Why is Space a waste of money?

To the mods: I have NO idea where this thread belongs, so do your stuff.

Can anyone tell me why sending stuff into outer space is considered a waste of money? I've heard this several times, so I'll tell you what I'm thinking, and then you can tell me why it's wrong.

Let's say NASA wants to send a crew into outerspace to set in orbit a satelite that looks like Santa in his sleigh (so kids can use telescopes to see him flying around. Cool, huh?). Now, if all the parts of the shuttle and Santa are built in the U.S., then I see a WHOLE bunch of people being put to work: Scientists, engineers, designers, builders, manual laborers, janitors, parking attendants...just a whole bunch of people.

So, what will these people do with their pay? They'll go to grocery stores to buy food, they'll buy a car, pay their rent, buy christmans gifts... Point is, whatever billions it takes to put things into outerspace, that money gets circulated from one hand to the next in our economy. So, why is it considered a waste of money?

So you would rather have a Santa slay instead of a new type of space craft witch is not a rocket?

reply to post by jiggerj


Me thinks it's considered a waste of money because it doesn't contribute to any increase in either wealth, or power of all those concerned at the tippy top.

If for some reason it was indicated that by living in space, on the moon, an asteroid, or Mars would allow those doing so to have lifespans of 200-300 years, you can bet that everyone with a nickle and dime to toss at space ventures would be on board for finding a way to get out there so they could share in the power that would come with such longevity.

If by sinking wealth into space ventures investors could be absolutely sure of a huge return on their investment every time, there'd certainly be more of it.

People are greedy nasty horrible things; especially those in positions of power.

Space is not a waste of money. IMO.

There have been numerous technologies that have been invented/created that we use on an everyday basis thanks to the space program. And that's not getting into the whole scientific or adventure aspect of space exploration. I for one would love to see more people get interested in space exploration.

ETA~ And I can't recall a time where my imagination does not fly as free as when I imagine space. All aspects of it, from the sheer size to the infinite possibilities of all the phenomenal things that are out there which unfortunately I will not live too see. But I am hoping that people keep the interest so my kids, kids, grand kids may possibly see some of the things that I can only dream of.

Until there is a huge profit being made by going up into outer space, no one with money will sink the funds into it. I wish all the money spent on wars would be spent on finding life in our solar system, or getting to mars to set up a colony. Unfortunately there is no money to be made in doing that.

OP I see what you are saying how the money is circulated, but it would not be circulated into the hands of the people funding the program. Therefore it is looked at as a waste of money.

Well, op, by your rationale, nothing is a waste of money then. Space might not be a waste, but a fake santa for kids is low on the list.

This kinda sounds like a Obama Stimulus plan job creator.

reply to post by jiggerj


Honestly i do think your idea of santas sleigh in space to be a waste of money but i definitely do not think that developing and sending new research technology into space is a bad idea. I think it is very important that we try to search for inhabitable planets and find a way to get there. I think eventually there will come a time that we can no longer live on this planet so i think we should at least make plans if something happens to our planet. Also what if th cure for cancer or aids is somewhere out in space?

Originally posted by nineix
reply to post by jiggerj

 

Me thinks it's considered a waste of money because it doesn't contribute to any increase in either wealth, or power of all those concerned at the tippy top.

NASA is (or was) completely funded by the goverment, right? If so, then it's our money going into space exploration. Some might say that the billions spent on space could be diverted into social security or other things. But, pouring tax money into the space program doesn't mean that any money is being lost in space. It's staying right in the system.

The government gives me $10.00. I buy a $10 dollar widget from you, with some of that money going back to the government as taxes. You buy a broken watch from me, with some of that money going back to the government as taxes, and so on and so on, until the government gets all the money back. I don't see a loss at all.

Originally posted by anthbes
Until there is a huge profit being made by going up into outer space, no one with money will sink the funds into it. I wish all the money spent on wars would be spent on finding life in our solar system, or getting to mars to set up a colony. Unfortunately there is no money to be made in doing that.

OP I see what you are saying how the money is circulated, but it would not be circulated into the hands of the people funding the program. Therefore it is looked at as a waste of money.

This is the second mention of people funding the NASA program instead of the government. What do I not know? Who's been funding NASA up to this point?

Originally posted by jough626
Well, op, by your rationale, nothing is a waste of money then. Space might not be a waste, but a fake santa for kids is low on the list.

This kinda sounds like a Obama Stimulus plan job creator.

Wow, you totally missed the point, and that's scary!

