Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
NASA had some astronomical failures when they first started. So did the airline industry when it first started. We learn by failure, the free market works.
NASA just had a rocket blow up earlier this week.
You do know that NASA usually sends their rocket building to outside, private contractors right. Free market also.
You are correct.
IIRC there was never any government involvement in the early days of commercial air flight.
Also, it was private companies who designed military aircraft and competed for contracts. Same for road construction.
I guess that makes NASA the first Government controlled program of its kind.
PS there were a number of unmanned failures of rockets in the post WW2 era, and we still ended up with decent missiles for war and rockets for peace.
PPS My real concern with free market space programs is the usual thing - the pressure from the top that we need to launch because the shareholders are getting antsy. With NASA the curb on management was that if there were a disaster, the citizens would come looking for blood. Different motivations.
Two private disasters in one week. Reminds me how wrong most people are when they claim 'private industry' can do everything cheaper and better than the government.
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
68,329 posts, read 54,389,283 times
Reputation: 40736
Quote:
Originally Posted by blktoptrvl
RIP Pilots.
Two private disasters in one week. Reminds me how wrong most people are when they claim 'private industry' can do everything cheaper and better than the government.
In many cases they're correct, read up on Kelly Johnson and his Lockheed 'Skunk Works' to see many examples of private industry delivering on-time and under budget.
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
68,329 posts, read 54,389,283 times
Reputation: 40736
Quote:
Originally Posted by Neuling
I think that whole idea of space tourism is doomed. It is like a suicide mission, I might as well go to Iraq and die for a good cause by fighting those IS neanderthals and donate the ticket money to disease research ...
Yeah, them silly brothers from Ohio should've listened when people told them their little flying machine was a nice toy but had no commercial potential, eh?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
