I've thought for quite a while that one approach might be to find
(perhaps in NASA's archives) a product that requires 0/micro gravity to
be produced and attempt to capitalize on that as a means of
jump-starting a private space effort.
Another possibility might be to devise a _cheap_ way of accessing
asteroid resources.
i.e.: solar sail probes to locate promising bodies and light weight
(mylar?) mirrors combined with solar powered MHD separators and either
rail gun or sail return of refined materials to LEO.
Regardless of progress in other field we _must_ have a way off this mud
ball!
BTW, I've heard that NASA has a fairly complete project worked out for a
Von Numan
Lunar processing facility. Does anyone know anything about this or is it
just another rumor?