Left i on the News makes a point about the popular opinion that space exploration pays for itself by generating technological spinoffs that ultimately benefit mankind:

I am a supporter of basic scientific research, I think it is essential to always carry on that tradition to the extent we can afford it, but the idea of justifying it based on bogus claims of "benefit for humanity" is generally way overdone. If the political will existed to scrap the entire military budget, once we used that money to deal with homelessness, health care, housing, and other basic human needs, I'd be more than happy to see whatever remains being spent on space exploration. But until that day, I'll continue to view it as one more effort to funnel billions into the profits of big corporations (and from there into the pockets of the billionaires who control those corporations).