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So maybe GDP is somewhat irrelevant to this discussion, Russia is a good example - they don't have that high a GDP but they are very advanced in missile and spa

So maybe GDP is somewhat irrelevant to this discussion, Russia is a good example - they don't have that high a GDP but they are very advanced in missile and space programs. While GDP may have a weak correlation, it's more about the quality of science, engineering etc.

dogma1138 8y ago
GDP is a good baseline but it’s not all and be all. Russia has a space program because historically they did had a high GDP they were the 2nd upto the fall of the Soviet Union, GDP per capita was still pretty bad but not as bad as it is today, the per capita GDP of the US was only about double that of the USSR in the 1980’s but it’s 6 time that of Russia today. The reason why many people in Russia romanticize the days of the USSR today isn’t just Kermlin propaganda in 1989 their GDP per capita was ~$8700 today it’s only $2000 higher than what it was before the wall fell, adjusted for infalation they are considerably poorer today than they were in the past at the same time period the US went form $18,000 to $60,000 per capita.
- joelbluminator 8y ago
  OK I think I managed to find a good example for this: South Korea and Spain have comparable GDP's and population sizes (about 1.5T/60 million to 1.3T/56 million), yet South Korea is WAAAY more advanced technologically than Spain.
  - dogma1138 8y ago
    Yes that’s because they invested in high technology while Spain mainly banked in their legacy production and service sector, that said if South Korea and Spain would embark on a space program now I’m not sure if one has any advantage over the other both have pretty compareble aerospace sectors. Israel already has a space program and an orbital launch platform it’s just very small because of lack of funding which according to some reports is between 50 and 200M a year that’s not enough to do anything substantial. With 1-2 bln a year their program would likely be very different.

dogma1138 8y ago

GDP is a good baseline but it’s not all and be all. Russia has a space program because historically they did had a high GDP they were the 2nd upto the fall of the Soviet Union, GDP per capita was still pretty bad but not as bad as it is today, the per capita GDP of the US was only about double that of the USSR in the 1980’s but it’s 6 time that of Russia today. The reason why many people in Russia romanticize the days of the USSR today isn’t just Kermlin propaganda in 1989 their GDP per capita was ~$8700 today it’s only $2000 higher than what it was before the wall fell, adjusted for infalation they are considerably poorer today than they were in the past at the same time period the US went form $18,000 to $60,000 per capita.

joelbluminator 8y ago
OK I think I managed to find a good example for this: South Korea and Spain have comparable GDP's and population sizes (about 1.5T/60 million to 1.3T/56 million), yet South Korea is WAAAY more advanced technologically than Spain.
- dogma1138 8y ago
  Yes that’s because they invested in high technology while Spain mainly banked in their legacy production and service sector, that said if South Korea and Spain would embark on a space program now I’m not sure if one has any advantage over the other both have pretty compareble aerospace sectors. Israel already has a space program and an orbital launch platform it’s just very small because of lack of funding which according to some reports is between 50 and 200M a year that’s not enough to do anything substantial. With 1-2 bln a year their program would likely be very different.