What Is Space Exploration Doing For You?

People ask all the time whether the money we put into space exploration actually helps us here on Earth. Is it worth the money we’re spending? Trace takes a look at a few recent projects that are helping people here on Earth as we speak!

Read More:
Spinoff
“A commercialized product incorporating NASA technology or expertise that benefits the public.”

Brainwave Monitoring Software Improves Distracted Minds
“Imagine moving an object using only your mind. Software company Unique Logic’s Time on Tank exercise makes that feat possible, at least on a computer screen.”

Shuttle Engine Designs Revolutionize Solar Power
“One of the hottest solar energy plants in the world was developed from one of the hottest space technologies ever engineered: the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME).

Mars Cameras Make Panoramic Photography a Snap
“If you wish to explore a Martian landscape without leaving your armchair, a few simple clicks around the NASA Web site will lead you to panoramic photographs taken from the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity.”

Gigapixel Images Connect Sports Teams with Fans
“NASA’s twin Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, remain one of the Agency’s greatest achievements in exploration.”

How Spaceflight Software Helps Fight Bank Fraud
“The same technology that controls spacecraft circling hundreds of miles above Earth is now being used to sniff out bank fraud.”

Identifying Alzheimer’s using space software
“Software for processing satellite pictures taken from space is now helping medical researchers to establish a simple method for wide-scale screening for Alzheimer's disease.”

To Moonwalker Buzz Aldrin, ‘Tang Sucks’
“Tang — the orange drink in powdered form made famous by thirsty astronauts — just got slammed by the second man to walk on the moon.”

Gigapan Inaugural Image Is NASA-Derived Rover Technology
“If you’ve been oohing over CNN’s ‘The Moment’ ‘photo-synth’ image of last week’s presidential inauguration, there’s another version that might be even better because you don’t have to download Microsoft’s bulky Silverlight software to see it.”

LROC Northern Polar Mosaic (LNPM)
“On 18 June 2009, NASA launched the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) to map the surface of the Moon and collect measurements of potential future landing sites as well as key science targets.”

Watch More:
Mysterious Radio Waves in Space
TestTube Wild Card
Looking For Life on Mars

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[TheEshy]

It actually blew my mind that there were enough people asking that stupid question that you guys actually had to make a video about it.
I know that they increased funds toward NASA in the last couple years but I want more of my tax money heading that way.

[Jemalacane]

Space exploration keeps me curios and interested. That is enough.

[LarryPhischman]

We spend almost nothing on space exploration. We spend, more on corporate welfare in one year than we spend on space exploration in 10 years.

[lenseofficial]

Yeah...all that i guess. Plus also the fact that space exploration moves the human race forward immensely in terms of evolutionary progression as well as forces us to innovate that inspires generations to come

[tonyreno]

"Link them to this video" Great idea. People don't understand how much comes from science, and how much science comes from research efforts to figure out how to do the currently impossible. Nasa, like Cern, push the boundaries all the time, by the very nature of their mission, which is usually to do something that has never been done before. This pushing of the boundaries results in new technologies which can then be repurposed many times over. So we go from fishing for people to teaching them to fish, to teaching them to grow their own fish to teaching them to not even need fish. Science is amazing, and people just don't see it. Great video, and I am making sure to keep this link to send people to it.

[WildRiverTom]

Great video Trace, you rocked with this one! Space exploration has probably saved more lives than we could know with one of my favorites, the creation of HACCP during the early space program of the 1960's with NASA, Pillsbury and the US Army. This is a food safety system still in use today in the food industry. Space exploration has benefited our species in many other ways in addition to technology.

[lazarusblackwell]

We definitely need to give NASA more money.

Space exploration and colonization should be a WAY MORE important thing then it is now.

[TrebleSketch]

This has truly opened my eyes about how much space has benefited us as a species. Thanks for the video :)

[madisonhunt]

In my class we are making a persuasion essay, and this is what I'm talking about. Space exploration is important

[CyFiM]

Basically the point of space travel is "hey let's come up with this ridiculous goal and get the best scientists in the world to invent all the new technology that we need to achieve it so we can then use that technology to make life easier on Earth later on." And it WORKS.

[guy]

Science is never a waste, at the very least we gain knowledge.

[liboud]

Space exploration represents two of the most important human traits - curiosity and motivation to learn about unknown. These two traits have led to countless inventions. People who do not see the relevance of space exploration, often are the people who couldn't understand science.

[Lutranereis]

Just because some great technology has come from space exploration, it doesn't mean that you can't criticize aspects for being a waste of money. For instance, the money we spent on the ISS could have gone to creating the LHC as early as 2002, meaning our understanding of physics would be nearly 10 years more advanced right now. Even Neal DeGrasse Tyson has gone on record several times saying that the money we used for the ISS could have done better things.

So don't just dismiss someone who says we're wasting money on space exploration. Try to find out why they think that, and understand their reasoning before you criticize. 

[ShadyForest]

When we run out of natural resources on earth, the people who had a problem with space exploration will feel mighty stupid when we start harnessing resources from asteroids, moons, and other planets.

[thishandleistaken]

The money itself is just a currency, the RESOURCES bought with money to help starving people in say africa are different resources then the ones used for space exploration, so theoretically they could still be helping starving or sick people because they are different actual resources, minus a small amount of manpower.

[stickmasterluke]

The United States spent $680 billion dollars on the Military in 2010 (%58 of the yearly discretionary spending). Estimates for a manned Mars mission are around $80 billion. And these are high estimates. Many plans say it can be done with a fraction of that. Right now, NASA gets $20 billion dollars a year (just over half of a percent of the yearly discretionary spending). Of the $680 billion in military budget, $80 billion is spent on research and development alone.

That is to say, that the United States spends FOUR TIMES more money on development of weaponry and technology of war, than on the entire space program!

Stop military research and development for one year, and we would have enough for a manned Mars landing, a major event in human history.

[russelldunning]

When we are pushing the boundaries of what we do, we are often innovating to do so.

These innovations are then put to use wherever they are applicable, including to further push boundaries; the end products of this are... well... products (to buy and use) and lots of DOLLAR DOLLAR BILLS, YA'LL!

[unpopuIaropinion]

Space exploration will save your descendants

[p_]

I though it isn't worth the money, but now I see, thank you.

[Hairysteed]

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