Why We Should Go to Space, Part 1

I am writing a paper about why I believe we should go to space, fund the space program, build up our private space industry, and put the best minds we have to work solving problems of physics, of faster than light travel, and of energy conservation. I will be sharing a compilation of my research as well as bits and pieces of the paper itself as it is written. You are all invited to participate: please comment, email me, Facebook me, share with me your thoughts; all perspectives are welcome.

Here is a gem I found on Yahoo Answers. All errors are depicted as presented on the site. I read this with a mixture of interest, disbelief, awe, and embarrassment for my fellow humans. Enjoy.

The question is as follows:

Is space travel waste time and money?

The best answer:

yes, why look for life out in space when we have people starving to death here on earth!

Other answers:

#1. mineing companys would get fat

#2. Applied research is easy to justify financially, because you have a goal going in that a venture capitalist sees as profitable. A lot of pure research (research done because scientists are curious) doesn't generate profits until centuries later. If not for Ben Franklin's kite experiment, mankind wouldn't have taken the first steps toward understanding electricity (controlled lightning).

#3. i wouldn't say so...that is an experience that few have the chance or the money to experience...i say if you have the time and money...go for it because i think that you would be one of the very few that would be able to say...'hey, i have been out in space...how cool is that?'

#4. No way! It is critical and wonderful. If we stop spending all our money or war and maybe on looking after our planet and space travel...then we might save ourselves from our own destruction.

#5. redirected those dollars could mean our survival.

#6. No. The faster we unravel the wonders of outer space the faster we can Trek it!

#7. no, more money should be spent on it than spending money on junk

#8. No, why?

#9. It's not a waste of time. We find out about other things living out there in the world.

#10. You are on a computer. Thank the space program for many improvements in the things we have in life.

#11. the least thing would be go to space and watch our earth from inside the ship. But its about experience. it can't be measured. The great thing is its available to common man. Raher the question should be do i want this experince and if yes can i afford it. its not about 'HOW MUCH".. this is what i feel...u might feel different..

#12. I don't think so. Humans are curious, its no wonder we are so interested in discovering what is out there! Look at what we have here, imagine what else is out there. No harm in at least trying.

#13. imagine mars if full of oil!!!!

screw you iraq U.S.A U.SA!!! :-P

#14. Some space exploration is good for the sake of knowledge, but most of the manned plans have no use whatsoever, unless you consider tremendous waste of resources a use. Explore using robotics.

#15. yes, because it's so expensive. you could have give your money to the poor and those people who needed it most. You could have devoted your time by making good deeds. traveling in space can olny satisfy your imagination but if you help other people, it would give you joy within.

#16. Wasting time and money is impossible. 

Is someone moves away from Earth, the time that the person flew from would go faster until he or she could not tell the time.

About the money, they won't be lose as their still in the bank or in your houses.

#17. No. The technology we have gotten as a result of space exploration has more than paid for itself. 

As just one example: The Microwave Oven alone (a NASA invention) has saved this country more in electricity than we have ever spent on space travel.

Now let's talk electronics, food storage, solar cells, and metal alloys...

Source(s))

"It's raining soup; grab yourself a bucket" (D. D. Harriman)

http://academicvc.com/about-stephen-fleming/other/go-get-an-asteroid/

#18. Hell no. Expand or die.

How To Get Inspired

There is a lot of stuff going on. In fact, so many things are going on that it's basically impossible to keep track of everything. Besides the Presidential election, which is probably the least interesting thing out there, geniuses are busting their butts to make awesome stuff, rich people are wasting their fortunes doing magnificent things, and millions of people are getting up, going to work, having dinner, and sleeping, day after day after day after day. And all of it is amazing.

As human beings we have the capacity to do anything, and yet, for the most part, we fight. We're pretty good at fighting, actually, except for the part where someone has to lose. But take Richard Branson, for example. He just announced that he plans to explore the five deepest parts of the ocean. Want to know what's there? We have no idea, but if you want to learn, ask David Gallo:

You know what else? Reuters says, "Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB), one of the world's leading space technology companies, today congratulated NASA on the successful launch of five sounding rockets in a stream of launches that took place in less than seven minutes for the Anomalous Transport Rocket Experiment (ATREX) program." WHAT?! NASA launched five sounding rockets in LESS THAN SEVEN MINUTES. You're probably wondering what a sounding rocket is. It's a rocket with research equipment that takes measurements in suborbital space. That means, soon we'll have taxis to space!!!

Or how about this: Marcin Jakubowski has started an initiative to create a database of farm equipment that can be built at home. He calls it "Open-Source Blueprints for Civilization". You can access the eight designs created so far on his website, here. These could do amazing things for farming everywhere. I could build my own tractor!

Some guy is suing France, another man is on trial for murdering 17 people in Afghanistan, Soldiers are having trouble finding jobs because employers are afraid of PTSD, and scientists now think that billions of habitable planets may be floating about in the Milky Way. That means, we probably have neighbors. Awesome neighbors. Alien neighbors.

As humans, we now have the ability to dive into the deepest depths of the ocean, to research and learn without sending ourselves to space, to actually send ourselves to space, and to find and inhabit new worlds. And I bet you could ask that 17-year-old kid who built a nuclear fusion reactor in his garage, and he could build you a rocket that will get us into freakin' space for good. So we can build our own tractors. In space.

And still we fight.

One day, Earth will look like this for everyone.

And maybe, just maybe, we'll get inspired.

And fly away. Alligator Sky-style.