Originally posted by eyesontheskies
reply to post by jiggerj

 

Honestly i do think your idea of santas sleigh in space to be a waste of money but i definitely do not think that developing and sending new research technology into space is a bad idea. I think it is very important that we try to search for inhabitable planets and find a way to get there. I think eventually there will come a time that we can no longer live on this planet so i think we should at least make plans if something happens to our planet. Also what if th cure for cancer or aids is somewhere out in space?

OMG! LOLOL The point is not whether a santa sleigh is a waste of money, but how is doing ANYTHING in space a waste of money if every nut, bolt, computer part, engine... is made in the U.S.? That money only gets circulated from one hand to the next, with each person paying taxes so that the government eventually gets ALL that money back. I don't see a waste OR a profit, making space exploration a totally free endeavor.

reply to post by jiggerj


If you look at from the entitled lofty heights of the empowered, if their influence or wealth does not increase significantly, or their friends don't profit, then, everyone else can go jump in a lake.

The lofty entitled really care less about how money gets circulated around with who and what buying whichever dodads. They just want to ensure that whatever they have grows significantly and with it, the power that comes with the ability to buy people and influence events.

I would love to see more space stuff. Im not into santa, but more scientific stuff going into space would be great!

i think that as long as there are people starving in this world, and dying of thirst, that spending money on space is immoral. there is no pressing need for anybody on this planet to know whats out there... but there IS a pressing need to start to look after our own planet, rather than go search for another one to ruin.

i shudder when i think of the billions and billions spent on space technology that could've provided the end to all sorts of suffering for humans on this planet. i personally am happy with telescopes doing the discovering, and gazillions being spent on the important things for civilisation.

reply to post by ladyteeny


I like the way you think, I was human once too. Oh well, I hope you stay that way.

Originally posted by ladyteeny
i think that as long as there are people starving in this world, and dying of thirst, that spending money on space is immoral. there is no pressing need for anybody on this planet to know whats out there... but there IS a pressing need to start to look after our own planet, rather than go search for another one to ruin.

i shudder when i think of the billions and billions spent on space technology that could've provided the end to all sorts of suffering for humans on this planet. i personally am happy with telescopes doing the discovering, and gazillions being spent on the important things for civilisation.

There is no pressing need for rich people to have SO MUCH either.
Give me $1 Million and I'm pretty sure I might manage to scrape by somehow. Then, there's all these people with conspicuously ridiculous amounts in the tens and hundreds of millions as well as billions of $.

Take all that wealth leaving a fair stipend, redistribute to your poor and hungry, case solved.

Dumping $ into space could very well develop new, better, cheaper means to to sustain our growing populations.
Further, the sooner we develop means to get off this rock and colonize some other place, the sooner those populations can start getting on rockets and getting gone, freeing up resources by diminishing population concerns.

In regards to the starving, as much as it pains to see them suffer, they need to quit having babies.
Having babies only contributes to the problem of starvation.

reply to post by ladyteeny


If you think that its the space progam (any nations) that is really spending thatmuch money that it is affecting poverty and hunger in the world, just look at the military/defense budgets of different countries. Now thats money that could be allocated a little better if you ask me.

Originally posted by ladyteeny
i think that as long as there are people starving in this world, and dying of thirst, that spending money on space is immoral. there is no pressing need for anybody on this planet to know whats out there... but there IS a pressing need to start to look after our own planet, rather than go search for another one to ruin.

i shudder when i think of the billions and billions spent on space technology that could've provided the end to all sorts of suffering for humans on this planet. i personally am happy with telescopes doing the discovering, and gazillions being spent on the important things for civilisation.

Financially speaking, the feeding of the world should fall under the same category as the space program. If we in the U.S. were paid to grow the food via our tax dollars, then the food growers would pay taxes on what they are paid, then they would buy other neccessities, upon which other people receiving that money would pay taxes on it, and so on until the government has all that tax money back. So, it doesn't matter where the food goes.

There is no reason why anyone in the world has to go hungry. Though I'm sure I'm missing a few pieces of the puzzle. It can't be as simple as I'm thnking it is. Or, are other (rich and powerful) people making it more complicated than it should be?

Originally posted by jiggerj
...whatever billions it takes to put things into outerspace, that money gets circulated from one hand to the next in our economy. So, why is it considered a waste of money?

Some people just don't look at the bigger picture I guess. Some people just see the price tag of a spacecraft and seem to think all that money is going up with it, never to be seen again. When in fact all that money stays here and stimulates the economy.

Here's a good article on The Economic Impacts of the U.S. Space Program. It's a bit of a read though, but interesting.