[ccamrobertson]

...and further imagine the science that could be done if we mass manufactured probes rather than using experimental engineering for each one. We could have had dozens of Voyager probes in the outer reaches of our solar system by now.

I would have loved to see more Huygens probes dropped to the surface of Titan or more New Horizons zoom past Pluto.

I don't think human spaceflight is to blame, rather it's what connects taxpayers to space exploration as an inspirational human pursuit. But, I do agree that can be more efficient with how we spend those dollars all around.

[WalterBright]

The JWST space telescope cost $10b. I've been excoriated here by suggesting that a twin could be built probably for $1b.

[ericd]

Seems like we should build at least 11, if it’s 11 for the price of 2. There’s a lot of cosmos to look at.

[fc417fc802]

I think it's better to take a production line approach the way musk did with spacex rockets. That would give us a recurring fixed budget, career stability, and stable pipelines for training and research. It's bound to be far more cost effective and to have more benefits for society as a whole.

There's no good reason not to have a steady stream of space telescopes and rovers being sent out at a rate of once or twice per year.

[m4rtink]

With cost of launch to space finally coming down thanks to SpaceX & reusable rockets in general I would imagine this is how things will go much more often in the future.

Not only mass production but possibly cheaper materials, more in-space prototyping & less expensive ground testing and paper studies before launch.

[My_Name]

That's what they did with Hubble. Of course the CIA bought them to point downwards...

[WalterBright]

I'm sure it took $$$ for the software developed for the JWST, and it would cost $0 to make a copy.