<p> I think it would be safe to say that the larger industries and corporations have not really looked at space exploration and explotation because the "profits" are not upfront. It will take years to decades to see returns, even though they will definatly be spectacular and will creat greater wealth; just over a period of time. I know R&D departments of major corporations have given it a thought, but it is always crushed in the brain storming sessions for those reasons. Unless some major propulsion system is developed the status quo will remain for some time. Although a very seriouse lack of mineral would probably also cause a corporate intervention, but again it would have to be very seriouse. Corporations are not all that deft, <span class="a">Mitsubishi has had great sucsess with R&D programs based on current problems. They have just entered the HVAC market in the states and are poised to knock out every </span>indigenous <span class="a">HVAC manufacturer with their new system. Using highly efficient and computerized systems they have just leaped over the market. Although this doesnt pertain to space, I'm just using it as an example of the tenacity of corporations when they know they can make a quick buck.</span></p><p> I am all for start ups, I think it is a wounderful idea, but they have to almost completly rely on themselves for financing, which is the real killer. Give engineers money and they will conquer the cosmos. </p><p> As for educating people, you literaly have to get the youth immersed in it, the younger the better. The professionals know the need for space research, I'm sure everyone here at SDC has written a letter to their congressional representative expressing the need for it. The average family does not really care, and its only spoken of during events where life is lost, or a school assignment. I don't know about most of you, but my grade school actually had an observatory and planterium adjacent to it. I picked up a love for the sciences and space exploration there; but few others did. I remember it so vivedly too, everyone hated the place, they never payed attention, slept during the planetarium lessons, and always complained. For current events in class, everyone brought in news article on sports or supermodels; only like three of us brought in articles pertaining to space or sciences.</p><p> For educating the current generations 13 to 27, you will have to make a reality television show, and you will need at the minimum three celeberaties, at least one homosexual, or two girls after one guy to provied drama. Hopefully during the mind nubmingly horrid experience joe sixpack will learn some things from the scientists/engineers/astronauts, provided they are given any camera time where idiots are not in their way. </p><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td class="headword">