So, you may wonder. You got nothing about this space travel thing (apart from writing it over and over) it's not important. Well, you could be right of course, but I think your wrong. There are a couple of reasons, neither of will be particularly well covered in this post, but may and may not be mentioned. I just like it.
But, as "I just like it" may not be a particularly compelling argument (or convincing for that matter) in your eyes, I will try to explain what I mean.
The first reason for it is: Exploring!!! Thing about all those guys back in the days, setting sail to unknown lands (or known lands, but just happening to stumble upon the wrong one). Think about their adventures, hardships and (sorry) general manliness. What can I explore? The internet? Or somewhere where someone else have already been exploring? What's the point in that? Where is the excitement? Think if we had the opportunity to boldly go where no man has ever gone before find new, unexplored places, where we can slap down a flag and say "I, clam this for for all time!". And think of the thrill of getting there before those evil other country/company people! Now people would have much better things to do than being bored and having to spice up their lives with unproductive stuff as blowing them self up, growing tea, drinking to much XXXX Gold etc.
The second reason is: Extinction, unless we figure out a way to travel from this little (albeit very pretty and dear to me) rock somewhere in this vast thing called space, well, one day this rock will not be so pretty and habitable any more. So, we need to be able to move somewhere else. "Bah, this is millions of years away" you say, but.. Who knows? You could be right, but stop being such a selfish bastard.. Think about those great-great-great-great-great-fairly average- great-to be hones quite rubbish-normal-great-pretty old grand children you may have. They deserve somewhere to live!
The third reason: What else? If were not spending money on space travel, what should we spend it on? Were going to write something about cancer, and it not being so important as many more people die of hunger each year.. Admittedly that is true, something like 25,000 people (although figures vary quite drastically) die of hunger each day. Which is about 9,125 million people each year. While 7.9 million people die each year of cancer.. Now there would probably be more people than 9.124 million that indirectly die due to lack of food.. Then it is possible as well that people that die of cancer are much older than those that die due to lack of food. Either way, cheap to give food to people.. But gosh many people die of cancer.. So, well, there are other things to spend money on, but spending money on stuff like space travel should in theory create more money to spend on other stuff. As we'll have much more things to make money of.
The fourth reason: Trickle down effect, lots of really good stuff will be invented that can be used in other areas of life. If we come up with some kind of propulsion system for space ships, well, it will have to be pretty amazing so we can most probably use it to generate electricity in a very efficient way here on earth as well. And, well get more useful stuff like Teflon!
Convinced?
