Columbia Has Apparently Broken up on Reentry

[jaguar]

We explore space because we need a frontier, that I agree with, but not strictly because the government needs it. Humanity needs it. If there's nothing to strive for, even vicariously, what's the point of all this?

Anyone else have a problem with this statement?

I couldn't give a flying fuck either way about the space program, wow, we've lobbed men in space, to the moon and kept them up there for long periods. Sorry but this really has zero effect on my life and certainly does not attract the tantamount importance you seem to put on it. I live my life to enjoy it, not to vicariously explore an oversized vacuuum. Don't get me wrong, it's facinatng, but no more than any other branch of science and my life sure as hell doesn't revolve around particle physics or biochemistry.