They are used as a justification by NASA, by other people on this thread, and in your own post.
It is unarguble however, the technologies came along SOONER then they would have before. They came first in America rather then some other nation. ...
Now, if your life had depended on that tech, and many peoples lives have, you would be quite happy those spinoffs came along sooner then they would have.
You have to be specific. You are setting up a straw man of life-saving technologies created by NASA but you haven't named any.
BTW I am in favor of space exploration and basic research in general. I just think the whole spinoff thing is an obvious PR exaggeration.
It’s not just “PR”, it’s also reality, and it’s a popular selling point because the tech is something tangible in daily lives that people can understand.
Do you really want a list here though?
Would it make a difference?
I’m sure you’ve seen the lists before and google is certainly there to explore the questions further in great detail.
I’ve certainly been convinced a very long time of the spinoff benefits. It’s only logical they would occur, whenever you do things for the first time. Serendipitous discoveries will come that would not have occured otherwise.
Just the way it works, the nature of exploration.
If you think it’s hyped, fine, But it is rightly so in my view because people need reminding.
And again...
The nations that lead on the frontiers, dictate the course of human history.
I think that is an important spinoff no?