The Space Economy
When
Peter Diamandis was a little boy, he dreamed of going to the stars. He
even worked hard to prepare himself to become an astronaut. But
when he was able to talk to a real astronaut, he was given the strait
truth. Only one in a thousand are selected, and even then only
half of those selected actually get to go. That a government
astronaut must follow strict rules, behavior, and requirements to make
it into space. Dr.
Diamandis did not like those odds, nor the required subservient behavior
mandated, and knew he would have to become a different animal if he was
to go to space. He would have to become a private
astronaut.
Inspired by the heroics of Charles Lindbergh and the value of the Orteig
Prize, which inspired aviators to try and cross the Atlantic Ocean
alone in a plane for the first time, Peter Diamandis decided to gather
some like minded friends (Mrs.
Anousheh Ansari and
Mr. Amir
Anasari funded the award) and create a $10 million dollar
prize. The "Anasari X-Prize," as it is designated, gave a ten year time
limitation
to anyone who could develop a space craft capable of lofting three
human passengers to a suborbital flight into space and back, with
a repeated flight in the same vehicle within two weeks, all without
receiving any government money. Nine years later the call
is being answered by a couple of dozen enthusiastic companies.
Burt Rutan
designed the worlds first operational private space vehicle, SpaceShipOne, whose
first voyage into space has just occurred. I was there to witness
its maiden voyage into space. I had composed and drawn a sign (with
U.S. Senate candidate
Ernest Hancock), that read "SpaceShipOne
GovernmentZero." When I was there Ernie went tearing off
into the victory crowd with this sign. Burt Rutan saw him holding
it up, and ran over and asked if he could have the sign. Ernie
was more than happy to oblige. Mr. Rutan handed the sign to the
world's first private astronaut/pilot, Michael W. Melvill,
seen above proudly holding the sign aloft. Thank you Mr. Rutan, Mr. Allen
and Mr. Melville for understanding the significance of what your company
has accomplished. As Ernie put it, "We are going to
the stars, and government is not invited."
Government had nothing to do with this accomplishment. For $20
million dollars, from billionaire Paul Allen, we have one space faring
company on the map and because of the X-Prize several other daring dreamers are ready to begin testing their
ideas on how to get into space. These will be heady times
ahead. But remember, government did nothing to support this
effort, in fact, government was a hindrance. Government is
always a hindrance.
Lets look at NASA's record. For the cost of one of their studies,
a private company put a man into space, and safely returned him, in a
reusable vehicle with room for two more passengers. In addition,
this $20 million, has bought a series of test bed systems, simulators,
and well designed flight training tools, which will lead to further
enhancements: bigger ships with more passengers which lowers prices,
and higher altitudes, to eventually achieve orbit, and then to leave the
planet. And this was just a manned private space program.
The unmanned space launches in this country have been destroyed by
government licensing, fines, regulations and rules. We are
putting men into space privately, at a time when the government no
longer can. But at the same time, we have companies fleeing the
USA for foreign shores to do unmanned payload launches. Even then,
the US government and NASA apply pressure on foreign nations to prevent
such free enterprise from being launched on their shores (and
competing with the US government).
What has NASA given us lately? I mean, within the last quarter of a
century? We have had beautiful satellite systems, and space probes
that either must be launched by other nations, or fail to either reach
their targets, or fail to work when they arrive at their destination.
Okay, bad things happen in space. But there has been a
litany of
failures, from the death of a real space station, Skylab and the
problems of the Hubbell space telescope onward, that were due to utter incompetence. There have been some amazing missions
and heroic fixes as well. But stupidity should not be rewarded.
And a government space program
is always narrowly limited to political objectives and gains.
Real scientific knowledge is never a justification for a mission,
except as a sop to the public. And pathetic uses of space for business
(large defense contractors) is the rule. Let the free market
wonder if space provides an answer, and
they will come. Let
government propose the uses of space for enterprise, and companies will
sit back and let the taxpayers assume the risks, since a subsidized
enterprise cannot be competed with on a equal stage.
Instead, we watch manned government space missions (in pathetic low earth orbit)
performing "science" experiments conceived by children (on virtually
every mission), which
are not science, nor worth
the risks, and the millions of
dollars and time invested.
The so called "International space station" is a money wasting
boondoggle, decades behind schedule, and billions in the red.
Not to mention, it is a pathetic space station in the first
place. Skylab, which NASA would rather forget existed, was a real
honest to god space station. Whose size dwarfs all other space
stations (like Mir –
now privately owned) combined. And Congress, ever the mindful stewards
of your wallet, let Skylab burn up, rather than building off of
it.
Worse yet, twenty years ago, private unmanned
space companies were forming in California, New Mexico, Texas and Florida.
Such systems would be much simpler than manned launches, and had a ready market:
satellite launches. NASA seeing competition with their new shuttle,
brought the pressure of the FAA
and Congress to kill off the private unmanned space
programs. They have even gone so far as to pressure other countries
into pulling back on how many private launches they would allow, and under
no circumstances allow American companies to form and launch in these
countries. When Challenger blew up, the USA was suddenly without a
viable means of launching satellites, and we saw the humiliation of needing
the Soviets to launch satellite and planetary space missions, in addition
to our Air Force having to scramble to build its own unmanned launch
capability.
It is time to let private companies, and private charities (i.e.,
foundations) take over the exploration and exploitation of space.
Government programs
cost too much, produce too little
and
have no long term goals other than protecting the government space program. Let
those with a vested interest risk their time, money and lives.
Let the market place decide, if their efforts were worth it. And leave
government behind on Earth the shrivel on the vine.
Thank you X-prize!
The future is so bright, . . . I have to wear shades.
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