Mike Collins, the late Apollo astronaut, famously said one of his great regrets was not saying something more epic when, as CAPCOM, he cleared Apollo 8 to reignite its Saturn IV-B to commence its historic voyage to the Moon on Dec. 21, 1968. In the dry parlance of NASA, it was “go for TLI”—translunar injection. He thought it should have been something like, “you’re go to slip the surly bonds and venture where no man has before.”
I join your “worth it” sentiment. Beyond the obvious, there are always subtle technological benefits for the general population, as well. I’ll be up early to watch it on TV. I still clearly remember the landing in 1969 … hard to believe that was 53 years ago!
July 20 1969 marked my induction into a world of wonder. I was at a forgettable UC Davis student play then when someone dragged a TV onstage. It was worth it for me. On evening walks I gaze at the sky knowing I am part of the universe, made of atoms billions of years old.
How can a taxpayer opt-out of this monstrous expenditure that comes at a time when our already staggering $31T national debt is increasing at over a $1T annually? What will the hard ROI to us be to go back and pick up a few rocks again, about all we got out of the first moon landings. CNBC: “NASA’s massive moon rocket will cost taxpayers billions more than projected, auditor warns Congress…SpaceX CEO Elon Musk recently estimated that Starship’s development cost would be 5% to 10% of the Apollo-era Saturn V rocket — which, at an inflation-adjusted $50 billion, puts Starship’s development cost at $2.5 billion to $5 billion.” The best steward of money is the person who earned it through his own labor. These billions confiscated from wealth creators for government space travel are all lost opportunity costs. What could have people done with their own money if left in their own pockets? These big rockets are essentially government - funded skyscrapers, described in Mark Thornton’s great book: “The Skyscraper Curse: And How Austrian Economists Predicted Every Major Economic Crisis of the Last Century”
Perhaps I have a different perspective, but this taxpayer would rather NOT opt-out of paying for another moon landing. We are (or most of us, anyway) a curious and exploratory species. Otherwise, we would still be in merry old England and/or inhabiting the east coast. I look at this endeavor as an investment in our future rather than as an expenditure. I look at the potential for new jobs and careers. I look at the invention of new technologies and the discovery of new science. I look at the advancement of knowledge. Most important, I look at the advancement of the human race.
When electromagnetic waves were first discovered, I’m certain there were many who thought the basic research was a waste of time and money. After all, there were no radios, televisions, or cell phones. What good were invisible waves through space? If we had backed away and said “This is a waste of money,” where would we be now? Yes, the space program is expensive, but not nearly as expensive as failing to continue to push the boundaries of what we are capable of achieving.
“SpaceX CEO Elon Musk recently estimated that Starship’s development cost would be 5% to 10% of the Apollo-era Saturn V rocket”
Elon Musk conveniently leaves out the fact that he’s benefiting from all the R&D NASA did to build Apollo. It’s easy to get an “A” when someone else has done the homework.
Elon is a dwarf standing on the shoulders of the giant Apollo. SpaceX certainly did a lot of work, but they didn’t start from scratch.
It’s also easier to do something once you know it’s technically possible to do it. When Apollo (and its predecessors) were being first designed, it wasn’t even known if we could get to the moon, or even launch a person into orbit and return them alive.
Again cancelled due to fuel “leaks” at one or more of the main engines - which, by the way, are old shuttle main engines. Meanwhile, Musk is launching about one a week. Double-plus, TWO years between this launch and the next flight - a manned lunar orbital (but not landing, b/c “NASA” hasn’t approved a lunar lander). Lunar landing? Anybody’s guess.
Kent M, The $XXX Billions of dollars spent in space programs mostly goes to payroll. Americas’ best and brightest get paid to engineer and draw the plans for each and every little piece and part. Machinist and manufacturers produce each part. Miners dig the materials. People produce the fuels. Pipelines and drivers deliver all these essentials to their destinations. So many other steps and productive people are getting a pay check from our ventures into space.
“What could have people done with their own money if left in their own pockets?”
We need to give them the money first. Many brilliant Americans are acquiring this tax money. I agree with Space spending over international conflict spending.