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I think that if people keep letting "Just" the "CEOs" into space, then more and more people will just view space as being "Only" for "The Rich" and support for Human Mars Exploration would stop. What can be done about this?
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Lotteries.
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You think that having lotteries to get money to go to mars would work? What are the chances that someone who plays the lottery every week will win ever?
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Lotteries.
Actually, that's brilliant.
Who wouldn't buy a $5-10 ticket for a chance to get to spend a few days at a space station, or go along for a launch?
That'd be a great way of raising money.
[url=http://nightskylive.com]Night Sky Live Project[/url]
[url=http://apod.nasa.gov]Astronomy Picture of the Day[/url]
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Start out smaller... Charter a Russian Soyuz rocket, or at least a seat on one of the ISS CRV rotations, and have Pepsi or Pizza Hut or somebody run a contest...:
"Enter to win a once-in-a-lifetime chance to fly into space!* You will spend 6 weeks in Russia for Cosmonaut training at Star City, then spend a week in space, the ultimate get-away!"
*Provided you are physicly and mentaly fit for space travel or you can trade the ticket for $10M in cash
[i]"The power of accurate observation is often called cynicism by those that do not have it." - George Bernard Shaw[/i]
[i]The glass is at 50% of capacity[/i]
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"Enter to win a once-in-a-lifetime chance to fly into space!* You will spend 6 weeks in Russia for Cosmonaut training at Star City, then spend a week in space, the ultimate get-away!"
*Provided you are physicly and mentaly fit for space travel or you can trade the ticket for $10M in cash
Even better. I like it.
[url=http://nightskylive.com]Night Sky Live Project[/url]
[url=http://apod.nasa.gov]Astronomy Picture of the Day[/url]
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Myabe it should be combined with the CSI tranlunar plan?. You could probably get an extra 20M$ from a TV company then as well.
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The price tag for space is an important item but not the only one. You also must have multiple providers for competition but also more destinations to offer for those willing to fork over the cash for being a tourist.
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I think that if people keep letting "Just" the "CEOs" into space, then more and more people will just view space as being "Only" for "The Rich" and support for Human Mars Exploration would stop. What can be done about this?
What I would do would be on two fronts. I would work with the present shuttle and ISS configuration and even upgrade the ISS with living modules, emergency return shuttle, etc.
After that I would have three flight a year to the ISS by the shuttle.
But, I would allow for six flight to the ISS, the other three flight would be dedicated to private companies that can build private space like Space Ship if they could reach the ISS that is. It would be kind of a follow through with the X-prize for American space companies. I would also put up for maintaince the Hubbell Telescope for bids to that private sector. I would also consider government funding and/or a government rite off system to help private space companies.
That way you could jump start private venture and hopefully bring down the access to space to the average citizen. There would also be contracts or a ready made business activities for any private company that could make the effort and succeed at it. These
If they will jump through hoop to get a 10 million dollar X-prize, then they will really start jumping through hoop for a chance to get a contract to fly to the ISS at 10 to 20 million dollars a flight three times a year for five years. That would be the ultimate prize even above the X-prize.
Larry,
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I don't know if "Trickle Down" Economics would work.
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How about manufactoring? for example, machine cutting bits. I heard that perfect crystals can be grown in microgravity, and if they can be formed into cutting tools, they probably would last mouths before needing replacements. I work in a machine shop and I know that the cutting tools need to be replaced at least 3x a shift. Machine shops pay fortunes for highend exotic cutting tools that last longer. . . .what if they suddenly had acess to a miracle tool that lasted mouths. . . .
The result would probably be manufactoring growth that would hire more people.
"I am the spritual son of Abraham, I fear no man and no man controls my destiny"
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I don't know if "Trickle Down" Economics would work.
Trickle Down Economics does not work as an economic policy and this is not a trickle down policy either.
This is a government sponsored system for developing a private carriers for going into space. We are not going to bring the cost down for going into space like we buying a air line ticket right off the bat. We also don't want the U.S. Government in the Tourist business either, although NASA needs to have there own shuttle also. These private carriers need to be able to generate cash flow while there developing cheaper system with government help.
