I have a question that I have wandered about for years!!?

Question

What is so good about knowing our, and other , solar systems, that we see the need to spend billions of dollars in research? Would it not be better for the human race to put the money toward health care, housing, and other causes that could benefit humans? Don't get me wrong, I love learning about space, I just think that people should be cared for first.
Just want to know what others think.

I have asked myself the same question of all the other concerns that have been brought up by some of you. I just wanted to know what people thought on this one. I believe that it is a shame that people spind the most money to destory people rather that help them.
I love some of the comments in here, it will be hard to pick the best one!

Answer 1

once again someone has no real idea of how limited NASA's funding really is. Go and look up the figures for the Federal Budget for FY2008. NASA is getting about $17 billion, compared to the Department Of Defence's $580 billion, and the Department Of Health And Human Services is getting around $700 billion.

Now you've seen those numbers, do you really think the health department is underfunded, or that the $17 billion from NASA is going to make a hell of a lot of difference?

Space research is a highly visible use of funds, and therefore attracts a lot of attention. It's a shame that those people who criticise the spending can't get a bit of perspective and get out of the 'either/or' mindset that says either we deal with problems here or we go to space. Why exactly can't the two be done simultaneously, especially given the proportion of spending that is devoted to those two?

Space research also DOES benefit humans. It's a shame people can't see it. Space research has given us global communication, GPS, weather monitoring, a better awareness of our own environment (it was thanks to those iconic pictures of Earth rising over the lunar surface that people began to appreciate the relative smallness of our planet). Developments in computer sciences came about because of the requirement of making computers small enough to fit in a spacecraft. The same is true of television technology. Camcorders are a direct offshoot of the space program. The way some people complain you'd think NASA was loading money into rockets and blasting it into space. Every penny is spent here on Earth, employing people, developing technology, enhancing our understanding of ourselves, our planet, our place in the universe. Is that really not a worthwhile use of money?

Answer 2

Suppose someone 500 years ago had said "what´s the point of spending lots of money on journeys across the seas? Why don´t we all stay right here?". Well america hadn´t been discovered and colonized. Had it? Atleast not if the king and queen of spain had listened to the people that reasoned the way you do.

We need to explore space because we need to know what is out there. There just might be riches beyond our imagination. Also by studying the near planets we can learn alot about the problems we are facing right here on earth. How come venus is so very different today when it was so much like earth in the beginning? Can earth become like that? Knowing what I know about earth and venus I can actually say yes. A warning then for us to change our ways. How can we change our ways without completely giving up our way of life? Well alot of the technology developed as a byproduct from space exploration could give us the tools to survive. Photovoltaics, fuel cells for instance.

The main point is that we cannot simply sit around and be content. We cannot stop our exploration and learning. If we do we are doomed to lose knowledge and eventually stagnate until each new generation knows less than the one before. This is how the catholic church was able to keep humanity in the dark ages for 500 years. It was dangerous to have ideas. Like the idea of earth being round and that you could get to the same point by going in the opposite direction. Suppose Columbus had thought the same way you do?

"The Earth is the cradle of humanity, but mankind cannot stay in the cradle forever."
- Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, the father of human space flight

Answer 3

Yes, space exploration has given us technology we would not have had otherwise besides a deeper understanding of Jehovah's creation. For the last 30 years, meteorological satellites have been transmitting information on the earth’s weather. A NASA publication states: “These satellites not only make it possible to understand our environment better, they also help to protect us from its dangers.” I live in New Orleans, and am personally very grateful to have known in advance that Katrina was bearing down towards my city. My family and I, beside most in our congregation were able evacuate before the storm made landfall on the Gulf coast. Had we not had this warning who knows how many more would have lost their lives?
It is true that our tax dollars are not always spent wisely. Besides gathering knowledge and improving life here on earth, some have ambitions of someday populating other planets, especially Mars. Indeed, some believe it is essential to the survival of our species. Man was told by God to ‘multiply and fill the earth.’ (Genesis 1:28) At the same time, he was given intelligence and an insatiable desire to know more about his context, including the biosphere, the stratosphere, and beyond. Only Jehovah God can and will rule mankind in such a way as to provide for all their needs and "satisfy the desire of every living thing"(Psalms 145:16)

Answer 4

That is brilliant of you to point out.

