B What has space exploration done for me as an individual?

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Space exploration has significantly impacted individuals by providing technological advancements, such as aerosol inhalers for asthma treatment, derived from NASA's spin-off technologies. The discussion emphasizes that while space exploration may not yield immediate tangible benefits, it fosters curiosity and knowledge, influencing societal perspectives on phenomena like solar eclipses. Participants highlight the importance of research and understanding the broader implications of space endeavors, despite some skepticism about their practical applications. The conversation also touches on the collective human pursuit of knowledge, suggesting that curiosity drives scientific exploration across nations. Ultimately, space exploration enriches human experience and understanding, even if its benefits are not always directly measurable.
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What has space exploration done for me?
What has space exploration done for me as an individual?
 
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zuz said:
TL;DR Summary: What has space exploration done for me?

What has space exploration done for me as an individual?
Only you can answer that: maybe space exploration has informed you, has inspired you, or has challenged you.
 
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My association with "have ever done for us" is a completely different one. :biggrin:
 
fresh_42 said:
My association with "have ever done for us" is a completely different one. :biggrin:
Python!
 
zuz said:
TL;DR Summary: What has space exploration done for me?

What has space exploration done for me as an individual?
This sounds like a homework question. What research have you done about space program spin-off technologies?

My personal anecdote is that I am alive because of the space program. One of the spin-off technologies was the invention of aerosol inhalers (puffers) that I used to treat my asthma as a child, as still do.
 
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renormalize said:
Only you can answer that: maybe space exploration has informed you, has inspired you, or has challenged you.
So are you saying that it has no practical application? Nothing has been invented because of space travel.There is nothing concrete that I could hold in my hand that would not have been accomplished without space exploration. No medicine or technology that benefits an individual. Please believe me, I know there has to be. But someone asked me the question and I did not have a good answer for him. please help me.
 
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A follow-up question: Could they have been done cheaper some other way? After all, there were technological spinoffs of WWII.
 
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zuz said:
Please believe me, I know there has to be. But someone asked me the question and I did not have a good answer for him. please help me.
zuz, we are not here to spoon-feed answers. You need to do some of your own research. Several members have offered some excellent resources that should help you along. Show us your efforts and we can provide further guidance.
 
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  • #11
We are curious.

This is basically all that has to be said. Everything else is a consequence of that. And this else is a sequence of thousands of scientists since ancient Greece up to now, a collection of thousands of telescopes, often at the most distant places, each worth millions, etc. There is no revenue for the costs, only knowledge. Profits are at best a byproduct, but negligible in comparison. If you dig deep enough, only curiosity will remain. And this curiosity is universal. Basically, every country that can afford it does research. Some, like the Chinese, have built incredibly expensive telescopes.

My answer what this curiosity has brought you is: You are no longer afraid of solar eclipses and do not worship the sun and the moon.
 
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What satellite services do you personally use?
 
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Man shall not live by bread alone.
 
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  • #14
We spotted an asteroid recently that's going to come uncomfortably close. Without a space program, what do we do about one that isn't just close?
 
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  • #15
PeroK said:
Man shall not live by bread alone.
Exactly. He must also have peanut butter.
 
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  • #16
phinds said:
Exactly. He must also have peanut butter.
Yep. Everyone knows the immortal words of Juvenal the Roman poet:

"Give them bread and peanut butter, and they will never revolt"
 
  • #17
For me it certainly put things in perspective (and censors loves "perspectivation"). Consider the first picture of the Earth seen from orbit, or the famous Pale Blue Dot foto from the Voyager 1 probe.
 
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