[oh8eleven]

... we've actually taken one giant leap backwards since we no longer have a manned space program.
Not that I would ever agree with anyone in the 0bama Regime, but no manned program, so what?
I wholeheartedly supported all of the space projects since Day 1.
But after 30 years of spending billions and billions on the Space Shuttle, WTF do we the taxpayers have in return? NADA.

[Nifster]

Apparently you are not informed. We have gained all kinds of new materials because the shuttle was built and used. There are additional improvements in communications technologies and in some medical areas that have been made.

Just because you don’t see them trumpeted in the headlines doesn’t mean they aren’t there

[Nifster]

Oh and by the by... you got a lot more bang for the buck from the shuttle than the real waste of money the James Webb Space Telescope (still yet to launch)

[YankeeReb]

Not that I would ever agree with anyone in the 0bama Regime, but no manned program, so what? I wholeheartedly supported all of the space projects since Day 1. But after 30 years of spending billions and billions on the Space Shuttle, WTF do we the taxpayers have in return? NADA.

Well it could be argued that most of the innovations of the last half of the 20th century were a result of the space program. Everything from the PC to the GPS not to mention things like teflon , food preservation techniques all came about originally from the space program.

0'Dumbo always talks about gubment investing and innovation, but historically that's never worked. The only innovations that ever came from government were through the military in war time and the space program because of competition with the USSR. The reason being because the government was in a war (or a space race). The competition wouldn't allow them to fund boondoggles like Solyndra or the Chevy Volt. In a war the government is forced to create results. From there you get innovations like the Internet and the miniaturization of computers.

[Popman]

Space Shuttle......WTF do we the taxpayers have in return? NADA.

We have excellent footage of the shuttles blowing up and disengrating in flight.../ S

[onedoug]

The shuttle gave humans great experience in living and working in space which was always designed and sold to us as a stepping stone to the Moon, Mars and beyond. Most if not all of the other projects only whetted that appetite.

Though if you don’t buy this then it would seem you must be content in that soetoro has essentially shut, or is gradually shutting them down.

When the Hubble Space Telescope looked back into the earliest history of the universe that we have ever yet seen, I was, and am yet thrilled to witness the workings of God across that space and time.

To me, at least, this has been one of the greatest returns on our tax money in our whole history. But alas, it is no more. That’s a great tragedy for the whole human race.

It was from Vietnam too that I first looked up at the Moon and knew there were people out there.

Thanks for your service.