I think the problem with using the space program as a counterexample is the why factor. The only reason the space program took off the way it did was because of the Cold War space race, and thus the results of it were incredibly skewed due to that acceleration.

Somewhat ironically, why did we get to the moon so quickly? Why did we get so many benefits? More to the point, why do we have no actual plans to go back to the moon now, never mind Mars and beyond? Competition. The space race created significant competition for this sort of endeavor between us and the Soviets, something that isn't happening between governments anymore in this era of cooperation. Meanwhile, all the rocketry advances are happening via the private sector with the different X programs.

I think you're making some interesting observations, but making some incorrect conclusions. While many of the technologies that you're talking about may not have been public domain, that doesn't necessarily mean that the technologies we're talking about would not have been licensed and put forward in other ways. After all, the existence of copyright on plenty of technology endeavors on the internet and in computing has not halted innovation in any meaningful way - Apple and Google in particular are vicious regarding copyright and are among the most innovative groups out there, and the open source movement continues to compete in other areas as well.