Why we need a space program

Re:Why we need a space program by jjmaxwell4 on Thursday July 21, 2011 @07:08PM (#2791685)

NASA, like most government institutions, is wasteful and inefficient. The private sector can develop cheaper, safer, more efficient rockets, in a fraction of the time. Elon Musk, among others, has laid out ambitious goals; much more ambitious then the previous goals of NASA.

This is not the end of space exploration; on the contrary - things are going to start advancing at a much faster pace.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Why we need a space program by uvdiv on Thursday July 21, 2011 @09:50PM (#2792054)

It's sobering to think, nothing the entire private space industry put together has proposed comes close to what NASA was sitting on in the 1960's, with nuclear pulse propulsion. Now it's unthinkable. But with a slightly different historical path, we could today be launching thousands of tons at a time into orbit, on a trail of small atomic bombs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Orion_(nuclear_propulsi...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Why we need a space program by burgerbrain on Thursday July 21, 2011 @09:01PM (#2791952)

Exactly. I buy that we need a space program, but as far as I am concerned a government space program has had its chance.

[ Parent | on HN ]