Question of the week Summation

My Question of the week was this:

Should we continue to funnel billions of dollars into space related things when that money could be possibly be used elsewhere?

Now, before you make your decision, consider the benefits we have reaped from the space program. The computer on which you read this blog, digital imaging for breast tissue analysis, storm warning devices (like Doppler RADAR) and on and on. There are many benefits to the space program, which has like all the wars we have had to fight, caused our technology to grow exponentialy.

Look here and then come back and give an answer to the Question of the week.

We had twhgree Comments:

Melissa O. Markham said...

Jeff,

You forgot freeze dried ice cream and shampoo that can be used without water!

I think absolutely that we should spend more money on space exploration. However, I am not sure NASA and the government are the best ones to handle the funding though. I believe it is time for privatization of this important field. The government could help with incentives and cash prizes (decent ones) for inventors.

B O B said...

I think the rewards of space exploration is well worth the expense. If nothing else to know when that meteor is going to strike us.

DL said....

Medical advances attributed to the space program, if for no other reason, shows how far space exploration has advanced us technologically. We should be pouring more money into it! I’m sorry Melissa, but I have to disagree with your thoughts on turning the space program over to private corporations…I don’t think that their interest would be a scientific one as much as a moneymaking one; Like taking rich people on joy rides.


It seems that even with the limited response this question got, the consensus of most people, both on and off line is that yes, we should continue to fund this Space Program. I definitely concur with this. In fact, not only should we continue to fund the Space Program, I feel we should actually increase funding and increase productivity and enthusiasm. We need to get back into the mindset of the 50's and 60's. We need to go to the Moon again. We need to finish the International Space Station. We need to develop new shuttle technology.

We must get back into space. I believe it is imperative for our long term survival. We must stop considering short term interests and political party squabbles and get busy saving the Earth...and ultimately, ourselves.

So say we all.