$2.5 Billion Well Spent

The Mars rover Curiousity hasn't gotten much news with the Olympics finishing up this week but it was big news to me. I will never forget the look on those scientists faces looking at each other in disbelief that it actually worked! It was so complicated any number of things could have gone wrong.

But they didn't, science and calculation out trumped disaster this week. So many jobs were created right here in America with this project and it was so challenging I don't think we have a clue what all good will come from this. That' my take on it, what is yours?

This post on Facebook caught my eye and you can easily spot the knowledgeable readers in the thread:

" I think it was worth it. Unfortunately, $2.5 billion isn't a lot of money these days. For example, the player salaries paid by the NFL in 2010 totaled more than $3.4 billion... and while it wasn't "taxpayer" money, we still paid for it to be entertained."

"Curiosity Mars Lab created 7000 jobs and only cost tax payers $7. That is a good way to spend tax money. Thank of it as a donation to science so they can explore the Universe and tech our kids and get them excited about Science. So they can help this country get out of our innovative slump. Then we save money paying welfare because they will be educated and inspired not complaining on how the government is spending money."

"All those folks who think the space program is a waste of money should immediately throw away their cell phones and home computers, since we wouldn't have them if it wasn't for the technology spinoff it has created."

"The USA is getting blown away on Science . NASA is helping inspire the future as it always has. Engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, so we can enrich lives on Earth. And YES, the government is responsible for cell phones, computers, Intern...et, GPS, weather sats, and most of the technology you use every day directly and indirectly. Remember how innovative the USA was during the moon race? Job creation starts with innovation. Let's keep finding ways to explore and discover, I'm l in. If you think Space is silly and a waste of money that's fine, just do not be upset and ignorant about it."

"The $2,500,000,000 was spent in the USA and created jobs. More productive than sending it overseas. The main point is not to discover life, but, create a situation and SOLVE it. During this process we create and discover. Do people that thi...nk this is a waste refuse to use the technologies created? No. Everyone is not going to get excited, just like not everyone is going to work in factories. But to say a waste of money, is an extreme opinion. This is why we have everyone spending money on non-silly things. We would be left behind."

Today's blog is dedicated to my son-in-law Will Peters and all of his friends and co-workers at NASA. I believe in this program and see it as a great investment for America's future.

The problems down here on Earth won't end but scientific discovery and advancement always helps mankind.

Ed