Newt Promises Moonbase

another jerry brown.........or another jimmy carter promise.

I wish we cold export these phuks, alone with a good portion of our attorneys.

I think politicians would make excellent colonists.

We should put them all on the B Ark.

I like the fact there is someone talking about it and looking in the future. I really miss the Apollo and early space shuttle missions when it seemed like we could do anything we dreamt of.

I had pushed the "B" ark back into the memory and your reference is a good start far the day,

"Ah well I wouldn't overstress that angle you know, I mean one's never alone with a rubber duck…"

but a president saying it carry's more weight.

excellent idea, we could hold the primary's there.

What article? Just an out-of-context statement, with no explanation of what that is supposed to mean.

Of all the candidates on the Republican side, Newt is the only one with a vision for a space program (at all) and he envisions mostly private corporations doing the work. I'm no fan of Newt, but I like that approach.

He has had a long interest in technology and has been on the board of directors of the National Space Society which includes among it board members astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins, Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, John Glenn, and Harrison Schmitt, also writers C. J. Cherryh and Ben Bova, and actors such as Tom Hanks.

I hate defending any politician, but come on, Newt is at least pro-technology; unlike most of the others that favor so-called 'intelligent design'. That ought to count for something here at CR4.

Private funding for space access? Is there anyone out there who has anything other than a sales pitch for getting a stuffed animal into ORBIT?

Don't get me wrong, I love Rutan and all he's doing, but it's a gimmick.

There is a huge difference between flying 50 miles in one direction and coming to a full stop (ala Spaceship one) and getting you, your fuel, and some payload up to 14,700 miles an hour.

Help me out here guys. Who out there has a functioning device for getting into orbit? Who, besides Governments!, has a chance to lead this Civilian Space Race?

-A-

Space X has successfully achieved low earth orbit, and has contracts lined up for launching new satellite fleets for various organizations.

Their launch vehicles have been developed solely through private funding, and they are now in the process of getting approval to service the International Space Station. I'd say they are the most promising private endeavor into the great beyond.

Egg on face.

"China has the fastest growing economy in the world. But the American free enterprise system, which allows anyone with a better mouse-trap to compete, is what will ensure that the United States remains the world's greatest superpower of innovation."

Last I heard of SpaceX they had an under-powered rocket and a launch site out in the desert somewhere. It still looks like a small vehicle with promisises of something big, but orbit is orbit!!

I stand happily corrected! Thanks Tritium, you have given me hope.

-A-

I think the work going on at SpaceX is one of the most inspiring things in US innovation right now. They're actually putting some credibility into the whole "private spaceflight" concept.

And even though Apple is innovating like wild and growing at an insane rate, I just don't find their products to be so inspiring. There's something about huge, monolithic machines of epic proportions that spit out fire that really gets my blood flowing. As a young mechanical engineer, there's probably no organization I would be more thrilled to land a job at than SpaceX. Contributing to our eventual species migration off of this planet seems like a worthwhile way to spend one's time.

So spread the word about these guys! Maybe we can stir up some enthusiasm amongst the youth for technology development that involves something other than LCD touchscreens, miniature computers, and launching angry birds at a bunch of stupid pigs.

What sets SpaceX apart from the past contractors is that NASA always acted as the integrator for vehicle subsystems.

The dirty secret is that the space program has always been a private enterprise endeavor. NASA would put together the mission requirements and contractors would be awarded pieces of the total project.

SpaceX is providing a turnkey vehicle to NASA's requirements. SpaceX, as are other private enterprises, are taking over the integration phase for the vehicle construction. This also puts more risk on the shoulders of the private enterprises.

The new business model just seems to inject greater competition into the mix, which should be good thing. However, there may be some hidden problems in the process that could lead to issues with mission loss that remain to be seen.

More competition? So having General Dynamics, Lockheed, Rockwell, Grumman, McDonnell Douglas, et al bidding to spend the Government's money is just the same as SpaceX building their own plane and charging the US by the ride?

I'm sorry, I hardly see this as a "dirty secrete." I see this as two completely different things.

-A-

I am not sure that the difference is that stark, which was my point. In the end SpaceX will have to meet NASA high level requirements. SpaceX just takes on the role of the integrator for the space vehicle system and they do have more liberty to set and determine the lower level requirements.

SpaceX probably picks up more of the operational control, too.

Yet another politico promising the Moon.....

That would be "Moonbase Pander 1". Expect a book tour soon.