Too soon to privatize space?

[Spike89]

I have very mixed feelings about the advisory panel advocating private companies taking over near-earth space missions from NASA.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., July 29 (Reuters) - The U.S. government should leave the business of launching cargo and people into Earth orbit to private commercial space transporters, members of a presidential panel said on Wednesday.

A subcommittee of the Human Space Flight Review panel said turning over transport services to the International Space Station to private firms would allow the U.S. space agency NASA to focus on new challenges, such as extending human presence beyond low-Earth orbit.
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN29280457

On one hand, I really think that there is huge potential in space for resources that we need, as well as challenges we need even more. I do believe it needs to become common and opening space to businesses is ultimately inevitable and desirable. However, this sounds very much like, let the corporate entities skim the cream and NASA can forget the things that pay the bills (in this case, deliver the rationale for funding).

I don't know whether to be excited or dismayed. Will opening near-earth now hurt or help the near-term and mid-term growth of the overall space industry?

[Xipe Totec]

1. Too late

I have a mining claim to all of space.

[KansDem]

5. No more...

I jumped your claim only last week.

You are welcome, however, to stay on and work the mines...provided you don't stir up labor unrest and try to organize...

[Xipe Totec]

6. Better yet

I'll sell you shovels so you can dig out and keep all the riches for yourself!

[marmar]

2. Maude Barlow says it best:

"There are those who intend that one day everything will be owned by somebody and we're not just talking goods here. We're talking human rights, human services, essential services for life. Education, public health, social assistance, pensions, housing. We're also talking about the survival of the planet. The areas that we believe must be maintained in the commons or under common control or we will collectively die."

[Deja Q]

3. Captain Kirk is going to be mighty upset for preemptively ruining his future...

Of course, he can always try time travel:



Bonus:

[zbdent]

4. DAMN!!!

No wonder Kirk was banging everything in the universe with a vagina ... or something that resembled one!