Is space exploration worth it?
 

With all of the problems on Earth, is it worth it for us Earthlings to even spend a dime on space exploration?

Answer poll and discuss, please.

Best,

500 years from now it will be worth it, but to us alive today, IMO it is a total waste of money. It benefits us nada.
500 years from now all that money will have been well spent, but that doesn't mean a damn thing to any of us...

Really?

You don't think we are currently benefitting from anything brought to us via space exploration?

What about Tang?

If only for the technology it delivers, it's worth it. I can recall being fascinated with the first 4 function (add, subtract, multipy, divide) calculator. That came out of the early space program. Now a gadget we can buy anywhere for a few bucks.

Nope.

I'm hoping the water on Mars turns out to be the Fountain of Youth.

Okay, I see what you mean.

I assume you would agree that, as Paul stated, the technology that has resulted from space exploration has and is benefitting us Earthfolk, yes?

To your original point, I don't see how we can get to the point where we could leave the planet or see any direct benefit from exploration without these baby-steps we have taken in the last several decades.

You live in a box?

http://www.thespaceplace.com/nasa/spinoffs.html

Here's a good graphic demonstration site of many of the spin-offs of space exploration:

http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/nasacity/index2.htm

I would argue that the transfer of technology from space exploration is so significant and ubiquitous that it is hard to effectively quantify.

FYI.

maybe Mars has oil.

It benefited us 40 years ago because it was a spending contest between us and the Russians, and we won. Much of the early technology was worth it.

The last 30 years, not so much.

The technology innovation has slowed appreciably, and there isn't the side benefit of bankrupting an enemy.

I've long been against all of the money we spend on the space program. But hey, at least we got Tang and Food Sticks out the deal.....

For all of those Eco-tree hugging types, just think about the size of the hole all those launches have burned into the ozone layer.

While NASA is not the only US Govt. agency that spends money on space, I think NASA's budget was around $17B in 2007.

While that's a lot of money, it's almost nothing considering the size of budget -> $2,730 billion spent in 2007!

I'll bet the US loses track of that much money in a year.

I credit all that to the military.

I will approve space exploration, only......... after we have explored all of the remaining 2/3 of Earth. I think conquering the the oceans, seas, etc. would be as technologically beneficial and challenging as space exploration.

Sure, and maybe Mars has WMDs too, then that would make it worth invading :D.

Aurel

I'm picturing that little dude that harrassed Bugs Bunny,

Billions and billions and billions spent, for what. Some technological inventions that would have been invented eventually anyway, for a tiny fraction of what the space program cost.

It had a useful purpose once, to outspend the soviets and drive them to bankruptcy and to develop satellites and anti-missile defense.
It worked but now it's simply another government sponsored welfare program for nerds.

Don't worry, be happy.......... so the song goes.


Billions, trillions, what-have-ya, who cares, right? Is this why "America is for Sale"? Maybe, NASA will be "for sale" soon.




A portion of the article:

American roads are the hottest commodity in the international marketplace. State and local governments are falling all over themselves to sell off highways, bridges, and all sorts of other revenue-producing infrastructure, to international financiers who are eager to snap up structures Americans have already paid for, and for which they continue to pay maintenance costs through endless taxes.


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The Chicago Skyway, for example, brought $1.83 billion from a Spanish-Australian partnership. The 157-mile Indiana tollway, brought $3.85 billion from the same partnership. And the state of Texas has recently concluded a deal to sell a Trans-Texas Corridor for $7.2 billion to the same Spanish company who partnered with a Texas construction company.

What’s going on here? Why are government officials so eager to sell off our infrastructure? Because it’s a win-win deal for everyone - except the people who pay taxes and use the highways. Governments get a pot full of cash up front, and the “public-private” partnerships get a long term cash-cow. The taxpayers and highway users get ______, well, you fill in the blank.