I feel like people (even liberals) would be a lot more enthusiastic about the space program if it wasn't so deeply intertwined with the MIC and imperialism, and if it wasn't being used as blatant PR by irritating capitalists.

State-owned enterprises given a reasonable amount of social surplus, so that no one is left behind. Instead it's treated like a pet project for the wealthy, which is a bad look while we have rampant poverty, inequality, and other social dysfunctions that could be helped by a more just redistribution.

I like space exploration a lot and feel like Gil Scot Heron was right, it's a tense duality, a land of contrasts