This always seems to come up when space exploration is discussed. The US spends more than $14bn a year on plastic surgery, more than $134bn on computer games, $

This always seems to come up when space exploration is discussed. The US spends more than $14bn a year on plastic surgery, more than $134bn on computer games, $48bn on tobbacco, $11bn on ice cream. But you want to cut space exploration? Total global spending on space technology and orbital infrastructure is over $400bn, dominated by the US, and the vast majority of that is commercial activity that directly contributes to improving life on Earth. Mostly Earth observation satellites and communications systems. The NASA budget is less than 10% of that but is a vital investment that catalysed this whole industry that has reaped massive rewards for the US and mankind. If space resource utilisation such as Asteroid capture do end up being economically viable NASA will have catalysed another industry potentially worth hundreds of billions. Jeff Bezos wants to move industry into space and zone Earth for residential and recreational use only. Just cigarettes would pay for the entire NASA budget, but you'd rather cut NASA than cancer sticks?