Goodbye NASA, Hello Space Age! To Infinity and Beyond!

Topher Morrison
PurpleSerf.com


Warp speed to lunar mining, moon bases, heavenly hotels, missions to Mars, leisure, adventure and exploration!

Image Credit: Small Art Works 

The National Aeronautical Space Administration (NASA) has a very special place in the hearts of many Americans, but its time has ended.  Granted, the end of the space shuttle program is by no means the end of NASA itself, like all government agencies it will find a way to persist regardless of deep budget cuts.  From Apollo 11 to the disasters of Challenger and Columbia NASA has had its ups and downs as will the future of private space exploration, however, unlike under NASA the burden of finance, risk and reward will no longer rest so heavily on the shoulders of the American taxpayer.


NASA by any argument enjoyed its fiscal zenith in 1965 (4.4% of federal budget) during the Space Race between the US and the former Soviet Union.  Amidst the Cold War the two superpowers were in a literal boat race for years until Neil Armstrong in the summer of 1969 set foot on the moon famously proclaiming the feat as: "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."  NASA at this time was useful above all for one reason, its ability to demonstrate American political, economic, technological, and ideological superiority.


After the stellar success of Apollo 11 and the corresponding prestige it bestowed on America, NASA was relegated to the very unsexy task of hauling space antennas and assembling the constellation of satellites necessary to power our modern economy.  Recently, instead of an elite cadre of space exploring super scientists NASA has been used as a political football as much as ever and has been referred to as a "$18.9 billion self-esteem program" for its awkward foray into scientific ambassadorship rather than serious space travel.  


It has taken decades for the NASA model and the legion of scientists and private contractors it supports to come to grips with the inevitable walk into obsolescense.  NASA may maintain its mission statement to "pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research", but these are responsibilities which have traditionally found more fruition in the private sector.


While there are compelling arguments to keep NASA as the tip of the spear a la Christopher Columbus who "discovered" the new world for Europe on Queen Isabella's dime, others point to the example set by British and Dutch joint-stock companies of the early 17th century which succeeded in actual colonization and famously advancing commercial interests.  These early models of the modern corporation upon hearing of potential riches in the New World garnered the support of many private citizens through the selling of stock on the promise of potentially large dividends versus merely relying on the fickle largesse of kings and queens.


Today many companies are stepping up to the plate in hopes of providing private persons with the same opportunities provided by the Virginia and Plymouth Companies of the early colonial period.  Albeit, nobody is seriously considering colonizing the moon any time soon some may in the near future find themselves on our first satellite longer than the 21 hours and 31 minutes of Apollo 11.  From $200k low earth orbit adventures envisioned by Virgin Galactic and SpaceShipOne to celestial semi trucks designed by Orbital Sciences Corp. and SpaceX to service the International Space Station (ISS) near space is already if not well on its way to being domesticated.

Image Credit: Reported by Gizmodo.com in '08

There are companies entirely self funded by the fortunes of internet moguls to titans of hospitality as in the case of Bigelow Aerospace of North Las Vegas, Nevada.  Already tasting the success of currently orbiting modules and industry accolades this 1998 stellar startup aims to develop space habitats as well as the vehicles necessary to transport their crews and residents.  For a surprising list of private space companies just look here and see what marvels they are coming up with.


Low Earth orbit is just the beginning!  While there may be some who cover this uncertain period as the abdication of US hegemony in space or that the US will be consigned to heavenly hitchhiking relying on the Russians and Chinese I would submit we are embarking on an unbridled adventure.  For those alarmists out there still beating the benighted drum of "peak oil" and "renewable fuels" look no further than our own solar system laden with hydrocrabons and other sources of abundant fuel.

Image Credit: Richard Kurbis and National Space Society

Take the moon for example, lunar strip mining may not be the stuff of science fiction much longer.  The isotope Helium-3 is an amazing substance able to aid in nuclear fusion which cleanly releases vast amounts of energy.  Helium-3 is not only abundant in the atmosphere of Jupiter, but there is purportedly millions if not hundreds of millions of tons lying on the surface of the moon and companies like Shackelton Energy Co., a subsidiary of Stone Aerospace aims at raising billions of dollars in order to extract and deliver this precious possibility to Earth.  Other fuels such as plutonium-238 while rare on earth are also abundant on the moon and will be able to power everything from space stations to lunar rovers.


According to Jill Stuart, fellow in global politics of the London School of Economics' Department of Government, since 'the international community sort of insists that [space travel] be tied to a state', and given the fact that 'governments control most access to space through their ownership of most launch pads' the US government will continue to be able to assert a measurable authority over its citizens' access to space.  NASA therefore will no doubt be here for posterity, but it will most likely transform into something a kin to the FAA of space, a bureaucracy that will manage, certify, and license America's appetite for the cosmos.


Regardless, let the real Space Race begin!