As established in the US-Soviet race to space from the 1950s space achievements are warfare by other means.

The process is of a former or current military test pilot sitting on a dual use rocket (mostly developed as a nuclear ICBM) using missile guidance technology to reach space objectives.

Think of a rocket as the ultimate boy-toy sportscar but one that requires massive resources of a country's military-industrial complex.

In terms of research a man is a major encumbrance requiring heavy life support systems and very limited endurance. The US, Europe and Russia have discovered more about the moon, distant planets and other phenomena using unmanned probes that manned missions (which only picked up indifferent soil samples from the moon).

See what unmanned (remotely piloted) can do http://gentleseas.blogspot.com/2009/09/water-on-moon-reportedly-found-by.html .

Its more about a good looking, virile, embodiment of a nation's manhood utilising a huge thrusting phallic symbol (the rocket that projects stages) to achieve what other countries can't.

Freudian but accurate I suggest.

Pete