Is space exploration worth the money we spend on it?

Question

this is fer my english proj. its soooo. stupid. buh i need to get info b4 this thursday.; 03/29/07..
NOWWWW~thankyuverymucho<3
and dont js put yes or no. put detailed answers puhlease<3
--looooozaaaah :D

Answer 1

Just think about the microchips in everything we own from the fastest computers to your cell-phone and even your electric can-opener.

Many advancements in computer related consumer equipment would not have been made if it was not for NASA or the armed forces. They needed something that worked faster, or was smaller, or both, so they give grant money to some companies and say "Make it happen".

Later, when there is a need and they can streamline the manufacturing, this tech moves into the consumer market. We wouldn't have many of the items we use everyday, if it wasn't for money spent on the space program.

Answer 2

Absolutely 100% We spend a few billion on space exploration, most of which goes directly to research and development that has immediate earth based applications such as the ones listed above. Not only were those technologies developed because of space exploration, more importantly, they were uniquely because of it. In other words, no one else was researching anything like them and whamo, there they are. There are many unintended consequences that we can't even imagine. For example, an ongoing space research project has been medical testing on astronauts for long term space flights. In doing that, doctors wanted to test the urine of astronauts in space. However, they can't do that until the astronauts are back home, so they needed to find a way to preserve the urine and keep it from breaking down for at least a week or so. Money spent on that project developed a preservative that is commonly used at dialysis centers and in medical testing on earth. No one else was looking into the not so profitable field of urine preservation, but the result has saved millions of dollars in health care at labs, and improved the lives of thousands of people. The magazine "Spinoff" published by NASA illustrates interesting new technologies every month! Space exploration (along with research and development funding in energy and medicine) might be the only government spending which adds more to our economy than it costs.

More importantly, though, I think that exploring space and doing "pure science", that is, science for the sake of learning and knowing, not for application, is a uniquely important thing for us to do. We need to continue to expand what we know about our surroundings, regardless of what if any spinoffs or technical advances come our way as an inevitable result.

Answer 3

This is fer yer english proj, eh? Kid, your project should be on the lack of simple spelling and reading skills of school children today.

In terms of what I think you're asking (given I had to read it twice to figure out your language), the answer is yes.
Space exploration and the technology we had to develop have given us:
Velcro
Microwave ovens
Digital cameras
Cell phones
Global Positioning systems
Communications satellites
Micro-surgical techniques and equipment
MRI equipment
Water filtration, recycling, and treatment technologies
Advanced radar imaging technology
Nuclear power
Computers
Observations of the sun outside our atmosphere that can warn us of potentially damaging coronal mass ejections (you may need to get a book and look up the definition of this)
New understanding of the composition and evolution of the solar system and the likely future of the sun

There are probably a lot more, you should do some research.

Answer 4

Very good question. The answer is relative to whom you ask. NASA and others have passed down technology from the space program that benefit us in our daily lives, so in that regard, the program has some definite worth. There are parts of it that I question though.....like how it will benefit us to be able to travel to the edge of our solar system when the next closest one is many light-years away. Of course, in the future, it's possible that we may discover new technology based on resources that exist on other planets, in which case, it will be good to have the groundwork laid for traveling back-and-forth between planets. For example, if there's a need someday to mine elements from other locations, a nearby planet might be a good candidate. Can you imagine striking oil on another planet? I know it's unlikely, but if it happened, that one resource alone could make all the spending worthwhile.

Answer 5

Hi. Some is and some is not. The pure research exploration is what we learn the most from. The manned explorations may not be worth the risk, but are more glamorous. If the goal is knowledge of how we came to be then yes, I think so. If the goal is to prove that we can, then no, I don't think so.

Answer 6

depends on what we find.. we find a cure to aids or cancer, YES!!!!! some meds are just better manufactured in space...

if we find a way to improve velcro.... i'd be spending money on schools or a safer car. then again, NASA might find a solution to the car problem, too =]

Answer 7

We get more from the few million spent on space exploration than we do from the umpteen trillion spent on war.

Answer 8

If you work for NASA, yes. If you work for a contract company that works with NASA, yes. If you are Joe Schmoe who is a blue collar worker, then no.

Real answer: Depends on who you are.

Answer 9

And to think we are spending tax dollars educating this lazy little brat...

Answer 10

I need to be home on EARTH for dinner :)