NationStates Jolt Archive

Well? Does it lie in the hands of private enterprise, or the government-funded programs we are so used to?

private enterprise. space needs to be normalized. as long as its in the hands of government it will remain a dog and pony show (or an arm of the military)

For a while, the government. But once space becomes profitable, it will be a gold rush of unprecedented proportions; it will probably usher in a speculative bubble that makes the dot-com mania seem tame by comparison.

Mine!

You can start trembling now. :)

:eek:

Private Enteprise is definately the way to go- it's the only way that it'll ever be cheap enough for ordinary people.

btw, does anyone know whats up with the shuttle that one the x-prize?

To be perfectly honest, I don't give a damn what or who goes into space or what their reasons for it might be. I just want to see a continual human presence in space, with an eye toward spreading out and establishing a permanent presence in future.

And yeah, they could be Commies, Capitalists, Religious wingnuts or Secular Humanists for all I care. Though hopefully they'll have the sense to leave their boomsticks and bombs back home.

The government will always be the ones trailblazing in space, but private enterprise is what is going to make space travel reach the masses.

"In whose hands lies the future of space flight?"

http://www.virgingalactic.com/en/

It should be private.

Both.

We need space commerce: it's the last real frontier, and a virtually limitless one.

However, as with the markets now, governments will also have a place. (Ie: The US has Amtrak, the various European nations have their own airlines...)

Both.

We need space commerce: it's the last real frontier, and a virtually limitless one.

However, as with the markets now, governments will also have a place. (Ie: The US has Amtrak, the various European nations have their own airlines...)

I really hope that space will not have its own version of Amtrak.

"In whose hands lies the future of space flight?"

http://www.virgingalactic.com/en/
I knew it! It lies in the hands of Sir Richard Branson - my arch enemy.
*I will get you Sir Richard! Just you watch!*

I really hope that space will not have its own version of Amtrak.

Already does. They call it NASA... :(

Already does. They call it NASA... :(

NASA is an entirely new level of failure. Amtrak is just highly inefficient and unprofitable. NASA isn't even helped out by a few paying passengers.

Columbus was a big budget government financed program. Colonizing the new world was accomplished by profit motive. In the words of Issac Asimov on his arrival to the US, "My parents did not have a lot of wealth or influence, what they did have is a ticket." Air transport was preposterously expensive at first. Postal flights were the precursor to air travel. But now you mail FedEx and fly TWA. The future of spaceflight beyond adventurism is commercial.

Well? Does it lie in the hands of private enterprise, or the government-funded programs we are so used to?

So long as the US keeps plowing forward, everything will eventually be controlled by big business. Note that I said business, not businesses.

Strictly speaking, there still is a treaty that forbids anyone from owning anything in space. So I guess private companies can fly up there, but they can't buy an asteroid to mine on it.