The need: Some of the arguments against a full scale effort at space exploration have included the following: Why don't we fix the problems we have here first, there is no life out there so why should we go, there is nothing out there that we can not find right here, and what differance does it make(I can never go)??? I will address each of these in turn...
Why don't we fix the problems we have here first?: First of all, many of the problems we have here can not be solved without a radical reconstruction of the entire base of our society. Despite what many politicians would have you believe, throwing money at a social problem will fix nothing. Besides the obvious fact that we do not have an idea what is out there, there may be new plants or minerals on Mars, for example, that could cure Cancer or Aids. Not only this but if industry finds something new out there that could be used here it would spend its own money to go out there and get it, thereby stimulating the economy because of the new product(s). Also violent groups in the world who feel disenfranchised in some way can use their resources to go to some planet of their own instead of using them to kill civilians...
There is no life out there so why should we go?: We have no idea if there is life out there. Recently evidence was found that life existed on Mars. Mars is not an Earth like planet and this leads to the possibility that nearly any planet with an atmosphere and water could be a place where life formed. Considering there are one hundred million stars in this galaxy, then a 1% chance of life in a star system would equate to one million planets that supported life. Also keep in mind that the universe has existed for ten billion years before our sun existed. Modern science contends that we evolved from animals approximately tem million years ago, leaving a lot of room for life to have evolved elsewhere in the galaxy. Even at the current snail's pace our space program is moving at we will be all over the galaxy in less than a million years.
This leads to the possibility of intelligent life that has the ability to travel faster than the speed of light. Yes, I said faster than the speed of light, just because our science is too limited to consider it a viable possibility I'm sure other races haven't. We send something out there and meet a new species that has the answers to our social problems. The cures to our diseases. Why wouldn't they? They could be a race that has existed for billions of years longer than ours.
There is nothing out there that we can not find right here: If the problem with this statement does not hit you right in the face then please read carefully. The diversity just in this solar system is amazing. There are planets like great rocks, life supporting planet(s), and gas giants. For example, platinum and gold have many industrial applications but are very expensive. If the planet Mars was half gold or platinum, a statistical impossibility but supposedly so is life, then industry would climb all over themselves to get there. This would mean better products, a better economy, more employment. These things benefit everyone.
What differance does it make (for I can never go): If there were other species they could probably show us cheaper and easier ways to travel in space. Then going to space would some day be no more difficult than going to a travel agent. Industry would need off world workers to help bring back raw materials or finished products. Space would become a common place destination after cheaper and lighter designs had been developed.
The points I have illustrated here are only the beginning. We already have the technology to do many of the things that are done in common science fiction but none of it is exploited for our use. I can not imagine the reason why when the above have been eliminated. Below are some links that you can browse and see that this is true.
SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGY LINKS
