subsurface lakes, and determine whether or not the ocean could harbor life. The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, also known as JUICE, will also study Jupiter and its moons. Operated by the European Space Agency and launching in 2022, JUICE will spend two years in orbit around Jupiter, studying the planet and 3 of its moons; Callisto, Ganymede, and Europa. JUICE will map the surfaces of these moons, as well as study the ocean layers and the physical properties of the icy surface, and research Jupiters exosphere. In 2034, the European Space Agency will launch the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, LISA for short. The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna consists of three spacecrafts, arranged in an equilateral triangle, each separated by millions of miles. LISA will trail behind the earth in an effort to detect any distortions in spacetime. These distortions, known as gravitational waves, are caused by the collisions between supermassive black holes. The Breakthrough Starshot, operated by Breakthrough Initiatives, is set to launch in 2036. The technology behind this mission seems so implausible, but if the mission succeeds, it will open the way for advancements in space travel. The mission will use light beam technology as power to launch nanocrafts up to speeds of 100 million miles per hour. This will allow the tiny space probes to reach Alpha Centauri in only 20 years, and will fly by Proxima B to study the exoplanet. Proxima B is the closest known exoplanet to our solar system, orbiting Alpha Centauri and possibly being able to harbor life. Breakthrough Initiatives hopes that this mission will go well and prove that light propulsion is a probable future source of fuel. Further exploration into space is necessary for many different reasons. The more efficient space travel becomes, the easier it will be for private companies to utilize the many materials that are much more common in space. Travelling further into space will necessitate the growth of technology. For example, the technology used in the ISS has been used to benefit developing countries on earth. The water filtration system used on the space station is easy to use, and collects water from the atmosphere to bring potable water to communities. The medical community has benefitted as well. Advanced robotics developed to work remotely in space have also been adapted for everyday life. The Canadian Space Agency created the Canadarm 1 and 2, and the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (Dextre). These robots were designed to build and maintain the space station, but inspired the creation of the NeuroArm, which is a robot that allows surgeons to operate with higher precision in an MRI machine. Exploration and discovery has been a part of humanity for centuries, and continues to this day. The new age of space exploration has opened new doors of possibility and discovery into the universe. Since the Soviet Union launched the first satellite into orbit, mankind has tried to expand further into space to discover the secrets of the infinite cosmos.