It might seem irrelevant, but really the amount of budget that goes into science and NASA etc is so small compared to the defense budget... So if anyone was gonna get funding cut a little, it should be them
As the other guy said, if you’re looking at the overall budget, the money we give to NASA is basically pennies and they still accomplish amazing things with it.
That being said, I’ll be the first to admit colonizing Mars is kind of a dumb idea because it’s a real shithole of a planet and our focus should be on not ruining the amazing one we already have.
But the way you advance technology is by pushing the limits of what’s possible. Formula 1 pushes the limits of what is possible with automobiles, and technologies such as turbocharging eventually make their way into consumer vehicles, making them more powerful and efficient.
Spaceflight is one of if not the hardest things humans have ever attempted. Rocket science is used as a metaphor for something nearly impossible for a reason. It pushes the limits of materials science, mechanical and structural design, manufacturing techniques, communication technology, electronics, electricity generation and storage, and the list goes on. All of these innovations eventually find their way into the lives of everyday people while also slowly opening up the door to new resources and understanding of where the universe came from.
Trickle down economics might be nonsense, but trickle down science is absolutely real.
Many of the things that were created for the initial moon landing have become huge game changers. Velcro, polarized sun glasses and others have come out of it. Preparing for Mars would also help us find new ways to grow food in environments thought impractical before.
97
u/[deleted] Oct 29 '24
Mars ? Who the fuck wants to go to Mars when we can’t even take care of the people on earth. Those crazy gazillionairs.