Past and future of 'New Space'

Emory King III, San Diego, CA — Fri, 22 May 2009 03:30:01 GMT

Very interesting article and can't wait to see the documentary on DVD. I noticed you have an ongoing log on facebook but the link provided was unsuccessful. If you could send me the proper link or how to search for it on facebook via email, that would be awesome. Thanks again for an interesting article into the current privatization of space.

[ALAN ADDS: Wow, thanks for letting me know about that link glitch! It's been fixed.]

Past and future of 'New Space'

Chen po Jenny Jen, Calgary, Alberta, Canada — Fri, 22 May 2009 05:16:58 GMT

Very interesting article.

Past and future of 'New Space'

Rc — Fri, 22 May 2009 05:25:54 GMT

Why not create our own space station from previous scketch architectural designs or better yet create a lunar or martian base station.

Past and future of 'New Space'

Stephanie, Virginia Beach, VA — Fri, 22 May 2009 06:46:04 GMT

The race to space colonization or commercialization would be comparable to that of when we crossed the vast ocean to the "New World". I can't imagine what would have happened if Jamestown had failed such as Mircorp did. It is a poor start to what is inevitably our future. Regardless of the bumps in the road, potholes even; the rise and fall of all the space ventures to come, it will never change the fact that it will always just be a matter of "WHEN" for it to become a reality. We are a commercially driven society after all!

Past and future of 'New Space'

steve smyth — Fri, 22 May 2009 09:59:09 GMT

Alan...you mention most of the Pretenders and TIN MEN...where's T.C. Swartz?
Diamanides goes nowhere without Society Expeditions, Rotary Rocket, and the early $$$ from Project Space Voyage.

Past and future of 'New Space'

werp, wiconsin — Fri, 22 May 2009 11:42:47 GMT

want to see one of three MIRs built? http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/13496
been there, seen it, its pretty cool.... and this MIR is making money

Past and future of 'New Space'

Dennis Wingo, Huntsville Alabama — Fri, 22 May 2009 15:12:06 GMT

Alan

One thing that I would say is that Walt learned at least part of a lesson after MirCorp. I worked with Walt and he and I founded Orbital Recovery. Walt specifically came to me as he said that he did not want anymore "science experiments" but wanted to actually start a space business.

The downside was that the very day that we successfully gained commitments from European governments for matching funds to our European aerospace partners (and Walt's) investment, and the very day that we successfully passed our preliminary design review (at ESTEC), and we had a signed customer, Walt was arrested.

Even with this incredible setback, Orbital Recovery survives as Orbital Satellite Services AB of Sweden, led by Swedish Space, and we have signed customers, and a path forward to a new and profitable space market sector.

The lesson that I have learned from this is that you must do due diligence on your investors as well as them doing due diligence on you. This is, as Paul Harvey says, the rest of the story.

Past and future of 'New Space'

Frank Glover, Rochester, NY — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:37:30 GMT

"Why not create our own space station from previous scketch architectural designs or better yet create a lunar or martian base station."

Easy to say. But as with most things the answer is simple: Money. And as with most things space: Lots of it.

And as this is about business, not a government funded program of pure exploration and research that doesn't have to show a profit (though it should still be as efficient as possible), you have to have some market, some reason to believe you'll make (significantly) more money back than you put in.

Arguments can be made for that, with private space stations. Private Lunar or Mars bases? At this time, not so much. (the start-up costs are astronomically higher, for one.)

(Unless someone, presumably a government agency, were to say something like; "I'll pay X billions of dollars to anyone who can set one (or more) up for me, with this set of requirements. There will be almost no oversight, no 'preferred' design. How you arrive at it is up to you, as long as it does what we want. Partial payment as certain developmental milestones are met, but you don't get all the money until you finish. *You* eat cost overruns, so be efficient and don't overestimate yourself or lowball the competition. And you're free [indeed, you're encouraged] to use any technologies you develop along the way, for any other commercial uses. We may want private logistical support of the base(s) later, but that will be a separate bid *after* completion."

No, I don't know what the most reasonable value of 'X' would be, nor am I'm holding my breath for this scenario to happen...)

Past and future of 'New Space'

Joe Snelson — Sat, 23 May 2009 06:21:02 GMT

Kids today take space travel for granted.They weren't around in the 1960's to see the first moon landing and the excitement the world felt about space travel. It has been only four decades or so since the first moon landing and it is essential that the Government and NASA do not monopolize or have the say so in everything that has to do with human's advancement in space.Hopefully we can get funding from enough civilians to make space travel new and exciting for all. Space is the most important thing.Space Colonies are the key to future human existence.

Past and future of 'New Space'

BILAL, ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — Mon, 25 May 2009 03:02:52 GMT

Hi Guys, I just want to say what we people spents on space station and exploration for finding about space, it has alreay been explained by some one 1400 years ago.

If we research we will find that man who said all this.

Past and future of 'New Space'

Joe Whitehead, Waco, TX — Mon, 25 May 2009 06:13:29 GMT

Jamestown wasn't the first attempt... North America had tons of failed colonies.

Past and future of 'New Space'

Floyd W. Drumheller, Vancouver, Washington. — Mon, 25 May 2009 20:57:26 GMT

Ok, it takes money, buckets of it, yes there are problems, if we took the attitude that we could not overcome them we'd still be in the primordial soup! All future endever's start with an idea. Embrace the Future, or you could slide on back to the swamp.

Past and future of 'New Space'

Joe Strout, Fort Collins, CO — Tue, 26 May 2009 04:36:44 GMT

Thanks for the helpful review, Alan. It is very important to periodically review not only where we are, and where we're trying to go, but also where we have been and how we got here.

Past and future of 'New Space'

Jeffrey, Germany — Tue, 26 May 2009 06:48:24 GMT

I think I saw this documentary already at http://www.documentary-log.com/free-documentaries-online/category/12/astronomy-space/ but it got removed for some reason. Thanks for the article, Alan!