Grand-Scale reasons to Explore Space: How we all benefit

How has space exploration affected our daily life? Why should we continue to explore this frontier? Science fiction author David Brin discusses the technology payoffs of the space program.
If NASA had received a mere 1% royalty on all technological spin-offs of the space program, its budget would be covered. For starters consider communication, navigation, reconnaissance & weather satellites, GPS, solar cells, fuel cells, microelectronics, image processing, robotics, CCDs, a generation of scientists, engineers, teachers & artists inspired. Where would we be without these? We must invest in tomorrow
David is the author of books such as The Postman, Startide Rising and The Uplift War. visit

For more information about David Brin, visit his website: http://www.davidbrin.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidBrin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AUTHORDAVIDBRIN

• Category

  Science & Technology

[iEEugenia486]

nice nice..

[Nightbringer2000]

I agree, in a country that spends more on "National Defense" than every other country in the world combined, the military budget could be shrunk by anywhere from 10-25% and still suffer no ills and be no worse for it. That money could then be redirected to our education programs and yes space programs too.

Ignorance is a key contributor to a lot of our national and personal problems, education can help fix that.

[ZombieDawg]

Pride in accomplishment for the win!

[Doom3111]

David Brin.....one of the best

[Jacek Nasiadek]

I think Cameron was making more of a statement about humans, not about technology. Though I haven't seen the movie, I've seen an interview with him and people who liked Avatar generally point to the character played by Sigourney Weaver as a model of a 'good scientist/scholar'. Other than that, great video.