If it is lighter, faster, stronger or more powerful now than it was in 1960, you can trace that improvement back to the space program.
We accomplished a lot.
And, one way or another, we absolutely must get off this rock. Heinlein Base on the moon and a manned mission to Mars (I might suggest Valentine Base there) will be the first steps.
Asteroid mining, wild physics experiments with limitless solar power (or nuclear), perfectly round ballbearings, a host of advancements we haven't even dreamed of yet await.
And they belong to whoever gets there first.