For the Space Exploration Haters

Lots of people are critical of the money spent on space exploration, especially the Curiosity’s mission to Mars. Just to put it in perspective:

Of course, one could argue that the Olympics is worth spending money on because its philosophy is about uniting the world through sport instead of war, to foster peace and international relations.

It’s just funny how that argument can hardly hold up when someone smashes a record and wins an Olympic gold only to have the sore losers accuse them of doping. Or for an article to come out in the news entitled “The Shame of the Silver Medal”.

I would think that the International Space Station has resulted in more positive cooperation than this year’s Olympics, but that is just my opinion. After all, I wanted to be an Astrophysicist at some point in my life, so it might be just a little biased.

What’s the geek community’s opinion? Space exploration is worth the money or is it a waste of the taxpayer’s dollar?

[Via I f* love science]