http://www.thedynamo.org/index.php?disp=comments en-US-utf8 http://backend.userland.com/rss 60 Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:32:05 +0000 Anonymous Aerospace and Physics Expert [Visitor] c53@http://www.thedynamo.org/ This is an example of a poorly researched topic, and a post written by an out-of-field author.<br /> <br /> Any aerospace follower would note that the most viable candidates in the competition spent well OVER $10 million dollars in development of their space craft. Scaled Composites alone, spent $25 million to develop SpaceShipOne (all funded by Paul Allen). Sure, there should be private industries involved in space exploration, but this is just a poor argument! If anything, those competing for the $10 million prize were more after bragging rights in the history books, than the money which would not have come close to covering their developmental costs. <br /> <br /> And to make the argument that NASA isn't taking part just shows poor research. Just 7 days ago, on Nov. 5, the X PRIZE Foundation along with NASA awarded $2 million (funded by NASA) to Masten Space Systems and Armadillo Aerospace. This is the largest X-Prize payout since the Ansari X-Prize.<br /> <br /> Capitalism ALREADY IS handling the rest, as the author suggests. Space tourism and exploration is currently a highly developing sector. Commercial Space Ports are being built, space flights are being booked, and space hotels are being planned and developed. Even the government's Augustine Panel on Human Space Flight has suggested that private industry take a larger role in the future of space flight - taking on missions to deliver cargo to the International Space Station.<br /> <br /> I expected much better reporting from a this think tank, and an rather saddened to see such a poorly researched post by an out-of-field author who clearly has a chip against NASA and the government. While his intentions are good, and his vision admirable, the errors and misinformation only detract from his message and the image of The Dynamo.
Any aerospace follower would note that the most viable candidates in the competition spent well OVER $10 million dollars in development of their space craft. Scaled Composites alone, spent $25 million to develop SpaceShipOne (all funded by Paul Allen). Sure, there should be private industries involved in space exploration, but this is just a poor argument! If anything, those competing for the $10 million prize were more after bragging rights in the history books, than the money which would not have come close to covering their developmental costs.

And to make the argument that NASA isn't taking part just shows poor research. Just 7 days ago, on Nov. 5, the X PRIZE Foundation along with NASA awarded $2 million (funded by NASA) to Masten Space Systems and Armadillo Aerospace. This is the largest X-Prize payout since the Ansari X-Prize.

Capitalism ALREADY IS handling the rest, as the author suggests. Space tourism and exploration is currently a highly developing sector. Commercial Space Ports are being built, space flights are being booked, and space hotels are being planned and developed. Even the government's Augustine Panel on Human Space Flight has suggested that private industry take a larger role in the future of space flight - taking on missions to deliver cargo to the International Space Station.

I expected much better reporting from a this think tank, and an rather saddened to see such a poorly researched post by an out-of-field author who clearly has a chip against NASA and the government. While his intentions are good, and his vision admirable, the errors and misinformation only detract from his message and the image of The Dynamo.]]> http://www.thedynamo.org/index.php/a-different-take-on-space-research#c53