[buccaneer81]

As for these ground application accomplishments I think they would have been developed anyway.

No question of that. But at a substantially slower pace.

I don't mind paying extra for the space program. It has a far better purpose and rate of return than welfare, the EPA and the Department of Education to name a few. And those programs cost us more than five bucks a year.

Just my two cents.

[Notary Sojac]

The biggest problem I see is that for the last 25 years "manned space exploration" has consisted of flying over and over into LEO so that the "explorers" can twist some bolts on another piece of orbital hardware, or push the button to start an experiment showing how earthworms have sex in zero-G.

Not that our astronauts don't have skill and guts, I admire them and would ride up there with them in a second.

But "exploration" it ain't.

[Dem Guard]

I respect your view. I think you can also see how many applications in computer technology, software, communications, medicine, flight, and defense have been developed without being attributed directly to space travel. This is why I believe the benefits from space travel have been a bit over stated in mho.