here's NASA's answer

For many years, space exploration has been a topic of much debate. When it began during the Cold War, public opinion mostly supported conquering the final frontier, however, this was largely due to a national desire to beat the Soviet Union in the "space race." Once the Cold War died out in the late 80s and early 90s, society was left with the burning question: Should the space program be ended, or should the government continue to fund voyages to the moon, Mars, and the rest of the solar system? Today, this question is still asked. Many claim that space exploration is a waste of money, yet, while opponents of the space program feel that it is sending money into space instead of using it for practical purposes here on Earth, the exploration of the solar system is one of the noblest pursuits of man, and has also led to many technologies which are used on Earth.

The main argument against the continuation of space exploration is that it is expensive and uses money which could be put to better purposes. It is true every year in the United States, about 7 billion dollars goes into human space flight. To many, this may appear to be an enormous amount of money, but how much is it really? Consider that each year Americans spend 22 times this amount on alcohol. Consider that the government spends over 10 billion dollars in Iraq every month. Consider that the funding of NASA uses less than one percent of the government's budget. Consider that the United States government is currently trillions (yes, trillions) of dollars and debt, and ask yourself: How much is this really? If exploring the universe is a waste of money, are war and alcohol the nobler pursuits in which the taxpayers' money should be invested? When the money spent on the space program is put into perspective, it is clear that it is pocket change compared to what is spent on other, arguably useless ventures. Now this is not to say that there are no worthy causes on which this seven billion dollars could be spent if the space program was halted. Those who advocate the termination of space exploration say that it is almost cruel to spend money chasing unbeneficial dreams in outer space instead of solving world hunger or working toward world peace. Those who advocate the termination of the space program don't seem to be paying attention. Somehow they miss the irony that they are trying to end space exploration in order to fund world peace, while right under their noses, over 12 times as much money is being spent on a war. It would be far more reasonable to obtain money to spend on world issues from a war which is damaging world unity than from a program which, at worst, does the world no harm. In fact, NASA and space programs around the globe help promote international peace and cooperation. For example, the international space station is occupied by astronauts from several nations, and was built by many nations working together. Missions to Mars and other places would also most likely require the cooperation of several countries. With a closer look, we can see in the space program that which was not so apparent at a glance: Space exploration is not a waste of money which could be used to improve the world, but a noble pursuit which promotes world unity and is much cheaper than some activities which serve only to tear the world apart.

In addition to contributing to world unity, the space program has many technological benefits. Hundreds of items which people enjoy today would never have been possible without studies conducted for space exploration. These "spin-off technologies" can be found everywhere and have served to improve the lives of humans all around the world. From scratch-resistant lenses to processes which can detect Breast cancer, NASA's space program has led to many ground breaking inventions and processes. For example, when NASA was looking for a more efficient way to store fuel, they came up with miniaturization. This process led to the development of the microprocessor, a main component of the modern day computer. Without the space program, this kind of technology may have taken much longer to be discovered, and computers could still be the size of a room today. Although there have been numerous other spin-off technologies which have been developed through NASA's exploration of space, one in particular stands out: the satellite. The impact of the satellite on modern society is huge. It makes possible countless technologies which many consider essential in modern times. From cell phones to GPS's to Satellite Television, the impact of the satellite can be seen everywhere. One very important area in which they are utilized is the monitoring of weather worldwide. Image the devastating impact that hurricanes such as Katrina would have had if no one had known that the storm was going to hit. Clearly, the technologies developed because of space exploration are well worth the money that is put into the space program. Without these developments, our world would be a much harder place to live in and many more lives would have been lost.

Lastly, while the space program's opponents try to convince everyone that money put into the exploration of the solar system is being shipped into space, this is simply not true. Much of the money that is put into space exploration is used to pay employees. In other words, the space program provides hundreds and indirectly thousands of jobs within the United States. Although not all of NASA's money is used to pay employees directly, the rest of its budget does not simply disappear. NASA's spends its money on materials to build satellites, space shuttles, and other vehicles and technologies used in space exploration. Shockingly, all this money remains right here on earth, mostly in the U.S. Greater spending is always beneficial to the economy, and NASA's spending is no exception, despite what its opponents would like to believe. It is not difficult to realize that money invested in space exploration is not shipped away and does not vanish. It is circulated within the United States and given right back to Americans.

All over the globe, the benefits of space exploration can be seen, and it is almost impossible to spend a single day without encountering dozens of ways in which the space program has improved the world. When we look closely, we realize it cannot be denied that because of the world unity it promotes, the jobs it provides, and the new technologies it creates, space exploration is well worth its cost and should be continued for many years to come.

Sources:

http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/11/is-space-exploration-worth-the-cost-a-freakonomics-quorum/

http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=91

http://www.thespaceplace.com/nasa/spinoffs.html#Top

http://aerospacescholars.jsc.nasa.gov/HAS/highlights/final-projects/view.cfm?id=B0BD5CEB-F1F6-B4D1-E03980F9CF82851E

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