The Gateway Foundation has big ideas, but they're not starting at full-scale; they want to build a small commerical space station before tackling a big one -- but even their idea of "small" is pretty big. Von Braun Station will use flight-proven hardware, tools and techniques.
Will it happen? I don't know, but you've got to start somewhere and I am glad to see them try.
BUILDING A 1:1 BALUN
4 years ago
3 comments:
I am also happy to see privatization of space, since the biggest innovations usually have come in America, and even the world, from private corporations. When you consider medical breakthroughs, advances in computer technology and related things, and they attract the biggest investments due to the chance at huge profit. We must always insure that we keep the profit motive in play, or there will be no reason for investment and therefore no innovation.
The one area that perhaps is more of a government/private sector cooperative is in the military sector. Whether it is new and better protection for our soldiers, or bigger and better weapons, ships, aircraft, etc, the incentive for private military contractors comes from the government.
I recall at one time the governments of many nations signed a treaty making for the non militarization of space. I am not sure, but it seems as if that has been ignored now, with the U.S., China, and Russia all having designs on a space based defense ( and offense?) force. I am not happy with that at all. We can't stop fighting on our own planet, but one would thing that we could at least come together and acknowledge that space is simply too important and too large for any one nation to use it for military purposes.
When I was growing up during Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo; I thought we’d have space stations like that by now. Maybe before I die they’ll build one.
I wish I was 40 years younger, so I could begin getting ready. I'd fight for a spot in the space laundry, whatever.
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