Vaccines From Space

Astrogenetix, an Austin, Texas, biotech firm, has spent years flying experiments on space shuttle missions, studying bacteria and viruses in microgravity. For whatever reason, bacteria and viruses tend to grow faster and become more virulent in space than on Earth, which means conducting research on them in space can accelerate the process. Astrogenetix may begin human trials next year on a vaccine for salmonella which is based on research done in space. The company is also working on a vaccine for MRSA, an infection plaguing hospitals and causing thousands of deaths because it is resistant to antibiotics.

Despite the fact that satellites have allowed improved weather forecasting to save thousands of lives; despite the fact that intelligence satellites played a major role in helping to avoid a thermonuclear World War III; despite the fact that the space program led to the modern world of instant global communications and a deeper scientific and technological well, critics of the space program will still argue we've gotten too little for our money spent on space. Perhaps if terrible diseases begin to be eradicated because of research done in space, or by drugs manufactured in microgravity, every reasonable person will finally agree reaching into space has returned huge dividends to humankind.