[jaguar]

While NASA does do alot of pointless/stupid stuff (ISS??)
they do have some good ideas. This plane, is primarily to test solar flight, i'ts a cool idea, closeest we'll proably get to perpetual motion. And it does not cost that much. NASA is a needed organisation but yes, alot of money could be better spent, until there are widespread commerical uses for space, mining and the like there isin't the need for the researh. But on the other hand, your not gonna get thsoe without the research. Catch 22. Space is not a nice place to be for your average human being and while some cool diea s have come out, moon bases and the like, tiny little problems like asteroids smashing them o bits every 10 minutes casue a few problems, were beter off developing more untra-high tech stuff back on good 'ol earth than billions wasted so america can try to prove its domainance by having the only space base. Work on quantum, get those aprticle accelleraters fired up, antmatter, the stuff of science fiction that brinking on real life, thats the stuff that will make the rest, and the true potential of space possible.