Is space exploration a waste of money?

In summary, space exploration is incredibly important and has a number of (undeveloped) spin off technologies. However, some people are anti-NASA and think that it is a waste of money despite the insignificant portion of the federal budget it actually consumes. They also think that the aerospace industry in America would suffer if NASA completely gave up space exploration. Although this is an open to interpretation position, I think that space exploration should continue, especially because it is so important for science.
  • #1
RandomGuy88
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6
Hi,

First of all let me say that my answer to the question in my title is "absolutely not!" I think space exploration is extremely important not only because it is inspiring and amazing but it also provides so many important spin off technologies. But with everything that has been going on with the Constellation Program and Obama's announcement today I am getting really sick of all of the people who think that NASA and space exploration is just a big waste of money despite the nearly insignificant portion of the federal budget it actually consumes.

I was thinking about something else that it seems like these anti-NASA people don't get and I was wondering what everyone else thought about this. Sure NASA spends a lot of money on space exploration but its not like the money they spend just disappears right? I don't know anything about economics but I am pretty sure that the money that NASA spends generates profits for a lot of companies because NASA doesn't build the shuttle and everything else by itself. So not only does NASA directly employ a lot of engineers but at the same time aren't they responsible for a lot of jobs in industry.

So do you think that the aerospace industry in America would suffer if NASA completely gave up space exploration like some people unfortunately hope for?
 
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  • #2
Do you differentiate between manned and unmanned space exploration?
 
  • #3
I'm a big supporter of science. But o have to say yes, it's a waste because it costs too much in propulsion. We should concentrate on developing propellantless propulsion and then we could explore space much faster and cheaper.
 
  • #4
Antiphon said:
I'm a big supporter of science. But o have to say yes, it's a waste because it costs too much in propulsion. We should concentrate on developing propellantless propulsion and then we could explore space much faster and cheaper.

Do you have any facts to justify this statement?
 
  • #5
Antiphon said:
I'm a big supporter of science. But o have to say yes, it's a waste because it costs too much in propulsion. We should concentrate on developing propellantless propulsion and then we could explore space much faster and cheaper.

OK, hang on.

Your position is open to interpretation because the first thing you say is that you do think it's a waste...

But, in fact, you do think that space exploration is a worthy cause, you just think we could be spending our money more efficiently on it. Is that right?
 
  • #6
Yes. Currently it's as if we are mining coal with our bare hands. The gain doesn't justify the effort. In that case it would make sense to stop mining coal by hand and invent machines to enable efficient mining.
 
  • #7
Again, what are you basing this on?
 
  • #8
Antiphon said:
Yes. Currently it's as if we are mining coal with our bare hands. The gain doesn't justify the effort. In that case it would make sense to stop mining coal by hand and invent machines to enable efficient mining.

It kind of goes without saying that we should try to make the method more efficient. Do you think we are deliberately using inefficient methods? Or would you agree that we are using the most efficient method that is currently available to us?

Or are you suggesting that we should stop exploring space until we develop more efficient propulsion methods?
 
  • #9
Antiphon said:
I'm a big supporter of science. But o have to say yes, it's a waste because it costs too much in propulsion. We should concentrate on developing propellantless propulsion and then we could explore space much faster and cheaper.
First off, propellantless propulsion is pretty much a pipe dream. The closest we might get is solar sails. Solar radiation pressure is a rather puny force. We will have to wait a *long* time for a propellantless propulsion technique that truly is useful for space exploration.Secondly, necessity is the mother of invention. That space exploration is an ongoing endeavor is one of the driving factors that motivates the development of new propulsion techniques. Without this motivating factor, what would be the point of this research?

Suppose NASA were put on hold until some usable propellantless propulsion technique was developed, which is what I garner from your post. It is beyond naive to think that all of the monies that current goes to NASA would go to this propulsion research were NASA to be put on hold. It is naive to think that more money would be spent on propulsion research with this approach than NASA already spends on advanced propulsion techniques. What would actually happen is that politicians would rip into NASA's funding. There would be very little, if any, money left for propulsion research after this vulturine act.
 
