Op-Ed: NewSpace, the corporatization of space -- Ideal or horror story?

[Judi Lynn]

BY PAUL WALLIS 3 HOURS AGO IN SCIENCE

Sydney - A new “philosophy” called NewSpace is basically about private enterprise going into space. Given the obnoxious irresponsibility of corporate culture on Earth, this is likely to be a very mixed blessing.

NewSpace is a remarkably vague idea. Much of the usual corporate rhetoric is used. “Innovation” is in the same breath as “cost reductions”, etc. Not one single word about the future of humanity seems to be around.

To be fair, the hick-like, bean counting, obsessive, and polarized politics of the last few decades in governments is no great asset to humanity, either. The total lack of direction, focus and even basic comprehension of space is all too obvious. The United States has been dithering at policy level for decades. China is catching up, fast, and may well overtake the US in longer-range missions and ventures.

Also to be fair, some of the corporate initiatives come from very competent people. Jeff Bezos, for example, is hardly anyone’s idea of a hobbyist in business terms. The question is whether the rest of the rotting dunghill of corporate culture can be trusted with anything at all. Most people would be more than skeptical.

Some ACTUAL issues
The current pathetic 5-10% payloads and antiquated rocket technologies are barely adequate to deliver effective space travel on any scale. Profitable space exploration would require far better logistics, and much more reliable technologies to manage microgravity, radiation, etc.

More:
http://www.digitaljournal.com/tech-and-science/science/op-ed-newspace-the-corporatization-of-space-ideal-or-horror-story/article/570116