3 Answers

1984, Gallup has been asking a question which emphasizes that all government programs have to be paid for out of taxes

From Gallup

from our tax dollars and then some. They robbed the Social Security Fund, for one.

The space programs that I have seen so far have been enormously expensive for the benefits I know about...obviously the cost benefit ratio package is tough to qualify. The numbers of robot vehicles do exploration nicely, but I have not seen small robots that can produce/fabricate the native materials ( rock ,sand, dust) into a refined and formed product that is used in the fabrication of something useful like construction bricks. I know the process to go from sand and dust to bricks....its not that difficult to do and solar power on the moon or wherever is generally very generous.

What's a kid to do on a beach? Build sand-castles. Sometimes I think NASA educated everyone in the space program away from those child like ideas of such grand expressions as sand-castles...for purpose, meaning and benefit.

Robots on the moon building sand castles....I like the idea. Robot race track on the moon controlled by kids.....whatever.