I dont't want to sound like an old book here, but all throughout history, need or the possability to gain an advantage over another (financial as well as military) has been the driving force of science. NASA has stagnated in its persuit with no-one to compete with. The other possability would be for private interrests to take over. But we are cought in a catch-22 here. Space is full of opportunities, such as mining and colonisation of other planets (allthough that seems VERY far of, Mars for example can't hold an atmosfere suitable for us), but we don't have the technology to go forth with it. With no technology no money can be harvested, and without money to fuel research... I think we are stuck in a time of slow progress until some major breakthroughs are made, so that space-tech can be seen as a short-term investment.

• Re: Non-Gov. space-operations - Schnee - July 17, 1998 - 07:57 UTC
  • Non-Gov. is dangerous - Robert_Barbrow/">Robert Barbrow - July 17, 1998 - 21:00 UTC
    • Maybee with a little bit of funding from lots fo places... - Astrophysicist - August 10, 1998 - 11:29 UTC