> A successful launch doesn’t actually change the reality that it was and still is largely politically viable only as a jobs/pork program.
This is sometimes seen as wasteful, on the surface, but there are very real benefits to doing things like this, even when it is much more expensive than alternatives:
1. having alternatives to other commercial ventures, which are subject to their own financial viability
2. having backup launch capability
3. maintaining more relevant talent in the US
4. maintaining institutional knowledge of cutting edge aerospace tech
5. maintaining aerospace industrial capability in the US
These are all generally good for furthering science and technology, and our economy, but it is critical in times of war (and as a deterrent to war)
The romantic nature of space is definitely the best way to sell these programs, but there are much more pragmatic reasons to be doing them.
This is sometimes seen as wasteful, on the surface, but there are very real benefits to doing things like this, even when it is much more expensive than alternatives:
1. having alternatives to other commercial ventures, which are subject to their own financial viability
2. having backup launch capability
3. maintaining more relevant talent in the US
4. maintaining institutional knowledge of cutting edge aerospace tech
5. maintaining aerospace industrial capability in the US
These are all generally good for furthering science and technology, and our economy, but it is critical in times of war (and as a deterrent to war)
The romantic nature of space is definitely the best way to sell these programs, but there are much more pragmatic reasons to be doing them.