Many Americans think NASA returning to the moon is a waste of time and it should prioritize asteroid hunting instead, a poll shows::Americans like NASA, but don’t support their funding going towards moon missions, according to new polls.

  • HousePanther@lemmy.goblackcat.com
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    1 year ago

    The only reason it would make sense to return to the moon is to establish a base for exploration of Mars. I go really back and forth on space exploration. On one hand it is a giant money pit. On another, the research that has come out of space exploration has been beneficial to life here on earth.

    • blackluster117@possumpat.io
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      1 year ago

      The technologies we invent along the way are worth the investment, in my opinion. Look at everything that came out of the original space race.

      • HobbitFoot @thelemmy.club
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        1 year ago

        Nah. If we go back to the Moon, we are going to need more than “new technologies”, but an actual purpose.

        Right now, Helium-3, rare earth metals, and a slingshot to the rest of the solar system are good reasons to colonize the Moon if we can figure out how to do it cheaply.

    • NeoNachtwaechter@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      the research that has come out of space exploration has been beneficial to life here on earth.

      But space is 100% innocent.

      It was just a huge pile of money spent on research and development.

      • Kraven_the_Hunter@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Yeah and we only spend massive piles of cash on war and space exploration. Both have resulted in technology advantages but I prefer space exploration.

    • Spzi@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      I feel the ‘pale blue dot’ was/is philosophically important for humanity. To realize all our wars and arguments, struggles and victories, take place on this small and fragile rock, floating in an endless void of nothingness. I think this experience was both humbling and inspiring for millions, and this package only comes with (wo)manned space missions.

      Long term, I also dream of space habitats and space industry, to reduce the strain on Earth’s ecosystems. Or the other way around; space habitats dedicated to preservation.

      Very long term, there just is no way around it. Humans will keep exploring and push the boundary. Also it’s wise to have an off-site backup.

    • foggianism@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      The technological breakthroughs aside, the first company that returns with mined goods from space is gonna be worth trillions.