Saving NASA. Pity, that.
Ugh: the pols aren’t going to let the bloated NASA bureaucracy’s deeply unimaginative return-to-the-moon program die. I have to give Barry credit for trying to cancel Constellation in favor of private enterprise. Even former Apollo astronaut Buzz Aldrin likes the idea.
Which is not to say I expect the anti-business president to do much for commercial space. But just killing the space agency’s behemoth would be a good start. The pols, of course, see only pork they cannot afford to lose lest the voters force them out and they have to find real jobs.
Posted: February 2nd, 2010 under Obamalot, Science/Engineering, Space.
Tags: Constellation, NASA, return to the moon
Comments
Comment from Dick Stanley
Time February 6, 2010 at 11:04 AM
That’s a rational suggestion, but probably too rational for politics. In science fiction the corporations make money mining minerals on Mars and on the asteroids. Other than that, and some tourist flights (for those who can stomach free-fall), it’s hard to see how they could make money from space.
Comment from SnoopyTheGoon
Time February 6, 2010 at 10:55 AM
I would suggest to split the tasks. Fundamental research could be left to NASA, while engineering related to space travel and the space travel itself moved to private sector. The big question is where the motivation for the private sector will come from. And in what form.