The value of manned space flight?

[Jeremy E Grenemyer]

Is there value in manned space flight, or is it some sort of expensive vanity project?

I don’t have my copy of Physics For Future Presidents handy, but I think it had a pretty convincing section on why manned space flight is resource intensive and unnecessary when space probes are sufficient to do all the work.

My opinion is that manned space flight is a luxury until the world figures out how to allocate scarce resources in ways other than starting wars or for the sake of pure greed.

 

[Umbran]

From my point of view the technological advantages earned by the effort, alone, make it well worthwhile. The tech that's been developed for space travel has had very real benefits here, on Earth.

Not broken down between manned and unmanned projects, but in 2023, NASA had a budget of about $25 billion.

In that year, NASA generated a $75 billion boost to the economy.

Threefold return on investment seems pretty good to me.

 

[Umbran]

I don’t have my copy of Physics For Future Presidents handy, but I think it had a pretty convincing section on why manned space flight is resource intensive and unnecessary when space probes are sufficient to do all the work.

Note that much of the return from NASA isn't directly from the work, but from the materials and engineering problems solved in the process that can then be used in the private sector.

Crewed flight presents more problems, and so spins off more tech.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Mars and the Moon are dumb for permanent residents, although the moon would be a good place to set up a relay station (and concomitant services for transient travellers) who are going to...

VENUS!

Gravity near to earth gravity.
Air pressure almost equal to earth air pressure at about 50km above surface of planet. Atmo also filters out cosmic radiation, and heat is close to earth temperature. Now it is sulfur dioxide or somethiing horrible; and travelling at a speed wherein a particle at that elevation circumnavigates the planet in 4 days. But! don't have to worry about muscle mass loss. Oh, and Venus has a magnetosphere, but if I understand correctly is due to different sources than earths.

Of course, the first colonial city on Venus must be called Bespin - yes?

Colonization of Venus - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[MGibster]

Gravity near to earth gravity.
Air pressure almost equal to earth air pressure at about 50km above surface of planet. Atmo also filters out cosmic radiation, and heat is close to earth temperature.

At 50 km, the temperature is going to be 75 celsius (167 freedom units for Americans), you're dealing with winds in excess of two hundred miles per hour, and then there's the sulfuric acid. Even if you could engineer your way through the challenges of creating a colony that's stationed 50 km above the surface, why would you? The surface of Venus is pretty much a no go zone making it imposible for any floating city to tap into whatever resources might be down there. The floating colony would be entirely dependent on Earth for everything. That's not a colony, it's a temporary research station.