In my opinion, the closest likelihood for private space development lies
within adventure/eco-tourism.
Placement of a set of voluminous containers is relatively easily attainable
through modifications of the shuttles' aux. tank.
Construction and maintenance cargo as well as personnel and clients can be
delivered by the Russians for considerably less money than by the shuttle.
The mechanism to initiate and develop a large foundation group exists in raw
form as the internet.
Throw up three or four tanks, tether them and spin them. Upholster them
with a few amenities, and offer the facility to governments, lotteries, and
private citizens.
In the tradition of color televisions, PC's and, very soon, "Ginger", the
cost per person per trip will plummet from 8-10 MM now to six figures before
we know it.
As a little experiment we could have each person survey the everyday folks
on their PC's "e"-ddress lists. Just a few easy questions:
-Would you donate $50 per annum to initiate and develop a
volunteer space agency, whose mandate is placement of an orbiting hotel in
space as a fledgling commercial venture?
-If not $50, would you donate $25?
If you had the money to do it, would you spend $1 MM to go
to an orbiting hotel for a week?
Go ahead and try it. Most of us have numerous eddresses in lists of
associates and friends. How many are OK @ $50 or 25 out of how many?
Compilation of the results may be interesting.
Remember, if big business can be shown a critical mass of public desire, the
juggernaut may awaken. Especially if the public is also putting a little of
their money where their mouths are.
We are in a space and time wherein multi-billion dollar farces have been
delivered aloft on publicly funded wings (ISS) as well as privately funded
wings (Iridium).
A space hotel affords the potential for revenue from a multitude of streams
from day one.
Just to keep me from being chastised for inappropriate content in this
Europan theater of thought, pure science could be given a percentage of the
proceeds after eventual profitability, to aid in the dissemination of
information about such things as the Europan opportunity
Regards,
Jack
-----Original Message-----
From: John Sheff [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Monday 10 December 2001 11:27
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: Private Enterprise
Why wait until a lunar/asteroid infrastructure is "reaping
profits"? In view
of the fact that entrepreneurs have already thoroughly
overexploited one
planet - Earth - let's levy the tax now. Let's see how far
you get with THAT
idea; is there any reason to assume that they would like it
any better in
the future than they would today?
- John S.
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On
Behalf Of William
P. Niedringhaus
Sent: Monday, December 10, 2001 11:38 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: Private Enterprise
Bring on the entrepreneurs to mine the asteroids and moon
(where the
real riches are). Thats the fast way to get humanity into
space.
Meanwhile, protect Mars and Europa till we can study them
properly and
figure out what protection is needed for any life there.
Once the
infrastructure is reaping profits, a small research tax
could pay for
thorough Solar System exploration.
- Bill
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