NASA MAKES A GREAT MOVE

Saturday, August 19, 2006

NASA MAKES A GREAT MOVE

I have criticized them in the past, but NASA just made a novel, and very smart move.

For the first time it has contracted with the first private space companies to provide transport services to the international space station. The assumption is that private business will get us into space at far less cost and still make a profit.

It costs billions to launch one Space Shuttle. It took a measly $20 million to get SpaceShipOne, a vehicle built by entrepreneurs and visionaries like Burt Rutan, Paul Allen and Richard Branson to the edge of space (winning the X prize). Beef that up some and you have a space vehicle.

This is the beginning of private business getting into space business. NASA’s allowing it to happen while it focuses on the moon and beyond is a big step in the right direction. It will unleash the entrepreneurial genius of our private sector with faster, better, cheaper technology.

Transportation is the first link in that process. Once we have new vehicles that put people into space, a whole new level of business --space business. It offers huge potential benefits on a number of levels. Cheap transport into space will open up space manufacturing of new drugs and computer parts, satellites, and who knows what else.

Congratulations NASA for a smart move. It’s nice to know that their HQ is in my Congressional district. I loved flying so much as a kid that I had my pilot's license at 17...