Vast sums spent on space research reduces risk of war.

History shows that as affluence builds, the dynamics of national
economics and society increases the potential for warlike adventures .
Space research which in itself is worthwhile has the side effect of
diverting gdp and warlike potential..
The loss of any competing space faring nation reduces the US Space
effort.
Independent competing European and Chinese facilities are a good thing.
--
dd

The same could be said for diverting resources into social programs,
feeding the world's population, immunizing children, etc. The
difference is that putting money into those types of programs has a
direct correlation to stopping future conflicts. I think there are
much better reasons to explore space that don't depend on such stop gap
measures.

In message . com,
Richard Hofer writes
The same could be said for diverting resources into social programs,
feeding the world's population, immunizing children, etc. The
difference is that putting money into those types of programs has a
direct correlation to stopping future conflicts. I think there are
much better reasons to explore space that don't depend on such stop gap
measures.

I agree that expenditure on social and health programmes would provide
meet with wider approval but would not be stimulated by the competitive
urge.
Individual humans are highly intelligent and often well motivated,
humanity en masse seems to exhibit the intelligence of a bacterial
strain on an agar plate.
--
dd

It should have been,

"Vast sums spent on war reduces risk of space research."

Cheers -- Martha Adams