What are the benefits of space exploration?

Answer

Technology - During the past 30 years, space program technology has resulted in more than 1,500 commercial products, including rain water purification systems for developing countries, satellite radio, digital and satellite television, cell phone technology, cordless tools, and GPS navigation in the family car, boat and even on the family farm.

Innovation - A survey of 146 senior executives by Christian & Timbers in 2004 found that 69% agreed with a prediction that the Vision for Space Exploration would drive new technology and boost venture capital markets.

Medical - Digital hearing aids, miniature heart pumps, cancer detection devices, common smoke detectors, fire-resistant aircraft seats, safety grooving on roads, LASIK eye surgery, humanitarian demining devices, and numerous other medical and safety devices and improvements trace their origins to space technology.

Economy - Just 15 firms that received an initial $64 million in NASA life sciences research and added $200 million of their own money created a $1.5 billion return on investment in the form of sold commercial goods and services during 25 years (Space Policy Institute at George Washington University).

Environment - We have learned more about our home planet and how best to preserve and protect it due to improved software and imaging developed from the space program. Space technology is responsible for rainwater purification systems for developing countries and numerous environmentally friendly products.

If you go to the three links below, they offer much better reasons and clearly show that the many people who believe that space exploration money is a waste, the truth is- I quote


"We get all that for the 15 cents a day that every American spends, through their taxes, on the space program. And the money is spent right here on Earth. The investment's all here, but the returns are, literally, out of this world."


"Ok, going to Mars, what does that buy us? Do you want the long list or the very long list? Better ways to keep our homes warm in winter and cool in summer while paying less every power bill. Better protective clothing for all those hardworking men and women who do the tough jobs to keep this country running. Smart fabrics that have the potential to revolutionize the clothes we wear. Further advances in solar power, batteries, power transmission systems. And, of course, the big one, the search for tiny microbial life on Mars, perhaps hidden in subsurface water, that has the potential to rewrite the book of life, and give us medical insights we can't even begin to imagine."