what is purpose of the space station? Will the average person benefit from it?

The purpose of the ISS is to serve as an internationally run research lab, where numerous experiments can be conducted in an environment capable of supporting the unusual requirements of some of the experiments. One of the long-term benefits of this program is actually understanding how the human body is affected by long-term exposure to space. After all, if we intend to colonize other planets due to overpopulation here on Earth... we need to know how to get there safely and how to sustain ourselves, etc. in these different conditions.

It's basically a hang-over from the days when it was naiively thought that we'd all do a Buck Rogers and want to fly around in tights and helmet to the sound of spine-chilling music.

What has happened is that another dimension to space reseach has opened up, and we now believe that robots are the true inheritors of space. Change takes time however, and although the intelligentsia have changed direction and see a new era of robotic space exploration, politicians are burdened with the inertia of popular opinion and still feel the urge to spend trillions on yesteryears's fantasies.

Cheers!

Even if people don't immediately benefit from it, there are benefits to learning, which is what the space station is about. Also, even if NASA were scrapped and all the money went to healthcare, it would be a paltry amount. NASA's 2010 budget is $18.5 billion. Medicare alone has a $452 billion budget for 2010.

There are scientific experiments that can only be performed in the microgravity of space. All of mankind has and will continue to benefit from the discoveries. The American portion of the money spent to put it up there would only amount to a drop in the bucket towards universal health care.

the purpose of the space station is so scientists can preform experiments in zero gravity. zero gravity allows them to grow crystals and bacteria, that would usually be crushed under their own weight. these crystals and bacteria are used in pharmaceuticals, so yes it does affect the average person

its for scientific purposes and other experiments which could benefit future generations (i.e. in learning to inhabit other places but earth)

Its so politicians and rich people can have fun off our expense.