Quote:
Originally posted by conundrum7g
Frankly I think most of nasa's manned space program has been a big waste of money. We perform really stupid experiments at the space station. 
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I agree and disagree with this. True, the manned space program is "wasting money" but, only because there is no clear-cut goal in mind, like there was with the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions. That goal, of course, was to get to the moon.
Now, with regards to the space station, I think it's paying benefits already but, not the glamorous, earth-shattering types. One of the benefits of the station deals with its concept. The station project is generating a lot of goodwill amongst various countries of the world who are involved with the project. Another benefit is the actual construction of the station. Invaluable lessons are being learned in basic zero-g construction techniques and the testing of the various hand tools being used. These are going to be important to know when and if we embark on establishing bases on the moon, Mars, or beyond.
