What is gained from having NASA?

Question

For all the money put into it, what do we learn and gain from all of it?

Answer 1

Nasa is one of the few organizations, I support their spending. They are able to do research and development on technology, that no private industry could or would fund, for fear of losing money.

NASA subcontracts a lot of work too so all of the money that goes into the space program is recycled throughout the economy. It's not like the money gets lost in a vault at NASA headquarters. The number of contractors that NASA works with to get something like HUBBLE in orbit is astounding, and all of these companies employ people like you and me to get it done. I am pro space program because NASA is continually pushing the boundary of technology forcing Universities and contractors to come up with innovative ways to handle new problems. These new technologies invariably end up in commercial products and enrich our lives. Furthermore, in a market driven economy like ours nobody is willing to spend 100 or 200 million dollars to invent a new technology that may not have a payoff. Thats where NASA comes in. They will use the funding invent the technology they need and once it has been invented it can be adapted for commercial purposes much more effectively.

Here's a link to just a taste of what NASA does, and keep in mind, they are 1% of the total federal budget..

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070612084811.htm

Answer 2

Well NASA really only is allowed a tiny portion of the U.S. annual budget. We probably spend more in Iraq in 1 month than Nasa gets in 1 year. So I don't see money as a reason against space exploration.

But I have been starting to wonder about what benefits having an orginization like NASA has, even in the field of space exploration. With the meager funds they receive, there is still much being wasted. And other than some probes and satelites, I don't see much productivity. We haven't returned to the moon for 30+ years, and with the current technology they being used, it's not a huge wonder why we can barely even get into orbit.

Even the "new" shuttles being built for use in the next 5-10 years are still dismally equipped. There hasn't been a major push toward improving their propulsion technology. No matter how much you redesign rockets, it's just not practical to think that using a tank of liquid fuel is a good way to get around in the hugeness of space. And the 'rocket scientists' there should understand this if a layman can, yet we don't hear of any new types of propulsion being developed. I think that NASA has become stagnant.

As far as the study of other worlds and their compositions, it can be easily argued that just as many, if not more, contributions have been produced from universities, observatiories and international orgs independant of NASA.

Answer 3

The PC you typed this question on is one thing that came out of NASA. Computer science developed quickly with the need to create realistic simulation programs for astronaut training, and guidance computers small enough to go in the spacecraft. Medical devlopments sprang from the need to monitor an astronaut while he's in orbit or on the Moon. Ever used a camcorder? That is derived from the technological advances needed to geta video camera that could be carried on a spaceflight. Hang-gliding even started at NASA in the Gemini program, believe it or not. A greater understanding of our place in the universe, and a greater understanding of our planet has been another highly significant result of NASA.

Now, from the vastly higher (some 30 times higher, in fact) amount of money poured into the US military budget, what do you learn from that?

Answer 4

If you want it narrowed down to how exactly it can benefit you, how about your i-Pod? Miniaturization for space flight. How about medical items such as artificial limbs? Robotics for NASA missions. How about the Internet you are looking at to ask this question? Data compression algorithms for transmitting information across vast distance in space.

There are a ton of benefits from NASA that most people don't even begin to understand. Check out NASA's Spinoff Technology page (see link in sources)

Answer 5

We've studied geology on other planets which gives us an understanding of geology on Earth by counterexample. We have new materials that were developed to address the challenges of space. We've learned about human physiology in microgravity which allows us to study how the unavoidable gravity of Earth affects our health. We are studying the potential dangers in space that could be a hazard to life on Earth, and developing ideas to address them. The benefits are vast.

Answer 6

Who is having the sense to stop NASA wasting money

Answer 7

If all goes well we wont need to worry about earth being destroyed and we will have a way off the planet if it is. Plus, someday, if humans survive, there will be wars in space. Its not a question of "if" its a question of "when" plus its helping give us an understanding of how earth was formed and how we came to be.

Answer 8

Nasa is useless. They haven't done anything significant after the moon landing.

Answer 9

Space ship parts on ebay. Space Debris. The Moon.

Answer 10

A better understanding of the solar system. Or a poor excuse for spending billions of dollars a year and showing nothing but some crappy space stations and weak pictures of planets we will never reach.