Technology is technical know-how, the knowledge and ability to do things of a technical or engineering nature, including the field of industrial arts. But neither technology derived from science as we know it. On the other hand a tremendous amount of technology does flow from the results of scientific research. Examples are to be found in electronics, synthetic materials, transportation, and medicine. Technology also supports science.
Application is the last step in the chain from technical know-how to actual use.
The intimate relationships among science, technology, and applications give rise to many questions like those cited earlier. Some sort of rational response must be made to such questions when the public is asked to spend billions of dollars of tax money a year for scientific research and many more billions of dollars a year on civilian and military technical development. The need to respond to such queries has been a continuing requirement throughout the space science program, and most certainly will continue. These issues should be examined, therefore, in enough depth to understand how they influenced the space science program. For, as the researcher pursues his investigations, he will always be oriented toward the prescribed end.