Why is it so important for us to keep our space exploration going?
442681
If the human race is going to evolve any further we must look for a new place to live.  We are destroying this planet.
628520
Look at how many sattelites we put up... there is something wrong with your reasoning, you're ignoring a lot of the facts.  How is it more difficult now?  A civilian recently built and flew his own spacecraft into space 3 times successfully.  Hundreds of satellites are orbiting the earth as we speak.  How does it seem space travel is more difficult?  We have several astronauts in a spacestation right now... Civilians have purchased tickets into space, the people on the space station have been relieve, replaced, etc multiple times... As far as the moon goes, there really isn't/wasn't any reason to go back, not a whole lot there if ya know what I mean ;)  They're working on mars projects continuously... just because a few landers and orbiters crash doesn't mean things are more difficult.  If you do some research you will find literally hundreds of crashes, mislaunches, explosions, and other quality errors; the old times make the number and degree of current mistakes seem almost trivial.  Science and technology have proven themselves time and time again when it comes to space, and it keeps getting better.
1176470
With free energy:\n\nYou could put water back in the deserts of Africa and they wouldn't have to worry about food.\nPeople wouldn't need to burn wood to stay warm.\nA space rocket could go anywhere, fuel is main thing limiting us from travel.\n\nThe reward beside a lot of money, would be eternal fame. You would be more remembered that other famous scientists because you would have to discover some property they didn't know which proved them wrong.
1048446
Because NASA is sourely underfunded.  It is allready to late for this planet.  I fear that mankind will not harness intersteller travel in time, none the less find a planet compatible with human life.  Also, NASA is a nonprofit organization.  For profit organizations tend to be quicker and more efficient, but as history has shown tend to also be less reliable and reckless.
443551
Satalites have helped make the society we have today possible:  \n1. We broadcast live around the world. \n2. We spy with satalites and I would hate to see space war technology develope elsewhere but not in USA.  \n3. We can study the earth in space in ways we can't on the ground, (a birds eye view so to speak.)\n4. Things with which others can explain.\n\nNASA and Space exploration may be able to detect an asteroid or comet that may strike the earth.  Something most certainly did in Siberia in 1908.  I would not go by any event that happened 65 million years age, but 1908 isn't so long age.  We were so lucky then.  If something like that happens over New York, 10 million people will be killed.  If it happens over the ocean, the title wave will probably compare to the one in 2004.\n\nColonizing space, the moon and/or Mars may prove to be invaluable in the future.  It is proving difficult to clean up this Earth after we messed it up so bad.  We could start over.  (if you care about future generations.)\n\nWe are a species that need to test it's limits.  That is why Stonehedge and the pyramids were built.  We need self esteem as a species.  We will concider our selves disapointments if we don't do that which we are capbable.
284636
Yes but such programmes are needed. Sooner or later this world of ours is going to get over crowded or resouses will run out. When that happens, theres only one place we can go and thats other planets.
359340
definitely, I mean so many people are so wrapped up in our lives that although we know there's outer space - we never think about it. It would be gr8 to know there are other things going on than what we can just see. Aliens (cos that's what they'll be even if they have two feet and two pairs of eyes etc) mark a whole new "time" for us - the potential to discover new things there may be things that could help us have a better quality of life that others have discovered that we haven't, to udnerstand more of what is going on around us. We think that knowing my stuff works is not important, but it definitly is... too many people live in ignorance and take things for granted.
584743
I see 2 possibilities each mutually exclusive to the other.  In one, we find a way to overcome our dependence on oil energies and as a result our earth improves it's environment.  As for other problems we either find a way like we usually do, just look at the inventions and resources that are at the disposal of man. At least 40,000 commercially available products have come from the exploration of the moon.  Where ever there has been a challenge human ingenuity has followed.\n\nNow the other end of the spectrum is, what ever doesn't kill us makes us stronger so if we don't find ways around these horrible problems we will perish.  But I remain optimistic from the sheer tenacity and ingenuity people have.
