One reason is that it creates a whole new set of challenges that require innovation to overcome. Those innovations then have secondary benefits that can improve

One reason is that it creates a whole new set of challenges that require innovation to overcome. Those innovations then have secondary benefits that can improve humans down on Earth. Here's a wikipedia page listing NASA spinoff technologies: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_spinoff_technologies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_spinoff_technologies