Should space exploration in the U.S. be privatized?

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Let's get started.

First off I want to say that this discussion should avoid turning into a "look had bad NASA is", talk. That is not at all what I am trying to get at. NASA provides huge benefits, from land use mapping to rain forest studies. Their contributions to the scientific community is not in question here. At the heart of the issue is if NASA is still in the best position to achieve the most efficient success in the exploration of space or could private entities build better, safer cheaper, space craft.

Thanks.
P.S. this is my first discussion so please forgive the "Stance" errors.
Posted on: 01-24-2008, 8:02 PM , Last edited: 01-24-2008, 8:31 PM
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Privatize - leave NASA for scientific endeavors.

Private space companies are already under development, most notably Virgin. While they certainly do not perform the same tasks as NASA (Somehow I don't see experiments being conducted on SS2.), they manage to offer space flight for $200,000 per passenger, a spectacular price in relative terms.

Should NASA be eliminated? No, or at least not yet. But I can certainly see private space travel developing far more quickly and at a lesser cost. The shuttle has existed for about 30 years. SS1 won the X-Prize in 2004, and SS2 is due to be in service in only two more years.
Posted on: 01-28-2008, 9:11 PM
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