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If you want to add all the benefits, a fair consideration requires looking at all the costs, which you neglected. Pollution is but one. I don't know enough to
by spodek 7y ago
If you want to add all the benefits, a fair consideration requires looking at all the costs, which you neglected. Pollution is but one.
I don't know enough to say where the cost-benefit analysis ends up, but I'm inclined to believe some rockets overall benefit humanity, like launching satellites to help solve our environmental challenges, but many don't, like space tourism.
- wolfram74 7y agoWhat fraction of launches do you think are space tourism? There was less than 1 tourist a year in the aughts, but it's all research staff these days. post curiosity edit: Heck, your own thesis hinged on observations that necessarily had to be done in space.
- spodek 7y agoI don't have a fixed view on rockets. I helped build an x-ray observational satellite in orbit, but I don't agree with a view common on HN that space travel an unqualified good or necessary today.