Now if we could only get an administration in Washington that has a clue about space technology. It has been at least 15 years since we have had a rational plan for space coming out of washington. Really pathetic when you think about it.
I disagree. I think that private ventures are the only way to really expand into space.
The stuff going on with Virgin Galactic is astounding. All of the great explorations in human history have been motivated by intense self-interest. We're human beings, and thus the only way to gets most of us motivated and keep us motivated is for there to be a concrete self-interest in doing the activity. Once the cold war was over, America's self-interest in pursuing manned space activities disappeared with it, which is exactly why the drive for the space program disappeared ~15 years ago. But now that private companies like Space X and Virgin Galactic are *seriously* pursuing space flights for their own person gains, now they're proceeding at an astounding pace. NASA was pretty much never going to produce a system that would allow the general public to go into space, but now Virgin galactic is just a couple of years away from the first flight into space that's open to the public. So thanks to them, in literally just 2 to 3 years - YOU will be able to go into space! You! And me too! *Anyone* who can scrape together $200,000 to spend will now be able to go into space, and that price will certainly go down over time.
You can literally book your trip into space right now! THIS is how true space exploration becomes possible.
NB: I think NASA definitely still has a big role to play, because those private companies aren't interested in pursuing scientific discovery. Space-based scientific discovery is crucial to our country and species' self-interest.
