Re:SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launches
by Stratoscope on Wednesday February 07, 2018 @04:10AM
(#16323180)
For another way to look at it, consider how quickly commercial airline travel became available after the Wright Brothers' first flight.
Compare that with how long it's been since Yuri Gagarin's first flight, and we're just now getting to where we can imagine passenger flights to space in the next few years.
Of course aviation may be easier than spaceflight, but I think a large part of the difference is that aviation was developed by companies trying to make a buck, while spaceflight until recently was dominated by governments who were in it for political purposes.
Myself, I'll take the faster progress you get from the profit motive.
I truly believe that if spaceflight had developed under private enterprise like aviation did, you and I would have been able to buy tickets years ago.
Compare that with how long it's been since Yuri Gagarin's first flight, and we're just now getting to where we can imagine passenger flights to space in the next few years.
Of course aviation may be easier than spaceflight, but I think a large part of the difference is that aviation was developed by companies trying to make a buck, while spaceflight until recently was dominated by governments who were in it for political purposes.
Myself, I'll take the faster progress you get from the profit motive.
I truly believe that if spaceflight had developed under private enterprise like aviation did, you and I would have been able to buy tickets years ago.