I think you are rather confused over several things, including what private industry can and cannot do and of the relationship between private indutry and NASA<br /><br />Private industry of itself has little interest in back sky space research and exploration. Which is quite reasonable. Private industry exists to make a profit on the short term, typically 20% ARR in the companies I have worked for. There is no direct commerical interest in astronomy or planetary exploration, or space physics. Private industry therefore will not and should not do these things. <br /><br />Black sky space research the province of NASA. This is for the public good, not private gain. However the research can pave the way for commerical developments. This too is as it should be. It is not the province of most government agencies to supply commerical services, but to provide the context in which new and exist private industry and flourish.<br /><br />However NASA does not build hardware itself, it develops the requirements and contracts the work out to private industry. This allows private industry to develop the technology and expertise that enables them to idfentify and exploit commerical opportunities. This too is as it should be.<br /><br />Launch services are a classic example from this. Originally a purely NASA function they have moved onto a commerical <br />basis for unmanned spacecraft and, assuming COTS is a success, will start to supply manned services as well.<br /><br />Jon<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em> Arthur Clarke</p> </div>