Tim Peake, the British astronaut, has released a timelapse of the Aurora Australis from the International Space Station. Yes, it is beautiful. But as we marvel at these cosmic light shows, I find myself asking: at what expense?
The ISS, a project that has cost taxpayers over $100 billion, is now essentially a very expensive camera platform. The footage is breathtaking, no doubt. But when you consider the opportunity cost, the hundreds of billions that could have been spent on, say, reducing national debt or investing in more tangible scientific research, the glamour fades.
The markets are not impressed by auroras. They care about yields, inflation, and fiscal discipline. Perhaps we should focus less on celestial spectacles and more on earthly balance sheets.
After all, the bottom line matters, whether on Earth or in orbit.
