wrote in
:

On Monday, February 18, 2019 at 7:46:46 AM UTC-5, Paul Schlyter
wrote:
On Sun, 17 Feb 2019 19:46:05 GMT, Ninapenda Jibini
wrote:
The side benefits from the space program, both manned and
unmanned, far, far exceed the costs. Entire industries exist
because of it, including a great deal of life-saving medical
technology that would

Isn't it terribly inefficient to, instead of working towards
some highly desirable goal, work on some other completely
different goal and then hope for positive side effects?

Mankind should go into space if going into space produces good
effects, not just because the side effects are useful.

War is another human activity which produces useful side
effects. For instance WWII caused technology to evolve
considerably. Should we therefore go to war with one another on
a large scale just because of the technological benefits?

The US bought Alaska from Russia without having any particular
plan for what to do with it. The same might be even be said for
the purchase of Louisiana from France.

The US developed ARPAnet without envisioning what it would lead
to.

Early computer companies never envisioned the PC and the related
consumer and business tech.

The Interstate highway system led to an improved standard of
living everywhere in the US, but that was not its purpose.

Going into space led very quickly to improved communication
capabilities and weather forecasting. The Apollo program led to
major improvements without which the US would have a space
program about as dull as Sweden's.

All of that, and so much more. Aside from the lives saved by the
medical advances, the direct financial value of the industries
created is at least an order of magnitude more than the cost of the
space program, if not two.

NASA has a magazine about it:

https://spinoff.nasa.gov/

The value of basic research is beyond question. People who oppose
it really want to hunt their dinner with a sharp stick. They should
be forced to do so.

--
Terry Austin

Vacation photos from Iceland:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/collection/QaXQkB

"Terry Austin: like the polio vaccine, only with more asshole."
-- David Bilek

Jesus forgives sinners, not criminals.