Part 5/11:
Governments operate driven not solely by profit but by the objective to enhance national wealth and welfare. Public goods such as infrastructure and defense provide broad societal benefits but often do not translate into direct financial returns. Agencies like NASA exemplify this, as their focus is on research and technology transfer to the private sector, producing innovations that benefit many but are challenging to monetize.
Furthermore, as these agencies manage limited budgets, the societal value derived from funding space exploration must be weighed against numerous other public spending needs. Thus, while the financial justification for NASA may appear complex, the technological advancements that stem from their work have far-reaching implications.