Quote:
Originally posted by hot_pastrami
There are many valid points on both sides of the perpetually unwinnable "why explore space?" debate. I think space exploration is a good idea for the same reason all exploration is a good idea... Progress is born by discovery, and discovery is born by exploration. The more we explore, the more we progress.
That said, I think the suggested applications for manned space exploration are often misplaced. ... but the market is ripe for commercial competitors who have cheaper and better ways of accomplishing some of the same things.
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Why is the world leader in commercial launching France? Because of neaderthal political decision makers who stifled free market satellite launching in the US - so that another big buck boondoogle could be justified. Of course you know about the Texas based company that tried to launch commercial satellites and was quashed by the "We want a space shuttle" mentality. France's Arienne is the world leader because America foolishly pushed the Space Shuttle - at the expense of all other space exploration. We are simply making the same mistake with ISS. And, I suspect, too many don't even know why France is the world leader.
Progress is born in the minds of the little people - when top management finally decides to empower those little people instead of advocating personal agendas - such as the invasion of Iraq, Iran, and N Korea. 85% of all problems are directly traceable to top management. Innovation comes from the little people - and only when those little people are empowered.