Q&BA: Why spend money on NASA?

In this episode of Q&BA, I answer the very common question, "Why spend money on NASA when we need that money here on Earth?" There are two answers to this, actually: a short, practical one, and a longer, more philosophical one. But both give the same answer: spending money on space exploration is important, and we should be spending more, not less.

• Category

  Science & Technology

[Ioan Popovici]

There's no point in arguing wether NASA is worth spending the money or not. People are inflexible when it comes to their point of view. No matter how you explain it there they will stick to their point of view even if reason tells them otherwise.

NASA is involved in countless projects and these have tons of spinoffs. See the 2011 list.

We will never solve the problems here on earth, there will be always another problem to solve.

I say let the dreamers and visionaries help us, don't throw rocks.

[H1TMANactual]

LOL broski, don't use the employment argument. Where does NASA get the money to employ these people? Why don't the govt just hire people to dig holes and then fill them back up? After all this is employing people, and they will pay taxes, spend the money etc etc as you put it. So why don't they?

[sh4273]

I think there is another philosophical reason. You can't characterize space exploration as merely a satisfaction of curiosity, There is real, practical knowledge to be gained from continued research. Knowing how to stop asteroids? pretty practical, and dependant on growth in knowledge and advances in technology that require a thriving space program. And knowledge in itself is practical. How much political advantage does US get from having thriving programs?Respect, highly skilled immigrants, etc

[HollywoodME]

I would disagree that people are inflexible. If that were true, we today would still hold true the views of centuries ago. If our ancestors were never educated they would have never changed their views to teach their children, grandchildren, students or whatever. Arguments and disagreements are in itself good (great even) based on design. I think our internet generations today have found a way to make them, at face value, arbitrary and useless.

[HollywoodME]

That might hold true if you assume space exploration/tech doesn't fulfill, in a way, a route to defend our country. NASA is studying a lot more than we are aware of. Advancements in aeronautics, let alone military aeronautics, have been helpful. Keeping our troops safer than before (therefore keep us safer). Studying nearby planets that may have had situations that correlate to experiences here now, to me, is definitely gov'ts job. Not to count the gov't funded recruitment to science in general.

[Positronicity]

I agree with you completely in the sense that the argument can be applied to anything but for somethings, like NASA in my opinion, it just makes more sense as opposed to the air force. It's explicitly the gov'ts job to defend the country, but not explicitly it's job to explore space and technology.

[rbairos1]

Since when did this channel become thebadeconomist?

[HollywoodME]

@Positronicity I see what you did there, but that argument can be applied to anything anywhere. We could have a 100% private corporation ran military. Even a Corporatocracy if you will. Just because someone else can do something, why do so? Especially if being done well by someone else already? On top of the patriotism (which accounts to some). What you're saying would be like saying, why pay the US Air Force if we could just pay Lockheed Martin to manage it instead. Sure, we could... but why?

[TehChangster]

This is a great video of Neil deGrasse Tyson about NASA and the future of the US. If you are subscribed to Phil, you should know who Neil and if you don't, watch this and look him up.

watch?v=Fl07UfRkPas

[TheRedneckAtheist]

Early warnings are not predictions you moron, how is the "current program" useless when the control centers for satellites get a warning to put their equipment into standby to prevent damage?

A person that pays $8,000($48) in taxes gives more than somebody that pays $100($0.06), do you even get the basic concept of percentages?

[H1TMANactual]

"I never said anything about predicting CMEs"

"so you don't think early warning of CMEs..." - TheRedneckretard

"CMEs constantly disrupts communications" Ergo the current program is useless in preventing this.

NASA's budget is $20 billion. There are 100 million federal taxpayers. Basic arithmetic there champ.

[TheRedneckAtheist]

Knock out a satellite temporarily?

Yeah, tell that to Telstar 401 and Astro-D, As an aside, CMEs constantly disrupts communications.

I never said anything about predicting CMEs.

I used CMEs because the research covers two facets of non-exploration science.

$20 per taxpayer? You're an incomprehensible moron! The NASA budget is .6 cents($0.006) per taxable dollar not a magical "every taxpayer pays $20" tax rubberstamp.