Human spaceflight as a matter of culture and national vision

Abstract

Human space activities are the subject of critical debate and justifications in the public — much more than other fields of human action and research — as well as in the scientific community due to the great amount of money spent in a highly competitive environment for public funding of scientific research and technological development. The exceptional visibility of space flight is a factor that intensifies the questions of legitimacy and creates public pressure unlike other huge investments in large facilities and enterprises, which are developing outside the limelight of public attention.¹⁹⁵ This situation exerts particular pressure on sound reasoning when reaching budgetary decisions for manned spaceflight beyond any short-lived credits that may be gained from single, attractive missions.

Examples may be large ion-colliders and electron-synchrotons for nuclear physical research.