It’s about time (It’s about space)

It's about time (It's about space)

It's been almost half a century since Sputnik marked the start of the space age, and 35 years since man first walked on the moon. Yet it was only this past October�mere weeks ago�when the first privately manned vehicle achieved suborbital space flight.

In October, SpaceShipOne claimed the X-Prize for being the first private manned suborbital space vehicle to provide a low-cost ride into space�35 years after man first walked on the moon. What took so long?

By exceeding an altitude of 62 miles twice within the span of a two-week period, not only did Burt Rutan's SpaceShipOne win the $10 million Ansari X-Prize�for being the first privately built vehicle that could safely transport a pilot and the equivalent weight of two passengers to the edge of space and back�but, more important, it has ushered in what many hope is a new era of private space flight.

What took so long? Clearly the science and technology needed to achieve this has been around for decades.

Cost certainly plays a key role. But, as demonstrated by SpaceShipOne, as well as by commercial satellite businesses that have been operating successfully for a while, it's not insurmountable�especially when clear commercial (or other) incentives exist.

And that may be the point. No one questions the huge potential returns and benefits available from a thriving private space industry. But if the barriers to entry are too high, it will never get off the ground.

It's just such barriers�in the form of restrictive regulatory barriers coupled with a lack of government interest in fostering a private space industry�that many space advocates point to as holding back private space efforts. This view gained added credence earlier this year when President Bush announced a new vision for the nation's space program, reaffirming a commitment to manned space exploration.

While the plan's goals�including a permanent moon base and a manned trip to Mars�are indeed inspiring and far-reaching, critics say they are unlikely to be achieved by NASA alone. As evidence, they point to NASA's bureaucratic policies and the agency's inability in recent years to accomplish many of its significant goals.

For example, the International Space Station is decades behind schedule and way over budget; and the Space Shuttle program–once envisioned as offering flights on a weekly schedule�appears unlikely to ever reach its promised potential.

While having played a crucial role in launching the U.S. space effort with its successes in the past, perhaps NASA�and its parent, the U.S. government�should now begin thinking of stepping out of the way. This may be the best way of ensuring that the fundamental goal of the president's space exploration vision, “to advance U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests through a robust space exploration program,” is actually achieved.

R. Pell, Editor-in-Chief

rpell@electronicproducts.com