>>1887Well the most obvious reason for people saying that would be all the research the Nazis did on rocketry etc, and ended up getting the US to the moon.
It makes sense to aim for the stars, since the best way to propagate your race and ensure they live forever is to colonize other worlds. Space also allows for many more resources than you're limited to in your nation, if you can find a safe and reliable way to obtain it. I see no reason not to do it.