The Role of Private Enterprise in Putting Man into Space - Part
2
The relatively recent break up, in February 2003 , of the Space
Shuttle Columbia upon reentry into the atmosphere is another
example of critical information not percolating upward to the
proper people within NASA. The destruction of Columbia during
atmospheric reentry was due to the development of a hole in the
forward section of one of the wings. This hole was caused by
foam breaking off of the main fuel tank during the launch phase.
The break off of foam from the main fuel tank during launch had
occurred many times on previous shuttle launches, and this was
known within the NASA community. It just happened that during
those launches, the foam did not damage any critical structure.
Eventually this problem caught up with NASA. Information
pertaining to the problem of foam departure I believe was also
filtered out within the NASA bureaucracy. It either appeared as
non-critical to the decision makers, or it never reached the
right people. In either case, certain people within the
bureaucracy structure did not think foam departure was a
critical issue. Did those astronauts that died know about the
level of foam departure on previous flights? Sadly, we will
never know the answer to this question.
In private enterprise, safety issues which arise will be known
by most members of the organization. These issues will not have
to pass through several layers within a bureaucracy. To put it
bluntly, NASA uses to many people in order to get man out into
space. A government bureaucracy is not suited for exploring
space. A government bureaucracy is suited for mail delivery, not
space exploration.
In private enterprise, which is non-bureaucratic by nature, a
relatively small group of people are working toward a common
goal. By nature, private enterprise is leaner, smarter, and
non-monolithic. It has to be in order to compete within the
market place. Information passes more easily between parts of
the organization, and waste full unnecessary spending will not
fly within a private enterprise.
NASA depends on it's contractors to deliver a high level of
safety. A private enterprise depends on itself to provide a high
level of safety. The structure of a private enterprise is more
suited to the endeavor of sending out explorers into space. The
government should award grants to the most promising companies
with the understanding that the sending out of explorers into
space does indeed benefit mankind.
Americans are at their best when they compete. Competition is an
integral component of American society. What was the driving
force that put us on the moon? It was the competition with the
Russians. At the present moment in time, this type of intensive
competition does not exist. Although, it does appear as if China
may be a future competitor. China has already stated that they
want to put a man on the moon. If China truly attempts to get a
man to the moon, I believe that would be the shot in the arm
NASA needs to awaken it from it's slumber.
I believe most American's have the competitive mind set that we
should not lose at anything, whether it be in the Olympics or
sending a man back to the moon. Americans need to compete to
accomplish something. It is competition which drives the
advancement of technology. But can we afford to wait until a
competitor steps into the arena? In reality, China is at least
fifteen years away from sending a man to the moon. China needs
to develop space walking and docking techniques, and this takes
time.
Another factor which can impede China's progress is their
inability to innovate. Piracy is a major industry in China.
China has for years copied the technology of the United States,
and until they start to innovate on their own, they will see
slow progress in getting a man to the moon. Do we need to wait
at least fifteen years or more for China to become a competitor
so that NASA can then kick into high gear?
Why not let companies within the realm of private enterprise
compete for government funding and let the research and
development occur within these companies, and most importantly
let them compete. These companies can have the same
characteristics of any company that wants to produce a viable
product or service. They will not be under contract from NASA
and will operate as a separate private enterprise entity.
We have already seen that there is a demand for what space
companies can offer to the general public. Many well-to-do
people with plenty of money to spend, will pay for a ride into
space. Jim Branson's company Virgin Galactic, will locate its
world headquarters and Mission Control in New Mexico. The State
of New Mexico will build a $200m spaceport. The first flights
are planned to begin in 2008. They are now starting to take
reservations and deposit commitments for the first year of
operations.
The Virgin Galactic ticket price has been set at US$200,000 and
the minimum, fully refundable deposit to secure your spaceship
seat is US$20,000. I believe over time, competition within the
market place will cause this price to go down. They already have
a waiting list of paid customers, and the space port has not
even been built yet. The government can help these type of
companies get started, and the service these space companies
produce will sustain them and allow for further growth.
A company can make money from space tourism and the same company
can be involved in sending explorers out into space. Government
grants can be awarded based on how strong the potential exists
for space exploration. A company can be involved in space
tourism, exploration, and can provide a research and development
platform. The federal government can provide funding for the
research and development platform, just as it does for other
areas of research which benefit mankind. This I believe is the
future of man's endeavor into space.
Man will be exploring the cosmos with private enterprise being
the driving engine. If one enterprise fails, one of the
competing enterprises will win out. Sure there will be some
disasters and risks will be taken because that is the nature of
the business. But when unfortunate disasters or mishaps do
occur, the private enterprise engine will not grind to a
complete halt.
Mojave Aerospace Ventures (MAV), a company founded by Paul Allen
and Burt Rutan, have taken the first steps toward this
archetypical dream of exploring the cosmos, and they did it with
a fraction of the budget that NASA uses and with a team of 130
or so people to boot. The MAV team won the Ansari X-Prize by
sending a man into space and returning him safely to earth and
then they repeated this within two weeks.
The Ansari X-Prize was an unadulterated competition between
different teams around the globe, and it was a display of what
can be achieved when different groups compete for a single
prize. What the MAV team accomplished was unbelievable given the
facilities and resources which were available to them. The MAV
team won the Ansari X-Prize within a society where freedom and
democracy are regarded as a right to all individuals. The United
States is such a society. It is the governments responsibility
to protect this democracy and freedom. It is not the governments
responsibility to send man out into space.
Burt Rutan has said that he has never worked a day in his life.
He only plays. His passion for his work is what produces
results. Burt Rutan and his team represent the core of what
makes the United States the greatest country in the world. MAV
has shown the world what private enterprise can accomplish.
Even if MAV endeavors never go beyond earth orbit, they have
taken the first step within the proper mind set and culture, and
this is what will put man into the cosmos. This mind set and
culture of pure unadulterated intellectual curiosity is what
really will put man into the cosmos. Not NASA's mind set of
fear.
NASA has failed to put man out into cosmos. But NASA is only as
good as the American people who support it. Lets not forget that
it is the American tax money which pays for NASA. For NASA to do
it's job, it has to be sufficiently funded. The problem is, NASA
spends way to much money to get the job done. Will the American
people continue to support NASA? It's time the American people
either fish or cut bait. If the United States wants to be a
leader in the future in terms of space exploration, it has to
pay for it with money and yes, lives. If the American public can
not back NASA, then the only alternative is space exploration
within the realm of private enterprise. Profit coupled with
man's need to explore will most likely be the driving engine
which sends man into the cosmos.
I believe the United States must follow a new course, one which
is distinctly different from the path it has followed. The
United States will be a leader in terms of space exploration and
I do not believe it will fall by the wayside and let some other
country fulfill this role. The United States can get back to
it's foundation of innovation and exploration which after all,
is what has made America one of the greatest countries in the
world. I believe we will be the first back to the moon, and yes,
we will be the first to step on Mars. If NASA is not capable for
whatever reason, companies within the realm of private
enterprise will find a way.
NASA has played it's important role by lighting the torch in
sending man to the moon. We are now at a point in the history of
mankind where that torch should be passed to private enterprise.
God has placed the planets and all the stars within the universe
there for a reason. It is God's intention for us to move outward
into the final frontier. We do this to fulfill the natural
curiosity that God has given us, and in the process we better
the lot of mankind. Lets go...