Personally I have come to the conclusion that people's interest in human spaceflight derived not from their desire to see a few government scientist travel the stars, but to do it themselves.
To me this explains NASA's demise and the support behind the so called "NewSpace" industry.
People are tired of Old Space. They are tired of an industry where the only people who ever get to travel in space are a few scientists sponsored by the most powerful governments in the world. An industry where human spaceflight exists only as an unprofitable government operation funded by large amounts of tax payer money. I believe this is why NASA's new Constellation architecture failed to draw much public support, and why human space flight done by NASA as a whole is not terribly exciting. NASA represents Old Space. In the past all of NASA's human spaceflight enterprises have fit into this category. As a result NASA has greatly increased our knowledge and capabilities in human space flight, but they have neglected the fundamental issues that prevent a greater utilization of human space flight by humanity. The Constellation program was just a continuation of this legacy. The proposed system was far too expensive for any practically use outside of NASA. Ares 1 was predicted by the Augustine Commission to cost a billion dollars. Constellation might of been able to put us on the moon, but under it practical human space flight would be just as far fetched as ever. That is where NewSpace comes in.
NewSpace, as opposed to OldSpace, represents a paradigm shift in human space flight. It represents the idea that human space flight can be conducted by private companies in a profitable enterprise instead of being only reserved for powerful government agencies and their large contractors using tax payer money. It represents the idea that human space flight is not just for a few government astronauts, but for private entities as well. It represents the idea the human space flight can be conducted more cost effectively than it has in the past. It also represents an entrauprenal spirit that is willing to try new and exciting methods and technologies in order to cut costs. A number of companies has sprung up in pursuit of this new idea. You have SpaceX, which has dedicated itself to significantly reducing launch costs for both manned and unmanned payloads. You have Bigelow Aerospace, which has dedicated itself to making space stations using a new inflatable technology at a small fraction of the cost of the ISS. Companies like Space Adventures have dedicated themselves to sending rich tourists into space. Companies like Virgin Galactic and XCOR have dedicated themselves to providing suborbital space experiences. What fascinates people about these companies is not that they are pushing the bounds when it comes to technology and capability, but that they are aspiring to make it cheaper.
Personally I have talked to people who grew up during Apollo. Many of them were greatly inspired by the great technological feat that Apollo represented and dreamed that one day they too would would one day be able travel to space. Unfortunately it has been almost 40 years and practical human space flight is just as far way as it was during Apollo. It is probable that they will not see it in their lifetime.
To me this explains NASA's demise and the support behind the so called "NewSpace" industry.
People are tired of Old Space. They are tired of an industry where the only people who ever get to travel in space are a few scientists sponsored by the most powerful governments in the world. An industry where human spaceflight exists only as an unprofitable government operation funded by large amounts of tax payer money. I believe this is why NASA's new Constellation architecture failed to draw much public support, and why human space flight done by NASA as a whole is not terribly exciting. NASA represents Old Space. In the past all of NASA's human spaceflight enterprises have fit into this category. As a result NASA has greatly increased our knowledge and capabilities in human space flight, but they have neglected the fundamental issues that prevent a greater utilization of human space flight by humanity. The Constellation program was just a continuation of this legacy. The proposed system was far too expensive for any practically use outside of NASA. Ares 1 was predicted by the Augustine Commission to cost a billion dollars. Constellation might of been able to put us on the moon, but under it practical human space flight would be just as far fetched as ever. That is where NewSpace comes in.
NewSpace, as opposed to OldSpace, represents a paradigm shift in human space flight. It represents the idea that human space flight can be conducted by private companies in a profitable enterprise instead of being only reserved for powerful government agencies and their large contractors using tax payer money. It represents the idea that human space flight is not just for a few government astronauts, but for private entities as well. It represents the idea the human space flight can be conducted more cost effectively than it has in the past. It also represents an entrauprenal spirit that is willing to try new and exciting methods and technologies in order to cut costs. A number of companies has sprung up in pursuit of this new idea. You have SpaceX, which has dedicated itself to significantly reducing launch costs for both manned and unmanned payloads. You have Bigelow Aerospace, which has dedicated itself to making space stations using a new inflatable technology at a small fraction of the cost of the ISS. Companies like Space Adventures have dedicated themselves to sending rich tourists into space. Companies like Virgin Galactic and XCOR have dedicated themselves to providing suborbital space experiences. What fascinates people about these companies is not that they are pushing the bounds when it comes to technology and capability, but that they are aspiring to make it cheaper.
Personally I have talked to people who grew up during Apollo. Many of them were greatly inspired by the great technological feat that Apollo represented and dreamed that one day they too would would one day be able travel to space. Unfortunately it has been almost 40 years and practical human space flight is just as far way as it was during Apollo. It is probable that they will not see it in their lifetime.
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