“Gee lets spend 100bn$ on tang and velcro, d’hur d’hur d’hur.”
Why does someone always say that?
Every dollar invested in NASA generates a 1000% indirect return for the economy, and an immeasurable return to society. Knowledge has infinite shelf life, is almost always useful at some point, takes up virtually no space, and is infinitely reproducible. You’d think greed alone would ensure glowing support for every scientific endeavor.
Virtually every aspect of the physical sciences benefit from research only those in space are in a position to do, from climatology and meteorology, to biology and physics, communications technology, materials science, geology, etc etc
Oh yeah and then there is the (slim given their under funded nature) chance that their orbital diagnostic equipment could save all of our lives by giving us a century of warning of a celestial impact, like the one that wiped out the dinosaurs.
Seriously, people that don’t want to fund space exploration and study are ignorant, plain and simple. Educate yourself.
I mean really, come on people. What part of having WHOLE OTHER PLANETS to exploit for resources does not compute as profitable? Greedy bastards don’t care unless they’ll get a piece. “for your children” just isn’t good enough if it means a slightly smaller SUV today.
I don’t need them to be earth like to be valuable. I mean shit, the Japanese found uranium on the MOON.
Research is profitable, that’s why private organizations pay for it.
