Some are.

Money being fungible and all, the rest can pretend their tax money is going exclusively to their favorite programs, whether that's healthcare or environment or building roads or starting wars or funding more startups or whatever.

Bro, of all the stupid shit we spend taxes on ($50 billion on corn subsidies), you're mad about space exploration?

The space program has created some great technology we use every day now.

Independent of how scientifically awesome this is, this is probably the most cost effective long term propaganda. Why waste money on posters when you can orbit the moon.