Why We Pay for Space Exploration

I think there’s actually a fairly broad consensus that we’re currently doing space exploration for science, pride, prestige and to support our domestic space industry, not necessarily in that order. Also because it delights some of us to see other worlds, and our own, and that gives us joy. And that in the United States we don’t want to spend much more annually than the post-Apollo norm.

The conflict comes from districts with existing NASA centers passionately wanting to preserve jobs at those centers, and everyone else, not so much.