1031470
The Earth is a finite resource and will become uninhabitable one day.   Global warming, nuclear accident, hit from a big rock from space - there are plenty of disaster scenarios.\n\nWe need to be prepared.  To that end NASA needs to do so much more research, travel to other planets, set up a base on the moon and mars and, above all work towards spaceflight being like flying today.   Sound far fetched?   When my dad was a boy man couldn't fly and before he died men were standing on the moon.\n\nProfessor Stephen Hawking, he who wrote 'A brief History of Time', recently stated that if mankind did not seek out planetary travel pretty quickly there was a good chance a natural disaster would wipe out all human life!
892479
It is absolutely worth the cost.  \n\n1.  The advances made in science by space exploration affect our everyday lives.  Things from velcro to GPS has some aspect of space exploraiton involved.  What is developed for use in space finds its way into our lives on Earth in many wonderful ways.\n\n2.  Exploring the unknown in and of itself is worth it--we must expand our minds, our knowlege, our understanding of the universe.  \n\n3.  Only by learning and knowing the world/universe in which we live can we fully fathom our own part in it.\n\n4.  We need to dream.  We have dreamt of exploring the stars for millennia.  It is in our nature to reach out to the stars.\n\nOf course it is worth it.  And it deserves to be funded with much, much more money than it currently is.
623058
I will do it to satisfy my curiosity. A free trip in the space to discover other inhabited planets and galaxies is a dream come true. It is an occassion not to miss out but i would not go for ever because there can't be no better place than our home. I will return back to earth after the trip to my home sweet home.
130970
We dont need to know, but it keeps us busy and distracts us from real problems.\nJust think about when the first moonlanding was and when the vietnam war turned bad for the US.
28592
Three reasons mainly in order of importance:\n\n1. No further need for competion among nations.\n2. Major science goals accomplished.\n3. Cost too much money now that 1 + 2 are not longer motivating factors.\n\nThere is a new motivating factor that is going to take us to the Moon again.  Practice for going to Mars which does have serious science goals.
1157302
To keep the human population alive and going
613382
The cost to go into space is in the millions because that's what it costs to send someone into space.  It's not a big conspiracy or anything, it just costs a lot of money to build a space shuttle, fuel it, get it into space, and keep people alive for a couple days.  Government and private grants cover research missions, but the government isn't going to shell out a couple million dollars for a tourism trip.\n\nThe physical requirements are not unreasonable either.  The lack of gravity puts a huge strain on the human body.  When astronaughts come back, they have decreased muscle tone and heart strenght.  While in space, they have to work out regularly, but still, on Earth your muscles are constantly working against gravity, and when you come back, your muscles aren't ready for it.  If you aren't in exceptional physcial health, the loss of muscle tone could be extremely dangerous, and potentially even fatal.\n\nThe psycological qualifications are also not without reason.  Being in the confined space of a space shuttle with a small number of people for several days puts a huge strain on the human psyche.\n\nThat said, if I had the chance to go into space, I'd do it in a second, no doubt about it.
158514
for many scientific reasons.\n\none example is if you can understand how planets, stars, and galaxies are formed, we can understand how the earth will eventually develop.  this information will be valuable for discovering resources, weather trends, and environment issues.\n\nmany more applications and benefits exist. for example, to investigate space means we have to get out there.  that means developing new ways to travel long distances.  the by products could be more effective medicine, safer commercial vehicles, robotics, stronger metals & materials, etc...
1038371
space research is just a research to locate more speific life beyond our planet. However the people do not care about whats happening in our planet. Diseases are spreading killing almost a million or more each year, and economic losses due to spending money on useless things rather then useful things like charity or helping the homeless kids in all parts of the world. Africa and India is mainly homeless children, where at least a child dies every sec due to diseases or other serious conditions. Money is the only thing that could buy these children homes and food n other basic needs of life then people should be helping not spending money on space research where they are not helping anybody with anything. First they consider saving their own planet then beyond the planet. thats all =)