Manned space exploration is good.

The US Space program has usually been less than 1% of the US Budget. However it provides countless benefits in space exploration, improvement of life technologies, greening of the planet and changing of lives for better stewardship of the planet. 

Environmentally Friendly Technologies - NASA Spin-offs

Solar Energy – NASA has pioneered photovoltaic power systems for spacecraft applications. Solar energy technology has been developed for space programs to expand terrestrial applications where no other long term energy sources exist.

Fishing from Orbit – A series of satellites were launched in 1972 by NASA to observe the changing conditions of the earth’s surface. The ability to monitor changes to the earth for a long period of time provides invaluable information such as: preserving wildlife, monitoring air and water pollution, mapping the growth of cities, flood control and more.

Consumer Benefits NASA Spinoffs

Cordless Power Tools and Appliances - A key technological advance made the battery-powered drill possible -- a computer program was used to design the drill's motor to use as little power as possible. 

At Home Smoke Detector - NASA needed a smoke and fire detector for Skylab, which was America's first space station. Honeywell, Inc. developed the unit for NASA.

Home Insulation – Space technology and other high tech ideas have been used to provide significant savings in home heating and cooling costs. A NASA-derived Barrier to Radiation is designed to reflect away 95 percent of the sun's radiant energy.

Other Consumer Spin-offs include: Scratch resistant lenses, water purification system, high-density batteries, trash compactors, shock-absorbing helmets, home security systems, composite golf clubs, smoke detectors, flat panel televisions, freeze-dried technology, sports bras, hang gliders, quartz crystal timing equipment, and more.  

Medicine Benefits NASA Spin-offs

Digital Imaging Breast Biopsy System - One of many technology spin-offs from the Hubble telescope is the use of its Charge Coupled Device (CCD) chips for digital imaging breast biopsies. This device images breast tissue more clearly and efficiently than other existing technologies.

More than 500,000 women need biopsies a year. The economic and emotional benefits are huge. This technology greatly reduces the pain, scarring, radiation exposure, time, and money associated with surgical biopsies. 

Other spin-offs include: Eye Screening, Ultrasound scanners, MRI, cataract surgery tools, arteriosclerosis detection, automatic insulin pump, portable x-ray device and clean room apparel.  

This is a shorterned list of the benifits that have come from space exploreation since the space race in the 1950/60. The benifits out weight any of the possible short comings of the American and European space programs eg. cost.