Why should tax payers spend money on space exploration when people can't go there for themselves?

Question

I figure that everyone should be able to go into space if they wanted to, but N.A.S.A. doesn't let civilians go into space, why should N.A.S.A. get to hog all the trips into space?

Answer 1

who said you couldnt? ive been studying astrophysics for a few years, and let me tell you, it sounds impressive and it sounds challenging, but if you can read and you understand basic math, there is no reason you couldnt get a job for nasa. they cant just send anyone into space, you need to understand basic elements of physics, mechanics, and have a wide knowledge of everything space oriented. its a lot of work, but no one ever said that you couldnt do it.

Im a tax payer, and i would rather have every cent of my taxes go toward something i believe in rather than a fruitless war or a tattered education system.

Answer 2

NASA isn't a airline, its a research and development agency. and there have been several tourists go up to the ISS--but they've flown on the Russian Soyuz, which is safer
The Shuttle is dangerous--that's why its being replaced. But NASA does not carry passengers primarily for that reason.

IN any case, the current cost of a trip into space is about $25 million. People will bealbe to travel into space--at least on short flights--for about $200-300,000 within the next 2-3 years. And eventually for a lot less than that.

But--developing that kind of thing takes time--decades. Our parents started making that investment in NASA 60 years ago. We will have the oportunity--most of us--to take at least a short space flight within the next 10-15 years because of their willingness to invest in the future.

In addition, have you considered the other things that benefit us--weather satellites, much of the computer technology you use, medical technology that saves thosands of lives every year, new matierals tha tare making aircraft safer and cheaper, GPS systems, cellphones, satelllite phones, radio, TV?

All of that --and a lot more--comes from space research.

You OWE NASA money, when it comes right down to it.

Answer 3

Perhaps your vision of the reason we go into space is different than Nasa's vision.

It sounds like you see space as a tourist place to visit. That would be a very frivolous use of those resources in my opinion.

When astronauts are in space, it is not leisure time. They are very busy conducting scientific experiments and research. So much of our present scientific knowledge has come from the exploration of space. Myriad of new products and innovations have resulted from the space program, from Velcro, Teflon, Tang and stay-dry diapers to name a few. Space has been a driving force for innovation and discovery for decades.

With the cost of space being so high, it makes only perfect sense to send qualified individuals up there that can make the most of the time on orbit.

What would you do in space for a week? What would you discover, innovate or invent while there? Or, would you be to busy looking at all the pretty stars?

Answer 4

NASA has changed their tune and they no longer oppose space tourism. There have been sever more space tourists on the Space Station since Dennis Tito when there on a Russian rocket over the strenuous objections of then NASA administrator Dan Golden. Now Golden is gone and NASA is singing another tune. And the likes of Bigelow aerospace, SpaceX and Virgin Galactic are working hard on private space flight. If you are young you may well be able to travel to space on a private vehicle in your lifetime.

Answer 5

Well... for starters, it's damn expensive to launch a mission into space! That's why the space missions that are carried out by people are only the most critical scientific experiments (or the most well-funded ones).

A civilian would have no idea how to perform the (very costly) experiments. Also, astronauts spend numerous years training before going to space, which also costs a lot of money. Most common civilians would not be physically or psychologically fit to go into space.

Answer 6

One day, soon, people will go to space - think of Richard Bransons current research.

More importantly, the spinoffs from space research affect all of us in everyday lives in hundreds of beneficial ways. continuing exploration will give us more material benefits than you can imagine.

If you are young enough to live another 30 years, you can reasonably expect to visit space -if you can afford the ticket.

Finally, though she did not go very far, Christa MacAuliffe was a civilian who was going to go into space.

Answer 7

I've seen a video from the Discovery Channel about the Space Shuttle. Today, it costs just over $1,000,000.00 per pound to launch anything into orbit.
I can't afford that, can you?

Answer 8

I actually agree with you - Nasa needs some serious reforms, so that it is promoting Space Colonization. Because everyone needs to be involved in it. Sending 4 people to the moon won't cut it, when we want to talk about extraterrestrial minning, or space based solar power, or any one of the hundreds of reasons we need to colonize space.

That said, Nasa shouldn't be destroyed - there are good reasons for Nasa to have a role in spaceflight, space exploration, and space colonization. But it needs to embrace space colonization

Edit - wow, is space colonization somehow unpopular?

Answer 9

There are military reasons for space exploration. Governments don't spend billions of dollars to find out if anything grows on other planets. Minerals are also sought. Could be that one day gas and oil can be derived from other planets too.

Answer 10

#1 - Earths resources are diminishing. We need to grab materials from extraterrestrial sources in the enar future. We have an estimated 30 year supply of helium on our planet and the moon is actually loaded with it. Loaded like california gold rush loaded only this time, its really loaded...wait a sec? well its in our financial best interests to do so.