The main obstacle - almost the only one, given its relative size, and
definitely the one that needs to be tackled first - seems to be how
expensive it is to get stuff of human scale (like, say, human beings
and their life support systems) into orbit. I'm seeing more and more
groups trying to tackle that problem, most famously (at the moment,
given as they seem to be all over the news after their recent rollout)
XCOR Aerospace.
BTW, anyone else notice that the new NASA chief is from its historic
mortal enemy (so far as rivalries go in "allied" beauracracies), the
OMB? This could be very good for NASA, or very bad for NASA. Either
way, it is likely to be interesting...
"G.P." wrote:
> Unfortunately it does not seem true to me. People are getting serious
> about space applications e.g. satellite telecom, navigation and
> observation of the earth. All these space applications in earth orbit
> started with government money but it has been already demosntrated
> that you can make money with them, so private investment is coming in.
> By "space development" I understand manned programs that may prepare
> the way for human settlements in space. Here it is too early for
> private investment and public money is still needed, but I do not see
> much support apart from "lip service".
>
> >Well, people finally seem to be getting serious again about
> >space development.
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