Commercial rocket will fly to the space station

[Wry Catcher]

Commercial rocket will fly to the space station - Yahoo! News

Back on course to explore, "The Final Frontier...to boldly go where no man has gone before"?

It's about damn time!

 

[Old Rocks]

Seems to me that is the goal. Government does the initial exploration when the price and unknowns are simply too great for private enterprise, then as the technology develops, and the amount of unkowns becomes less, private enterprise takes over. The history of the exploration of this continent is a good example of that. From the Corps of Discovery to the Astors Expedition.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Here's hoping they're successful!

Space needs to be open up BIG time.

 

[whitehall]

What's the sense of NASA pouring money into a private company to do what they used to do best?

 

[ScienceRocks]

Aborted until the 22nd. We have been lauching these things for the past 60 years in we can't do it much better. Our space program today is no better than the one of the (EARLY TO MID)1950's in many ways. The US is dieing a very sad death. Makes me sick what this countries "leadership" has done to this once great space power. Screw every president that killed our space program!

 

[Ariux]

In case any of you missed it, this rocked is UNMANNED. That's very trivial compared to sending people into space.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Aborted until the 22nd. We have been lauching these things for the past 60 years in we can't do it much better. Our space program today is no better than the one of the (EARLY TO MID)1950's in many ways. The US is dieing a very sad death. Makes me sick what this countries "leadership" has done to this once great space power. Screw every president that killed our space program!

Hyperbolic nonsense.

 

[Wry Catcher]

In case any of you missed it, this rocked is UNMANNED. That's very trivial compared to sending people into space.

So were the first governmental efforts. It's the prudent thing to do and to suggest otherwise is to raise irritating and trivial objections; find fault with unnecessarily.

Here's one more thing the cavilling can whine about: "SpaceX Aborts Launch of Private Space Capsule to Space Station"

SpaceX Aborts Launch of Private Space Capsule to Space Station - Yahoo! News

 

[Wry Catcher]

What's the sense of NASA pouring money into a private company to do what they used to do best?

It's called Capitalism. I suppose the answer to "What's the sense..." depends on one's outlook. Public private collaboration has always been the most productive means for large scale success, IMO.

 

[MuadDib]

Fizzled!

 

[nitroz]

I was there this morning with my camera and tripod ready and it was scrubbed at the last moment.

 

[whitehall]

The taxpayers fund NASA and NASA funds a private company. How is that a good thing?

 

[nitroz]

The taxpayers fund NASA and NASA funds a private company. How is that a good thing?

Federal government is funding the private companies. NASA doesn't have a choice.

 

[whitehall]

What's the sense of NASA pouring money into a private company to do what they used to do best?

It's called Capitalism. I suppose the answer to "What's the sense..." depends on one's outlook. Public private collaboration has always been the most productive means for large scale success, IMO.

The left has a peculiar idea of capitalism. Pouring taxpayer money into a quasi-private enterprise operating under government regulations and with government equipment and personnel is ...well...the Russian brand of socialism. It's all smoke and mirrors.

 

[whitehall]

The Space Shuttle program is terminated so those scientists up there in that hunk of junk in the sky have to be concerned about food and water and garbage and how the hell they would get back to earth. The so-called "international partnership" is mostly funded by the US and we are stuck with the responsibility. NASA 's mission is still the same but the administration decided to play a little game with funding and propaganda. NASA has always relied on outside agencies for manufacture technological goodies so the contracts will continue with taxpayer money but the administration will announce that the unmanned flight to supply the space station is ...shazaam ...a civilian operation while it continues to be business as usual.

 

[Wry Catcher]

The taxpayers fund NASA and NASA funds a private company. How is that a good thing?

It's neither good nor bad; it's practical. If one believes space exploration will one day be profitable they will invest on that possibility. Raising taxes is not a possibility, and because taxes are anathema in the US, we either subsidize the private sector or surrender space to other nations.

How is that a good thing?

 

[whitehall]

"Space exploration" is a pipe dream. Outside of the slim chance that commercial enterprises could make a buck by offering vacations in space there is no other way to make the incredible cost of a manned space flight pay for itself much less make a profit.

 

[Old Rocks]

And then there was Seward's Folly, purchasing that bunch of ice and snow for the equivelant of 16.5 billion dollars.

 

[Wry Catcher]

"Space exploration" is a pipe dream. Outside of the slim chance that commercial enterprises could make a buck by offering vacations in space there is no other way to make the incredible cost of a manned space flight pay for itself much less make a profit.

Wow. Myopia personified.

 

[Moonglow]

NASA and private enterprises are joining forces to explore ways to enhance space exploration by private compaies. It is best for the future of space.The private companies have the base core to utilize the needs of the consumer and the rescources of outer space.