That falls under the category of “satisfying curiousity.” Definitely a benefit, but it sure as heck won’t go much farther than that.
As I turn to my suffering neighbor and say, “We now know more about the poles of the Moon than we ever have! May I bring you a glass of water from there?”
RE: Definitely a benefit, but it sure as heck won’t go much farther than that.
What benefit does our Space Program give us? Like the USA, India started with UNMANNED explorers. Their long term goal will be manned explorers too.
The answer to questions about the benefits of our space program is the same answer to the question any Indian has regarding their space program.
I can think of several off the top of my head:
* New technologies that can be utilized in other industries and society
* Many spin-off technologies that have come out of the space exploration program, there have been notable advancements in the fields of health and medicine, transportation, public safety, consumer goods, energy and environment, information technology, and industrial productivity.
* Improved knowledge of space and the origin of the universe
It’s a step toward some of us getting off this rock. Water in decent quantity makes a colony practical, eventually even profitable, and then take the next step or steps. If we stay stuck here, eventually either ourselves or Mo’ Nature will erase us. Spread around the solar system (Earth’s Moon, Mars, some moons of the gas giants may be practical) we have a shot to go on much longer.