Advancements in flight jumped by leaps and bounds during wars. I think this is a much better way to advance ways to get to space then through wars.

It seems Nasa got stuck in the last century and is spinning it's wheels in one spot. They are still trying to go to the next phase with Warner Von Braun's technology. They need to wake up...find people like Branson...hire them...or Nasa is just a money pit which can't be filled.

I'm not against technology or moving forward however it seems that mankind never learns the important lesson and it still so obsessed with shiny objects.

The final frontier is not out there darlings, it's in here.

The history of the American space program is an inspiration into the exploration of who we are. What we accomplished from the mid 50's through the end of the 60's is unparalleled in the history of mankind. If you look around you today, you see great technology that was spawned by the space program. Computers, cell phones, chemistry, and a thousand things you're not even aware all brought about because of the NASA space program.
When I hear a person say that the money could be better spent on philanthropy, I see it better spent here. Spend on the status quo or spend it on tangible results that benefit all mankind.
NASA has been hogtied by bureaucracy for years. Space exploration has been in the hands of Government for way too long. Dick Rutan and Richard Branson are bringing whole new worlds to the public. Expensive? You bet, but it's a hell of a lot cheaper than a Govt program.

And it's "what's next."

Branson,
Why don't you do something worthwile, but really difficult.
Help ease poverty and intolerance on this planet before we go exporting our craziness to other worlds...
With Wall Street in charge, we'll end up attacking some other planet to get at their resources

There are hardly any technology breakthroughs here. We could have done this a quarter century ago, had Reagan not got us turned around and bogged down in his Greedonomics, the "no difference berween making potato chips and computer chips" mentality, and the "big business knows best" doctrine.

Space travel and other endeavors simply to expand the frontiers of knowledge gave way to quick profits and showing better sales in the next fiscal quarter.

I have written Branson several emails before about my ideas for hauling heavy cargo to the moon, but only received silence. It seems there's a lot more politics and pirates in the spacetravel game than the public will ever know about. Just keep an open mind when reading the wacky-banana new-age websites, they are not all just pure fantasy.
http://www.thelivingmoon.com/47john_lear/menu.html
I already have a spaceport facility the management has made available to me. Spaceport was not it's original intended purpose. I can use it to launch my 2700ton 500' tall amazingly cheap to build spaceship. It will take several hours to reach the top of the atmosphere, but will travel much faster in space. When I do a midnite launch it will not wake the neighbors barking dog. If I hire Dick Cheney to put NORAD asleep then they won't try to shoot me down. But I can make it invisible to radar too. If you're not perpetually amazed, then you're not paying attention.

Useless. The man has too much time to spend with so much money and that big an ego. A little philanthropy, Sir.

Looks suspiciously like "Thunderbirds Are Go" if you ask me. :)

http://www.joehallock.com/?p=70

what remarkable achievement?
he's drawn a nice picture and blown up a few prototypes. big deal.
there's a *ton* of hi temp material science to be done before deorbit can even be attempted.
a *lot* of work left yet. hold on to your checkbooks a bit longer.

not bad for a billionaire pothead. now he can be a real major tom.

At least he can put together a spacecraft that works and at a reasonable cost. I'm thinking of NASA's latest creation. Theirs cost hundreds of times more and they are afraid to launch it because it will probably shake apart. I wonder what has happened to NASA ? Have "plumbers" taken over "brain surgeons" jobs? Does anyone there know what it means to live within a budget and maintain quality?

Joyrides for rich people. Cool.

spaceship that will carry tourists to the stars.
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lol. To the stars?

$200,000 now. Hopefully $20,000 in ten years, and maybe $2000 in 20-30 years.