Space exploration-a waste of money?

I much prefer that the boundaries are being pushed to reach for the stars in a spirit of international co-operation rather than each country's best scientists competing to produce bigger and better WMD.

I am totally in favour of space research. but I am concerned about the huge amount of junk we are leaving in orbit around our planet. A company (British I believe) is developing very small cheap, robot satellites that will collect space junk and send it back to earth, not sure how far away that development is.

Nicely put, henetha.

"totally wrecked"? Come now, that's a complete exaggeration.

It's not the waste of money which I hate so much as knowing that, having totally wrecked Earth, they are leaving litter and junk wherever they land elsewhere.
The moon used to be full of romantic and poetic symbolism. Its beauty was ruined for me the day man landed.

Would such money really be put to better use though? I agree with what others above have said, much better than I can, about man's natural instinct to explore and evolve. Space exploration is marvellous, in my opinion.

Yes, but others have put so well, mans curiosity about its World and the Universe have brought great knowledge and benefits over thousands of years, without curiosity where would we be?

Possibly, but I think the pursuit of science for its own sake is already a very good cause. There are multiple planet-Earth beneficial spin-offs from space science from which we all benefit in the long term.

I also think space exploration is a wonderfully positive statement about humanity—what a bunch of well-evolved apes can achieve. That thought gives me a glow of hope for humanity in general.

There will always be serious problems in human society, as there are in all animal and plant 'societies'. How we solve them should not limit scientific exploration because, on the whole, greater knowledge of how the universe works is beneficial.

It doesn't cost nearly as much as fighting wars... and the benefits can be considerable. The day may come when we need to divert some hunk of rock that is intent on smashing the planet into smithereens - and if there is a remedy it will have been found through scientific research of this kind!

Also, bear in mind that much of the money spent is going to manufacturers who pay it to employees who spend it, boosting the economy...

Yes it could probably be "better spent" but we have a natural curiosity about our surroundings that people have had a passion to investigate.

Without the curiosity of people over the centuries we would possibly still be living in medieval conditions.

Yes.
But I dont think that the answer is completely cut and dried.
I think that the main problem is that it is sooooo expensive.
I am not sure so many people would mind if it cost say a 10th of the price.

It does lead towards discoveries that benefit mankind as a whole though, as well.