Why Space Exploration Is Worth the Cost

mlimber writes "The Freakonomics blog has a post in which they asked six knowledgeable people, Is space exploration is worth the public cost? Their answers are generally in the affirmative and illuminating. For example David M. Livingston, host of The Space Show, said: 'Businesses were started and are now meeting payrolls, paying taxes, and sustaining economic growth because the founder was inspired by the early days of the manned space program, often decades after the program ended! This type of inspiration and motivation seems unique to the manned space program and, of late, to some of our robotic space missions.'"

Yes.

[dr_wheel]

It is is.

Bringing back technology

[Sentry21]

Of course it's worth exploring! Just think of all the technology and advancements we've already brought back from the Gou'auld, the Asgard, and the Ancients. Naquada reactors, hyperdrive engines, beaming technology. Who knows what more might be out there!

OK so let's extend that...

[jpellino]

How many were inspired to want to go to space by watching Barbarella?

Soooo... let's make Jane Fonda a budget item.

Re:The Late Carl Sagan's Argument

[jamesh]

It's like the Greeks trying to build a telephone

I'm pretty sure that Greece has telephones. They certainly have a country code assigned to them. I'm sure they built telephones there at some point in their history, even if now they just import them from countries with cheaper labor.