Spaceflight May Get Increasingly Corporate

Washington Post ^ | 09/05/09 | Joel Achenbach

[KevinDavis]

Perhaps, someday, going into space will be as mundane as flying on a commercial aircraft: Buy the ticket online, drive to the aerodrome, shuffle through a cattle-pen security line, grab a burger in the food court, watch a mediocre movie on the way up, and so on.

Here's a somewhat more plausible scenario: In the near future, U.S. astronauts could ride into orbit on a rocket that says, on its side, "SpaceX." Or some such exotic company name.

[KevinDavis]

I would have no problem with it...

[KevinDavis]

For other space news go to: http://www.spacetoday.net

[cripplecreek]

It needs to get corporate.

[Army Air Corps]

Music to my ears. I have been awaiting private spaceflight since I was a wee bairn.

[knarf]

My only problem with 'corporate' control is .... which corporation would win the money game?

Acorn comes to mind ... just off the top of my head.

[GeronL]

Let’s get corporate!!

Who wants to buy a share of GeronSpace Inc? I only need to sell a few billion shares to get a rocket built. =o)

[buccaneer81]

Works for me.

[buccaneer81]

The cost of building a spaceship is likely to be higher than $2.5 billion, he added.

Not likely in private industry. Endeavour cost $5 billion 18 years ago. That's $8.5 billion today, and that was a government contract. Hell, even USS Ronald Reagan cost $7 billion. Private spacecraft will cost far less.

[Army Air Corps]

Go the NASCAR route. Build a launch team and cover your spaceship with sponsors’ logos! Your spacesuits can be covered in sponsor patches! At the end of each launch, you can thank all of your sponsors in TV interviews (”...and a big shout-out goes to Home Depot who really helped to make all this possible”).

[central_va]

[Army Air Corps]

That is still a cool movie. When I first saw the film as a kid, I was mesmerized by the space station and soaked-up every detail.

[Ramius]

No problem at all. Corporate is the future of space travel.

[Ramius]

Yah. Kubrick was way ahead of his time on that part.

[cripplecreek]

Still the standard by which all space flicks should be mesured in my opinion.

“Silent Running” is one of my guilty pleasures.

[Cvengr]

“Houston, this is Home Depot 3, over.” (just doesn’t sound like the right stuff.)

[Army Air Corps]

Wow, I haven't seen Silent Running in years. It has its moments. One of the things that I enjoyed in 2001 was the silence in the external shots. Honest and elegant.

[cripplecreek]

Silent Running was a 70s greenie anti capitalist flick but I liked the idea of Bruce Dern going nuts and nuking himself.

[Army Air Corps]

They could use names like “Weedeater Express” or “Jackhammer.”

Just hope that the makers of feminine hygeine produts do not become sponsor. “Houston, this is Jumbo Maxi One...”

[Army Air Corps]

...but I liked the idea of Bruce Dern going nuts and nuking himself.

Like I said, it has its moments. :-)

[Army Air Corps]

hygiene

[Kickass Conservative]

I'm confused. The Obama Libtards don't like Private Ownership of Business.

Do they just pull a Chavez and take over the successful Private Space Flight Companies when the whim hits them?

I guess that would complete the Circle of Communist Life.

[Kickass Conservative]

Viagra One to Cialis Two, nice Booster you have there.

[GeronL]

Imagine teams racing around the moon in 2 classes, rockets and solar sails. They need sponsors.... Exxon?

[dfwgator]

Will there be a rocket sponsored by “Chico’s Bail Bonds.”

[Army Air Corps]

Instead of the Liberty Bell 7, you could have the Seagrams 7.

[Army Air Corps]

The Luna 500.

[GeronL]

“Free Republic One has just passed Dr. Pepper for the lead as they head into the dark side of the moon! The Gazprom Team and the Lufthansa team are trailing....”

[GeronL]

More like the Million Mile Moon Derby or something

[Army Air Corps]

The Luna 500 (million). :-)

The mascot girls for such a race should be amazing.

[LiberConservative]

The only way practical space travel will happen. Let the Walmart haters stay here.