Space Travel - good or bad?

[larmen]

Sending scientists into space makes a lot more sense than sending pop stars and TV starlets into light orbit. It isn't just what these 4 do now, it what it enables the next mission(s) to do.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Steady on….solar system? I take it you mean Universe or galaxy. It’s been pretty much observed that if there is life in the solar system on planets and/or moons , other than on our planet, then it is not going to be anywhere near as advanced as we are.
The rest of what you say is good advice except the last sentence. It’s not good advice, but is a damn good prediction, unfortunately.
I do believe however that elsewhere in the Universe there will be much life and many civilisations, a lot of them in advance of ours, and a lot well behind ours.
To believe differently is giving ourselves a gigantic sense of importance. In the scheme of things we are quite insignificant, merely the most intelligent ( not most deserving) mammal on a pale blue dot of a planet among millions of planets.
It’s not in our nature to not explore. Furthermore, if we do not find ,and some of us migrate to ,other planets the human race will die out….probably and hopefully long after the youngest of us presently alive.
Professor Brian Cox made the point that the likely cause of the demise of the human race is not disease or population ….but stupidity.!

I'm not taking an arguemataive stance, but.....dont the points in bold argue against each other?
If we are syaing solar system and universe are different per se, I would suggest that since we havent been to every corner of the solar system how can we know?
I am firmly of the belief though that to assume WE are the only living and (allegedly) intelligent life form out there in an are we have no real knowledge is how big is stupid. That is my take on it, and to think we can taken control of something seperate from our earth under the banner of a small section of earth is madness.

 

[4LEX]

Space travel provides the human race huge movement in technology advances

It always great to look to move forward

War/Defence provides even more technology advances but that doesn't mean it's a good thing.

 

[CliveW]

Utterly pointless, a waste of money and a huge polluter.

In what way is it a huge polluter? The fuel used to propel the rocket is liquid hydrogen and oxygen which when burnt produces water which is the white cloud that appears behind the rocket. I do agree that a large amount of energy must be used to produce the fuel, but if the research to produce liquid hydrogen more economically and efficiently, then it will benefit mankind as an alternative to fossil fuels.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

In what way is it a huge polluter? The fuel used to propel the rocket is liquid hydrogen and oxygen which when burnt produces water which is the white cloud that appears behind the rocket. I do agree that a large amount of energy must be used to produce the fuel, but if the research to produce liquid hydrogen more economically and efficiently, then it will benefit mankind as an alternative to fossil fuels.

It’s not the fuel that’s the issue it’s all the debris and crap left floating in space that is just jettisoned never returns and just effectively remain in orbit. We’re effectively just littering space with crap but it’s ok in the donor science and exploration but if someone lobs an empty crisp packet on the floor they face a fine.

Plus $4billion is a huge amount of money that could go to helping out people still on this planet but there you go

 

[Arthur Wedge]

War/Defence provides even more technology advances but that doesn't mean it's a good thing.

Good amount of the technology even in arms with have origins from science development

Sending people to space is more than just a jolly

And as a human race we are always trying to push the boundaries and seeing what’s next

Can’t always look at what is spent on the development without looking at how much is may have helped people

 

[Billysboots]

I recall my wife commenting when we were watching a documentary about the lunar landings a few years ago that the lunar landing module resembled something from the children’s programme Button Moon.

From that day I have been understandably sceptical about the whole business.

 

[HampshireHog]

There does seem to be a lot of excitement about something less impressive that what was achieved well over half a century ago.

 

[AmandaJR]

There does seem to be a lot of excitement about something less impressive that what was achieved well over half a century ago.

That's the part that really puzzles me.

 

[WorldHandicapSystem]

Space travel is awesome.

Humans explore, it’s what we have always done. Imagine if our ancestors had the same attitudes.

I’d rather the money spent on space exploration than the military. Build rockets for fun not killing people.