  • #10
No, the other day found an article that stated that every dollar invested in NASA during the last 50 years has growth our economy by six dollars. Still looking for the article it fell off my history. However, while re-searching for that article I found this statement made by the Chinese
GT: What kind of return can we get on the program?
Zhang: As an industry, the return on investment of the space program is pretty good. In other countries, the ratios are around 1 to 8, or 9. In China, this ratio is even higher.
see http://opinion.globaltimes.cn/commentary/2010-03/513545.html" [Broken]
 
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  • #11
every dollar invested in NASA during the last 50 years has growth our economy by six dollars
Only by the rules of GDP accounting.
All Nasa's income comes from the US government, it then gives contracts to US companies, it has no foreign earnings.
So the x6 is because the money is counted once when the government pays Nasa, again when Nasa pays Boeing, again when Boeing pay the subcontractor, again when their engineer buys a car ...
It's just corporate welfare - you might as well say each $ paid to a junkie brings in 6 to the economy.

In China, this ratio is even higher.
The chinese space agency is super efficent thanks to Nasa.
In the 90s the US banned export of US components to the Chinese space programs, so they were forced (with the help of the europeans) to develop their own satelites and launchers.
Sanctions are always a good way of forcing a country to develop great technology. South Africa and Isreal are good examples, if you want to keep a technological opponent down you sell them your own gear cheap.
 
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  • #12
mgb_phys said:
Only by the rules of GDP accounting.
All Nasa's income comes from the US government, it then gives contracts to US companies, it has no foreign earnings.
So the x6 is because the money is counted once when the government pays Nasa, again when Nasa pays Boeing, again when Boeing pay the subcontractor, again when their engineer buys a car ...
It's just corporate welfare - you might as well say each $ paid to a junkie brings in 6 to the economy.

What they are including in that economic growth are communications and navigation satellites, microelectronics, new materials, new manufacturing processes, etc. All the fruits from attempting what was view by everyone as being improbable.

Space exploration forces creativity which would not have occurred pursuing mundane endeavors.

It is my opinion, that the only other endeavor of mankind that produces such technological advancements are military in nature.
 
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1. Is space exploration really worth the cost?

While space exploration does require a significant amount of funding, the benefits it brings far outweigh the costs. Space exploration has led to numerous technological advancements, such as satellite communications, weather forecasting, and medical technology. It also inspires future generations to pursue careers in science and technology, and allows us to better understand our place in the universe.

2. Can't we use the money spent on space exploration for more pressing issues on Earth?

It is true that the funding for space exploration could be used for other causes, but the amount spent on space exploration is relatively small compared to other government expenditures. Additionally, the technology and knowledge gained from space exploration can also be applied to solving issues on Earth, such as monitoring climate change and developing sustainable energy sources.

3. Is it ethical to spend so much money on space exploration while there are still people suffering on Earth?

This is a complex question, as it raises ethical considerations about resource allocation. However, space exploration has the potential to bring about long-term benefits for humanity, such as finding new resources and potentially habitable planets. It also has the potential to inspire and unite people from different nations and backgrounds towards a common goal.

4. How does space exploration benefit the average person?

While the benefits of space exploration may not directly impact the daily lives of the average person, it indirectly affects many aspects of our lives. For example, satellite technology has improved communication and navigation systems, and the study of space has led to advancements in medical technology and materials science. Space exploration also inspires innovation and encourages scientific curiosity, which can lead to future advancements in various fields.

5. What is the future of space exploration?

The future of space exploration is incredibly exciting, with plans for missions to Mars, continued exploration of our solar system, and potentially even beyond. Private companies are also investing in space exploration, which could lead to more frequent and cost-effective space missions. As technology continues to advance, the possibilities for space exploration are endless and will continue to bring about new discoveries and advancements.

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