





Elon Musk and the Falcon 9 [Source: Discovery]










SpaceX Dragon Crew Vehicle [Source: SpaceX]





Sources: SpaceX, CBS News

Comments     Threshold


RE: Priorities
By SoCalBoomer on 3/19/2012 3:27:33 PM , Rating: 2
While I agree that space exploration should be a slightly lower priority than essential civil service programs, I disagree with your post on a couple of specific points:

First, what do you want to fix about our broken government and society? Just curious - your statement is vague and ephemeral. If you get some specifics, then we can talk about it. As it stands, it's too vague - everything is broken, somewhere, somehow; nothing is perfect. We could spend all the money in existence and education, social services, something would still not be perfect or even close.

Second, "Nothing of gain has been discovered that can compare against the money spent" - this is not a valid statement. Realize that electronics, computers were really pushed technologically due to the space program (and warfare) - their original purpose was for ballistics calculation, and then orbital calculations. Considering how huge these industries have become, I think they cover the money spent. . .

New much safer school bus design can be traced directly to the space program.

The medical field has benefited massively from the space with drugs and especially robotics control - all of the remotely controlled surgeries that happen. . . yep.

Your argument is one of the longest standing and least valid of all the arguments against the space program. While we've spent hundreds of billions on the space program, the return on investment is far beyond that, both in human life and in dollars spent.

So, in answer to your "Honest question:" - top reasons why we should continue?

Well, research. Research in these areas gives back to humanity in many ways. Medical, structural engineering, electronics. . .

How about imaging? We know a MASSIVE amount about our planet just due to the satellite images (visual, IR, radar, etc.) we get back.

I could go on quite a bit further, but this is getting long and honestly, I think I've more than answered your question, if it really was asked honestly.

Granted, some things should have a higher priority, but that does not mean we should stop. . .

