"For me, the state-sponsored space exploration of space (particularly, the Space Race) slowed down progress in the sciences and even for space exploration in th

"For me, the state-sponsored space exploration of space (particularly, the Space Race) slowed down progress in the sciences and even for space exploration in the long run." I strongly disagree. A rocket engine is so complex, I think nation state level investment in a war economy moved it forward at least half a century, if not more. It took them seven years just to create the first turbo-pump! Without Nazi-Germany bankrolling von Braun and his Space Nazis, USA and Soviet Union would not have had the seed to start their ICBM programs. Which then fed everything else. Without Apollo program, you would not have had the huge airforce talent to figure out how to operate in space. Space has nothing trivial in it. Each step has required carefull engineering. I kind of agree that with modern computing we probably could make a few leaps, but difficult engineering up to this day has required century or more of groundwork. For example Nokia did not become the fallen giant due to some VC investment in the 80's but because they had long tradition of radio engineering going back to 20's. And so on. SpaceX is now so succesful, because they have a century of aeronautics training, research and culture - bankrolled to a large extent by US taxpayers (for which we in other countries should be grateful for facilitating the future of space faring humanity) to lean on. It's still a huge achievement but without the century of defense spending it would not be even remotely possible. I would say that the tech is only now mature enough to facilitate the public ventures. But that's just me, you might be correct as well :)