4 ms·

The ROI is debatable.

• TeMPOraL 12y ago
  Only if you look at quarterly return.
  • deleted 12y ago
    [deleted]
  • jacquesm 12y ago
    And that right there is the crux of the issue. Short term thinking at its best.
• lotsofmangos 12y ago
  Our society would be unrecognisable without it. Most of the things we complain we could be doing instead of the space industry, we have good information on to complain about them due largely to the space industry.
  • ProAm 12y ago
    I think that is true for our space industry in the 50's and 60's, but we've had a space station up there for years and what has come out of that? Im playing a bit of the devils advocate, but honestly all I hear is 'we are preparing for deeper space missions..."
    • TeMPOraL 12y ago
      > but we've had a space station up there for years and what has come out of that? Nothing at all... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_research_on_the_International_Space_Station http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_research_on_the_Inte... ISS scientific value coverage in media sucks, I'll grant you that.
      • ProAm 12y ago
        And it is arguable that the science being done on the ISS doesnt have as massive of an impact on society when you compare it to what we gained with early space exploration. Just because it is called 'science' doesn't mean it's beneficial, there are plenty of useless scientific studies that are performed everyday around. For instance the 'Portable Glovebox (PGB)' that was on the ISS sounds like really amazing research being performed....
        • lotsofmangos 12y ago
          Which bits of research in the glovebox were you thinking of?
          • ProAm 12y ago
            " The PGB provides two levels of containment; the first level being the enclosure itself (box, gloves, filter), the second level is realized through a negative pressure of 4 mbar inside the box." -- This is not ground breaking science.
            • lotsofmangos 12y ago
              The box isn't the science, it's a box for doing science in and a portable one was useful as their other glovebox is fixed to the wall. You might as well complain about research institutions for being made out of bricks.
        • TeMPOraL 12y ago
          http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/366.html http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experimen... "The Portable Glovebox (PGB) was developed for the European Space Agency for use on the International Space Station (ISS); it can be transported around ISS and used in any laboratory module. The PGB confines accidental spillage of materials and helps prevent contamination of biological materials when the experiment containers are opened for observations, sampling, and fixations." Yes. Figuring out design and use of lab equipment for microgravity conditions, as well as actually using it in further experiments, is definitely not beneficial for anything.