God told us not to leave the earth.
He said the earth was made for man and man for the earth.

What a shame that we can't take care of our own. The higher ups have concluded in their minds we should explore the universe going against God's orders.

We have poverty and homelessness and so much sadness because we need health care and cannot get it.

Why do men go to other countries...blow them up and then spend mega billions repairing them?

What's the point, while in their own country, they have to stop programs for the elderly and infants. The two most fragile parts of society.

If we did war no more, if we were all in peace and if we showed true love, life would be grand and worth living.

Satan is misleading the entire inhabited earth. He laughs that he has influenced so many away from serving Jehovah God. Satan has replaced creation with Darwinism.
Satan has replaced peace and security with war.
Satan has replaced the golden rule of 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you' with 'do it to them before they can do it to you'.
Satan has replaced kindness and goodness and long suffering with greed and avarice and short tempers.

Do not let the evil one rule your lives. Be good, and worship The Most High God of the Universe, Jehovah.
Learn about the sacrifice Jesus did for us all and live accordingly. It's our only hope for salvation.

Answer 5

I think knowing about ours and the other solar systems and galaxies really help us appreciate that we have a highly intelligent Creator, our God whose name is Jehovah. The bible lets us know he created all things for a purpose.

Even just thinking about the scope of just our galaxy and that there are others out there really is amazing. Our minds can't really even comprehend the complexity or the size of things.

You have to remember we live in a world governed by imperfect men and their goals for things just aren't the same as what God has purposed, God is able to attain the things we as humans can't.

Learn all you can about space, its amazing how much you'll learn and also learn to appreciate our Creator even more, and what he has purposed for humans and the earth too.

Answer 6

Yeah, 'cause if we cancelled NASA's budget, all the money would go towards helping the homeless. Or maybe it would just be added to the military budget and not even make a dent since it's so incredibly small by comparison. Maybe you should worry about all that money we're spending on the war, killing people, before you worry about the very small amount of money we're spending to find out if we're about to die by asteroid.

Answer 7

You might want to check on your assumption that space research is costing more than we spend on earthly issues. The highest annual budget NASA ever got in its entire history was in the middle of the Apollo program in the 1960's when we were trying to go to the moon. At that time, the US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was spending the equivalent of NASA's *annual* budget once every *nine days*. Since then, the ratio of spending we do on space research to the amount we spend on domestic problems has steadily dropped. Space research funding now stands at about 1% of the federal budget. Social Security and Medicare alone are 37%; social programs are another 20%. We spend another 3% on veterans' programs alone, three times what we spend for NASA. So now we're spending on social, retirement, and veterans' programs an equivalent of NASA's annual budget once every *six* days. Not even a week. And only one penny of each dollar you send to the government in income taxes goes to NASA.

Answer 8

You have a good point - a lot of it is useless for basic human needs, and leads to a lot of weapon's developments on the way. However, you can never take away human race's curiosity in whats out there! And in fact, we r not gonna stop until we gonna have phone conversations with the folks from Aldebaran!

Answer 9

This is a good question. "Where the money goes" depends on who is doing the fundraising. NASA probably has some rich influential people in its pockets that local charities couldn't dream of touching. People who give money to NASA probably feel their money is going to something more grandiose than helping a few inner-city kids get a discount on their hot lunches.

Answer 10

Has everything to do with the spies. They were told to go in and they refused, they were afraid because of the report of the spies. 40 is a symbol of judgment or trial. Rained 40 days and 40 nights--judgment. Moses in the mount 40 days--trial for Israel Jesus in the wilderness 40 days--trial for him. In a practical sense--40 years allowed for the guilty generation to die off and a new generation to be ready to enter the land.