I scraped up some reasons and opinions from people on why NASA projects and experiments is needed:
"If we don't get off-planet we are unavoidably doomed as a species...best to start planning now. The sooner the better. Different planet ASAP, different star system would be better, covering several would be best."
(Better to start early than later.
Not only that, but the technology that is developed for space travel comes back to people on earth. As mentioned before, velcro is one example. Another is various materials developed for the space program. They need something that is strong, light and resistant to heat for the space shuttle? Hey, guess what? Its great for cars too! A pen that writes upside down? Hey look, it writes underwater too! We can put giant telescopes into orbit and look at distant planets. Hey, we can put big TV antennas and transmitters up there too and transmit our TV signals to the other side of the globe!
New technologies from space studies: Solar Invection Panels
Hydrogen Fuel Cells
Composite Graphite
Microwave Communications
Cellular phone service
Global Positioning System
Impact Airbags
Tang
Freeze Dried Ice Cream
It has also contributed and continues to contribute to:
1) Medical Research including Drug development, Cancer Research, Development of new antibiotic compounds, stem cell research and recombinant DNA.
2) Fuel Research including new advanced fuels.
3) Metallurgy in creating new stronger and lighter alloys.
4) Computer Development and Research
5) Global Warming Research.
And now, President Bush
will announce plans next week to send Americans to Mars and establish a permanent human presence on the moon. Many people thought of President Kennedy's announcement of the space program to the moon, ridiculous and unbelievable. See where we are today.
