Nice try, but "armchair" Captain Kirks means they're not participants. Look it up.
Believe it or not, I had initially typed, "vicarious joyrides for ... armchair Captain Kirks." However, I decided that was redundant. I just now looked up "armchair" and, by golly, it turns out I was right.
But, as it turns out, due to your own (as you put it yourself) failing to comprehend the meaning of the word "armchair," you seem to be one for whom redundancy is necessary. My bad for giving you too much credit.
("voyeuristic"?! LOL!)
As for refuting your "examples", they have nothing to do with my point, which has always been to say your initial statement -- that we WOULD NOT HAVE the PC if it weren't for the manned space program -- was so much smoke-blowing ("b*llsh*t," if that helps you understand). "Heavily pushed" or not, if you have something to back up your b*llsh*t that we WOULD NOT HAVE the PC if not for manned space flight, bring it on.
Face it, you're not as smart as you think.
Well, Rosebud, I've made my case. I did comprehend 'armchair' but your misuse of it with 'joyride' caused some confusion. You're not as literate as you think.