Re: Is it all for nothing?

[Gail Leatherwood]

Go for it, John! I'm at the beginning of writing a series of "do-it-yourself" articles for SpaceFuture (www.spacefuture.com) on building your own spaceport in your hometown. I am advocating the very thing you're suggesting--private capital, private ownership and operation. Of course, a government contract or two won't hurt, but I believe the privatization of space exploration is the only way to go. As long as the whole thing is owned and operated by the government, any government or consortia of governments, the emphasis will be on "defense" and keeping the taxpayers/voters happy will be the deciding factor. Our "program" (not that we have one) is in disarray because we have no "enemy" to join forces against, and science is not now nor ever has been all that motivating for most folks. Remember how most of us dreaded chemistry, physics, biology, etc., even in high school? I kind of liked it, but I was a geek, and never had the head for it. To this day, anything beyond long division terrifies me. But I can envision a future when we travel off this big blue marble with the same ease we now enjoy in getting on a plane and flying off to somewhere, much like catching the bus downtown. It will happen because adventurous, curious, profit-oriented people make it happen. It is predicted that space tourism will become a multibillion dollar industry, but we need reusable, preferably SSTO, vehicles, and suborbital trips to get us used to the idea. Then we need more than one habitat (i.e., the ISS, which is supposed to be a scientific station, which is why NASA didn't want Dennis Tito to visit) to go to. None of this will happen if left to the government, the taxpayer, and the voter. Sorry about the length--got a little carried away there! But anyhow, Watch the skies! Gail Leatherwood ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, November 30, 2001 7:59 AM Subject: Re: Is it all for nothing? In a message dated 11/28/2001 11:45:11 AM Alaskan Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: OK, I've thought about our current "situation" (recall we may lose all near-future outer solar system projects), consulted with a few wise colleagues, and I think the best course of action is to support everything proposed.  Yep, Pluto probes, Europa orbiters, and even the ISS.  We're idiots to think the money saved by killing off our perceived lemons will somehow result in more money better spent on our favorites.  The government will just use the savings elsewhere, like on a new highway, or more bombs for you-know-where. So, I support it all.  And, I urge you to do the same, and soon. Write to your Congressional reps. and tell them that all these projects are the best ever, and you don't want to see any of them cancelled.  Anything space-related is good (of course, some are more gooder than others, wink, wink). Quit being a damned beggar.  You can't be the only person interested in space technology:  I'd warrant there are millions out there.  Now, with the internet, you can reach them.  Start a non-profit.  Collect a $10 donation from every space geek out there.  When you have a nice pile of money, find some off-the-shelf technology and send up your own rocket.  Hell, if Robert Clements can figure out how to do it, so can you.   Understand:  the government sent a man to the moon over THIRTY years ago.  They've done nothing significant since, other than a few unmanned space probes.  (Yes, yes, probes are more efficient, etc... but for mass support you gotta send up heroes).  If you rely on the government to support space welfare, you'll still be going nowhere in 20 years time. We have the launch tech.  We have the mass communication media necessary for funding.  We have a global pool of technicians who could conceivably contribute.  The question is, do we have the guts to go forward WITHOUT a government handout? -- JHB