[RadioAstronomer]

What's come of the hundreds of billions of dollars sent to NASA since then? Foam mattress material that's being touted on infomercials and TANG?

New understandings of this planet, solar system, and the entire universe for one thing. How about improved telemetry/com design, material sciences, propulsion systems, etc.

[Jaysun]

How about improved telemetry/com design, material sciences, propulsion systems, etc.

Those things are wonderful, but I still say that private enterprise is more than capable of giving birth to such things - in a much quicker and cost effective fashion.