America used to give a damn redux

[Flopper]

I don't spend a lot of time reading about or studying space exploration. Can someone list the truly significant or far-reaching benefits of space exploration? Has the overall cost over the years reaped equivalent (or greater) rewards? If the costs vastly outweigh those rewards is there truly any value in the various, ongoing programs?

• If you value being able to skype your son or daughter serving in Korea or Kuwait, you should thank the space program.
• If you value the turn-by-turn in your car, you should thank the space program.
• If you like to know that the dark clouds out in the ocean are a deadly hurricane and that you (and the rest of Miami) should seek higher ground, you should thank the space program.
• If you like being able to see where Saddam had his artillery or if you think Kimmel would have benefited from seeing the Japanse fleet on December 5 or 6 in aut '41; you should thank the space program.
• Costs? Costs to whom? Skype is almost dirt cheap....overseas calls are not much more expensive. These are because of the democratization of space technologies.

You ask interesting questions about the value versus the costs. I would think the costs would have likely balanced out by now between all of the cheap calls, free reads of distant newspapers, e-mail messages that would have required a long distance phone call or stamps in the past etc. Costs are one thing.

Value is something else. How much do you value the ability to do all of these things and the safety of the troops, persons in Miami, being able to schedule the picnic with your daughter on Sunday instead of Saturday because you know it's going to rain on Saturday and not Sunday, showing up to the meeting or party on time with the turn by turn......value is for you to decide.

That's a decent reply. Thanks for at least answering my questions in an intelligent and civil manner.

I agree that satellite technology is very valuable and beneficial. I do hope that it is never used for detrimental purposes, however (warfare, spying, etc.). Most satellite technology was created on earth then launched into space for the direct benefit of folks living on earth. If and when the space program is used for those purposes then I'm all for funding such projects. However, I'm still not certain that landing on the moon or Mars will have significant benefits nor do I believe that sending probes to Pluto will justify the costs but, who knows.

My main concern is that money spent on the space program could be used in a more beneficial way if directed towards serious problems here on earth. Decaying/deteriorating bridges and highways. Border security. Medical technology. Etc. Also, the American taxpayer is carrying a pretty heavy load and the value of the dollar isn't what it used to be. I make a little more money than I did in the 80s but am able to buy far less.

We can fund NASA for 10 years for less than 5% of the cost of fixing our infrastructural problems. There are economically advantages to doing both.

 

[Flopper]

I can think of $18 trillion reasons why we can't afford NASA and lots of other nice to haves. Maybe if the deadbeats in this country got off their welfare asses and worked we could pay off the debt and invest in stuff like this.

Then you are very short sighted.

Investment pays off in the long run and NASA is an excellent place to invest.

I can think of dozens of things to cut back in long before we get anywhere near NASA.

HELLO...after 50 years of funding NASA we are $18 freaking trillion dollars in debt. If we start paying off $100 billion a year today it will only take us 180 years to pay off the debt HELLO earth to the math challenged.

Some people are unable or unwilling to see: we're fucking BROKE. The money IS NOT THERE.

It's there if the treasury enters a 17 followed by 9 zeros in NASA's operating account. It's virtually impossible for the government to run out of money. Of course, it might not buy much but there will always be plenty of it.

Yeah...just like in Zimbabwe, or the Weimar Republic! Are you just trying to be a wiseass or do you not understand the concept of hyperinflation?

Yeah, that 1.7% inflation is really killing the economy.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Are you just trying to be a wiseass or do you not understand the concept of hyperinflation?

 

[orogenicman]

I can think of $18 trillion reasons why we can't afford NASA and lots of other nice to haves. Maybe if the deadbeats in this country got off their welfare asses and worked we could pay off the debt and invest in stuff like this.

Then you are very short sighted.

Investment pays off in the long run and NASA is an excellent place to invest.

I can think of dozens of things to cut back in long before we get anywhere near NASA.

HELLO...after 50 years of funding NASA we are $18 freaking trillion dollars in debt. If we start paying off $100 billion a year today it will only take us 180 years to pay off the debt HELLO earth to the math challenged.

Some people are unable or unwilling to see: we're fucking BROKE. The money IS NOT THERE.

First of all, funding NASA has not made us broke. Americans spend more each year on Pizza than we do on NASA. Secondly, the research that NASA does pays for itself. In fact, we get more out of NASA than we pay into it. And finally, you don't cut the budget on the best investment in the future that this country has going for it. That would be stupid.

 

[orogenicman]

Are you just trying to be a wiseass or do you not understand the concept of hyperinflation?

What hyperinflation, where? Not in the U.S. Sorry, Charlie.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Not yet...YET.

 

[Flopper]

Not yet...YET.

Do we really need solutions for problems we don't have?

 

[orogenicman]

Not yet...YET.

Not for a long time. The current rate is 1.7%. That is as low as I've ever seen it.