There’s More To Space Than Freeze-Dried Ice Cream

NASA’s Programs Have Helped Us Understand the Universe—Not To Mention Given Us the Jet Ski

It’s an exciting time to be studying, thinking, and dreaming about space, with the NASA Curiosity rover’s exploration of Mars and the rise of private companies like SpaceX. But as we tighten our belts here on Earth, there have also been questions about whether space exploration is worth an annual investment of billions of dollars. At an event sponsored by the Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation at the Petersen Automotive Museum, a panel of aerospace experts talked about what we lose if we don’t go to space—and what we …