The only thing I disagree with you about is that the early days weren’t for the common man. Actually, aviation started out much like space is now. First it was the scientists and engineers pushing the boundaries (Wright Brothers et al / Goddard), then the military and government got involved (WWI / WWII V2 & Sputnik) advancing the science, but it wasn’t long before the “common man” era began with barnstorming, racing, PanAm Clipper passenger flights, etc., (now Space Tourism).
Government programs will always be large and ponderous. The latest fighter jet, for example, will always be exorbitantly expensive because in peacetime it’s as much about spreading cash to as many Congressional districts as possible as it is producing the next generation of fighter. That’s why I agree with you that this commercial grab-bag of space activities is critical to the advancement of the science. Just like aviation racing, barnstorming, first flight across the Atlantic, etc., had nothing to do with real science but everything to do with advancing the science of flight, so today the commercialization of space is laying the groundwork for advancements that no government program could ever conceive.
Several of Trump’s platform items like The Wall And his long-standing enthusiasm for aviation… especially the nude photos of then high-priced Slavic uhm “escort” Melania on a bearskin in the back of the Gulfstream [or was it the DC-99?] convinced me it was worth ignoring his prior negatives and taking a chance on a change
BIG MISTAKE
He quickly revealed himself to be more than a showman, sexist, and political anomaly but rather a demonstrable threat to public health and the fundamentals of democracy .
Instead of a your proposal for just another fat cat brief orbital voyage I’d now rather see him in the Bruce Dern “Silent Running” role = a one-way deep space (NOT"Deep State"] journey tending crops with a robotic assistant
Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, STS, ISS; government did the original basic space R&D on which today’s private human space ventures are and always will be built.
No argument at all that private enterprise is great and the way to go. But I still can’t get excited about launching things into earth orbit. I realize they are doing all kids of cool engineering, but wake me up when we are ready to leave earth orbit and go somewhere. Like we did 52 years ago.
Roger D. : Those elitist’s [sic] what?
I never watch MSNBC since its bias is complete and transparent .
I watch Fox occasionally because they still have a few objective analysts… Very few . And it helps identify where the Delusionals are getting their misinformation …which is why I also hold my nose and watch/read Newsmax & OAN.
I notice you offered NO factual contradiction to anything I said.
Does that mean you concede Trump threatened Pence and sought to undermine democracy with his “Big Lie” simply to salve his ego while, like Abbott and deSantis today, disparaging public health officials thus costing American innocents their lives? Concede or not, he did …and was a big disappointment to me in doing so .