Arguments for Space Exploration

[MrPwner]

Hey everybody,

Short intro/background:

I'm from the Netherlands, we have the ESTEC (European Space Research and Technology Centre) in Noordwijk for the ESA.

Not too long ago, there was a plan or something to cut back 30 million euro's from investments in space exploration.

A lot of (knowledgeable) people warned against it, too much cutbacks and there was a real possibility ESTEC would move.

Not unimportant: for every euro the dutch government contributes to ESA we get 2.2 to over 5 euro's back (different each year) in projects, assignments and what not.

Luckily, the cutback was reversed. But now I see people whining (in the comments of the newspages) about "shooting money into space", "think of earth first", "we're in crisis" etc. (The same people that didn't want to lose the knowledge economy because of cutbacks, go figure)

Telling these people, that usually only think about the money, that we get way more back for every investment, just doesn't get through.

Or all the amazing spin-offs that came from space exploration allowing them to even use all the technology we take for granted.

Or that mankind's future lies in space wether we like it or not. That when we NEED to go to space, we'll be lacking the technology if we hold back on it now.

Now, I think some or maybe even most of you have gone into a discussion just like this.

Do you have any good arguments for space exploration you'd like to share here?

[Aescwulf]

Space exploration is really important because the Internet , phones etc strive off of satellites being sent to space.

We will never be able to repair our planet and with every mission into space is a step closer into making space exploration cost effective its like SpaceX rockets only cost a few million dollars compared to the Russian Soyuz costing almost a billion per rocket. To know and explore is in human nature we strive to try and understand everything which is our motivation to go into space. Although I do admit more exploration into our own ocean couldn't go a miss.

[Ascensiam]

Space Exploration earns a second place in human priority for me right now, right after renewable energy. We already have the tech for satelites and getting practical objects into function, and Kessler Syndrome is getting prevalent. I'm wondering what the decisive argument to get there is right now. Is there something there we have to get to other than doing it for the first time and saying we did? If that is the case, i'd say investing in renewable energy has, in the long run, an amazing return in money, investment and environment. I can catch on to the idea, but some decisive arguments may turn things in your favor.

[Aescwulf]

Space Exploration earns a second place in human priority for me right now, right after renewable energy. We already have the tech for satelites and getting practical objects into function, and Kessler Syndrome is getting prevalent. I'm wondering what the decisive argument to get there is right now. Is there something there we have to get to other than doing it for the first time and saying we did? If that is the case, i'd say investing in renewable energy has, in the long run, an amazing return in money, investment and environment. I can catch on to the idea, but some decisive arguments may turn things in your favor.

I also agree on this. Currently in England there's a crisis arising basically by 2015 the power plants won't be able to cope with the demands and so major blackouts in some places will occure also high in energy bills. But currently renewable energy is lacking and has a "tree hugger" stigma about it which it shouldn't do. I'm big on solar energy.

[LukeTim]

I also agree on this. Currently in England there's a crisis arising basically by 2015 the power plants won't be able to cope with the demands and so major blackouts in some places will occure also high in energy bills. But currently renewable energy is lacking and has a "tree hugger" stigma about it which it shouldn't do. I'm big on solar energy.

We should be going mostly Nuclear whilst we look at ways to make a totally renewable solution a viable option.

Really frustrating that ignorant "environmentalists" insist that Nuclear is a worse option than Fossil Fuels.

[Ascensiam]

We should be going mostly Nuclear whilst we look at ways to make a totally renewable solution a viable option.

Really frustrating that ignorant "environmentalists" insist that Nuclear is a worse option than Fossil Fuels.

There's an important line between ignorant and careful, Chernobyl and now Fukushima is speaking against this very strongly, and westernized nations are beginning to become skeptic. There's also the issue of making this global, just look at the world's reaction to Iran implementing Nuclear Power.

Essentially, nuclear elements are also a finite resource with a lot of drawbacks, it's effects are great, but my country has banned it entirely and is moving strongly towards ''hippie'' energy, perhaps even completing it's transformation by 2020. Using the simplest and most natural things around us is the way to go, indifferent from our early society, just implemented with advanced technology.

[Grand Lander]

Try make rockets from Wood and duct tape ay?