Why rich nations spend billions of $ in planet exploration? Why is it worth it spending so much money?

Question

It is obviously not a question of "scientific investigation" only. There are many more important things to deal with in the World.

Why spending so much money in planet explorations if it was only for getting pics and satisfying scientists envies?
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planets exploration = any other planet/planetoïd than Earth.

Do rich nations spend that much money in planetology because they already know there is some kind of life forms, or deposits of very rare metals, or else?

Money, money. They spend money for getting much money, alright? Otherwise, why to act this way?

Answer 1

The space program has helped us immensly; far more so, I dare say that you can possibly imagine. If we had never sent a probe to Venus, we would never have learned what a runaway greenhouse affect is capable of doing. We might have hypothesized it, but without definitive proof, there would have been many who would not beleive it.
If we had not sent probes into deep space to study the sun and solar radiation, would we be aware of the dangers of depleting the o-zone?
What if we had never put satellites in orbit around the earth? Without GPS there would be no cellular communication. Without weather satellites, millions would die from hurricanes or typhoons or tornadoes each year.
What if 50 years ago, someone like you complained that launching rockets was costing too much money when people were still dying of smallpox?
The amount of money that "rich countries" spend towards space exploration is peanuts next to the amount of money that they give to lesser countries for "humanitarian aid", grants for artists and to feed the poor and hungry. And just how much of those "humanitarian" pounds, dollars, euros or yen go into the pockets of third world leaders? How much money goes to usless organizations like the United Nations, an entity with no power to do anything or enforce any resolutions?
The earth's populations will overwhelm its natural resources within 100 years. To where will we turn then? 95 years from now will be too late to start looking elsewhere. When trillions (the projected population by the end of this century) of people are starving because there just isn't enough food and living space to go around, you will be leading the crowd demanding to know why something wasn't done sooner, won't you?

Answer 2

It's not all that much money. For example, the UK spends about £200 million pa on civil space activities, which is less than is spent on the National Health Service in one day (£76 billion pa). The trouble with research and investigation is that you never know what will be useful, rather than just interesting, in years to come. No-one thought electricity would have any practical use when people started experimenting with it, and look where we are now.

Answer 3

Developing technology for war and exploration has accidentally resulted in most of mankind's advancement. As we struggle to maintain spacecraft and spacestations with non-fossil burning energy sources, we will most likely find a solution to the portion of global warming that man is causing. A cure for cancer or aids may be found in a new molecular structure on another planet. New, more efficient agriculture procedures may be discovered that may end hunger world wide. Life may be extended by new more beneficial sleeping environments. The list could go on and on but, our lives on earth will definitely benefit from space exploration.

Answer 4

I still haven't figured that out yet. They take a little trip to Mars, what for? Its not like you could live there. Somebody said something about not being able to live a Earth forever because we are destroying it, well if we could move to another planet what do you think we would do to that one? The very same thing. Anyway you don't have to worry about all of that. What we are doing now has everything to do with the end of time and you can't move to a different planet.

Answer 5

This is a bit analogous to people hundreds of years ago asking why spend so much money trying to sail to the edge of the world. Well, there might be wonderful things out there which DO directly impact the lives of the people.

The space program has contributed emmensly to life here on Earth. I suggest you research the subject....

Answer 6

Well, we also have to look at the value it brings in new technologies and products we use every day. Personal Computers would not be nearly advanced as they are if not for the space program. Think about silicon research performed in space? Their are items we use every day that are here thanks to NASA and the companies that support the space program. Human Beings have always been explorers. Our thirst for knowledge is not bound by this one rock we live on. I am all for the space program as well as long distance space travel research. The benefits will outweigh the cost in the present as well as the future. One day we may have to abandon this rock to go live on another one. This technology and research will pave the road to allow it.

Answer 7

It's so true that we should be investing money on things that matter the most but ppl with money and power do with it what they Will. But in general people have questions to so many things and they want answers, but the thing about going about it to get the answer has consequences.

Answer 8

Because they can. And because space is the future. Some day we will be unable to imagine life confined to one planet just like now we cannot imagine life without farming, toilet paper and cars.

Answer 9

It is because, sometimes, other planetary characterictics affect the Earth too. Also, they are trying to find out if there is a place other than Earth that has water.

Answer 10

1. Everyone will know that country.
2. They get information from the planet/comet/meteroid/asteroid/moon... and sell it. Anyway they don't use their own $, they get it from other donations too.