>>12867235I do consider myself a progressive and whenever I meet such opinions I simply explain that every dollar spent in space research/development will lead to better technologies on earth and thus more jobs, more wealth and more possibility. It would be better if we first get to close tax paradises, improve goverment efficency, don`t waste money on luxury, mindless entertainment and drugs than to close down the scientific development that activly improves the world. The moon landing accelerated computer technologies, materials, energy productions and other fields and modern space development does so to. In short, every dollar spent in space leads to 10 dollars back on earth. Directly or indirectly. But furthermore, space will offer far more weatlh to everyone once we industralize it. We can do both and unite both, explore space and improve earth. We can solve earth`s energy crisis via space based solar power and helium-3 fuel for fusion reactors. Built up massive heavy industry in space where it doesn`t affect the enviroment and produce new materials, possibly room-temperature supercondutors and asteroid mining would also grant us enough ressources for all these endavours for millenia and more.
This normally is sufficent to convince them. They simply lack perspective.