For example: the current shuttle cost between two hundred to three hundred to launch seven people into orbit. That roughly 30 to 45 million dollars to send up one person. The current space ship one can not reach the ISS, because the ISS is another hundred and ninety so miles higher up. Now if a new version of the space ship one can be built to go to the ISS for ten million dollars a mission for ten people. Then that would reduces the cost of going space from 30 to 45 million per person to one million per person. I realize that still expensive and most Americans and even most people worldwide still could not afford such a price, but at least we are moving in the right direction to make it affordable to the masses. At least we would have a working system that we could work on to try and bring the cost down on instead of not having one at all. Even the air lines was primarily for the rich for the first fifteen years or so, before the price started coming down so the general public could buy ticket and fly. This is going to be the same way and sooner we get started the sooner those prices are going to come down after the rich have there fling with it. But, it still going to take ten to fifteen years for such a private effort to get going even with government help and to build the infrastructure both down here and in orbit. I see no short cuts! We have to do the science or develop the technology and build the infrastructure. There are some thing you can't do just because you want to without doing the prep work to make it happen.
Besides, some one might start selling lottery tickets for a chance to go into space or have some other contest to go into space.
Also our goal would be to develop a new shuttle that would be a one piece and could make the trip into orbit after development have been paid for, for only one hundred thousand dollars a person. This too will have to be a government sponsered program with private enterprise participation.
Larry,
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When , Private enterprise expand into the space permanently they will develop methods that will reduce their costs for example - they build non-heatshield based vehicles leaving earth and have a re-entry agreement with countries or companies that have heatshield based vessels for payment of returned personnel/cargo, just higher than a first class continental airfare ( eg. US$15,000 per 250lbs / 120kgs earthbound cargo / personnel = 10,000 lbs / US$ 600,000 ) and the provider receives additional funds for services used. ( lowering the overall cost for reuseable vehicles but expanding space development )
I think that we need a re-entry vehicle that can carry large cargo requirements back from space to earth ( example - new generation microprocessor built in micro-gravity less defects in processes - 5000 Lbs weight ( 5000 x US$60 / lb = US$ 300,000 ) could deliver 100,000 plus units at cost for transport $ 3 per unit (0.3%) on a $1,000 per wholesale market ) . As well as passengers ( workers and tourists) from space.
Also secondary market to build processors for the orbital platforms, satellites and lunar surface increasing life of these objects - lower cost to replace vehicles. Also allow us to develop new innovated technology for space in the microprocessor market.
Possible Solution
If we design modules that can we added to the space shuttle and buran vehicles to have that ability then we can move to expand space more rapidly. These are all trickle down economics from high quality developments to second tier businesses to earth based businesses, all find benefits.
Capital Investment Rules
Remember that the capital cost for all these ventures are depreciatable over the life of the program, and the taxation rules apply in space as well as on earth for private corporations and individuals. I see major opportunities for entrepreneurs that don't fear the unknown of space investment and development. Because the greatest risk takers receive the greatest benefits.
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How about manufactoring? for example, machine cutting bits. I heard that perfect crystals can be grown in microgravity, and if they can be formed into cutting tools, they probably would last mouths before needing replacements. I work in a machine shop and I know that the cutting tools need to be replaced at least 3x a shift. Machine shops pay fortunes for highend exotic cutting tools that last longer. . . .what if they suddenly had acess to a miracle tool that lasted mouths. . . .
The result would probably be manufactoring growth that would hire more people.
Whilst using single crystals can enhance some mechanical properties, namely creep, toughness and hardness would be largely unaffected. The processes to toughen tools and bits are unaffected by gravity.
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Why has space cost not come done? Simply Nasa does not care. It can just simply ask for more money in the following years and so on. To gets the increases to keep becoming bigger and more full of pork.
Having a single outpost in the ISS is not sufficient to aid in driving cost per flight down.
Do we have just one satellite in orbit, no we have lots in all sorts of inclinations. Each costing some what less than the other of the same type I believe.
If you wanted to convert a shuttle into a tourist plane you could get lots of seats in the cargo bay and yes the price per seat would be low in comparison to the usual crew costs. The problem would be with the resort at that point and on supplies as well.
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