Is spending so much money on Space worth it?

[IAteYourMother]

It's something I've thought about for awhile. Is space really taking us anywhere useful and have we reaped any benefits from it? From what I can tell, the amount of money that goes to space could be spent elsewhere like education and health care. The amount we put into space is ridiculous, and all we find out is that there's another moon, or that a moon's temperature is hot/cold, or that its atmosphere is sulfuric or not. I'd rather use that money for more useful stuff.

 

[LeiZaK]

space > money

 

[nakedfrog]

Yes. Pursuit of knowledge. Plus we've only got so much room on this rock, someday we'll need another one to ruin.

 

[Frost Byte]

The future in space is inevitable. I think every penny is worth it.

 

[Vegito]

maybe like star trek , pre warped planets = no trading, etc..

anyway, eventually we'll need to find a new home when we f-ed ourselves on this planet..

 

[acemcmac]

NASA funding > needless new wars half way around the world

 

[So]

Yes, we've discussed this before. In depth. There is no reasonable argument that we should not explore space.

 

[quakefiend420]

dude...the memory foam pillows...the infomercials said it came from NASA...so it must be true!

 

[IAteYourMother]

Originally posted by: acemcmac
NASA funding > needless new wars half way around the world

how does nasa funding stop new wars?

 

[frankie38]

Dont you know the clock is ticking...only a few billion years before our SUN becomes a red giant and destroys Earth. We need to come up with an escape plan soon. So, this is a small investment in the preservation of humans.

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: acemcmac
NASA funding > needless new wars half way around the world

20 years in the future, President Jenna Bush speaks to the nation:
"We have evidence that Mars possesses or is attempting to obtain a death ray. They've been contacting one of the moons of Jupiter about obtaining antimatter, and this is a direct threat to the United States of America."

 

[Toasthead]

yes

 

[umbrella39]

Eventually as the Sun burns hotter if we are not destroyed by ourselves or some asteroid/comet, the Earth will cease to be habitable. We will have to move. NASA is worth every penny IMHO and should get 100X more funding than our romps in Iraq.

They need to spend every penny they can trying to figure out a way to simulate gravity so our astronauts muscles and bone density does not degrade in zero gravity, the reason why it is so hard if not impossible ATPIT to send astronauts to Mars.

 

[Electric Amish]

Yes!

Many of today's technologies were discovered during the research involved in space exploration.

 

[Schadenfroh]

There needs to be more commercial interest in space for it to really advance. For example, we are just now getting into "space tourism", perhaps a space station owned by commercial entities for a sort of "resort" in space for the rich to stay at for a week and return home? That would have very slim profit margins, unless the charging price for such a vacation was insane, even then you would probably not get many customers. I think that the future lies in mining minerals from near earth asteroids and other planets in our solor system, once we have a safe and cheaper means of returning the minerals back to earth **space elevator, cough**

 

[IAteYourMother]

obviously some money is good, but is it important to learn about planets like venus and mercury, especially if there's no way they could be habitable?

 

[Wallydraigle]

The way it's being done now, with no goal except for the politicians to fool the fickle public by putting up the front of being for space exploration, no, I don't think it is. Face it, the way it is now, it's just a political tool.

If we were doing it in such a way that we actually accomplish something meaningful, then I'd be all for it. Set a goal, reach it, then set another. What we're doing now will never amount to anything.

By the way, I voted no, because you asked if NASA is worth the money. NASA is not, space exploration is.

 

[Vegito]

oog

Originally posted by: frankie38
Dont you know the clock is ticking...only a few billion years before our SUN becomes a red giant and destroys Earth. We need to come up with an escape plan soon. So, this is a small investment in the preservation of humans.

i think they estimate it as 4.. this was 10-15 year ago when i took some class.. but i can't google any info.. anyone have a site with a count down timer ?

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: Electric Amish
Yes!

Many of today's technologies were discovered during the research involved in space exploration.

Exactly. The space program has been responsible for many breakthroughs and discoveries that have had applications far beyond space travel. "Space" is just the destination right now. The value comes in solving the challenges related to getting there.

 

[Jawo]

I'm glad to see that most people think that the space program is worth it. It's clearly been worth it...otherwise we wouldn't have TANG, GPS, satelite tv/internet, Satelite photos, and tons and tons of medical reaserch. Did a lenghty report on why the Space Station should be build in 2002, and was dumbfounded at the vast amout of research that we have benefited from space exploration.

A few links Earth Benefits and here

 

[crooked22]

Originally posted by: umbrella39
Eventually as the Sun burns hotter if we are not destroyed by ourselves or some asteroid/comet, the Earth will cease to be habitable. We will have to move. NASA is worth every penny IMHO and should get 100X more funding than our romps in Iraq.

They need to spend every penny they can trying to figure out a way to simulate gravity so our astronauts muscles and bone density does not degrade in zero gravity, the reason why it is so hard if not impossible ATPIT to send astronauts to Mars.

maybe we should let nature take its course and decide when we humans had enough. let the natural process of elmination take place and call it a day.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: crooked22

Originally posted by: umbrella39
Eventually as the Sun burns hotter if we are not destroyed by ourselves or some asteroid/comet, the Earth will cease to be habitable. We will have to move. NASA is worth every penny IMHO and should get 100X more funding than our romps in Iraq.

They need to spend every penny they can trying to figure out a way to simulate gravity so our astronauts muscles and bone density does not degrade in zero gravity, the reason why it is so hard if not impossible ATPIT to send astronauts to Mars.

maybe we should let nature take its course and decide when we humans had enough. let the natural process of elmination take place and call it a day.

Wow. Yeah. Lets do that. Well...you can do that. I'll get MY ass off this planet, thank you very much.

Have it your way and we'll all DIAF

 

[thirdlegstump]

Feeding you is a waste of money.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: deathkoba
Feeding you is a waste of money.

I assume you're referring to crooked22

 

[gopunk]

i'm guessing you would be one of those 'one marshmallow' kids