Private Lunar Flights Coming Soon
Flights to the moon could become a reality soon, for $100 million:
"I personally think that it's the biggest thing in private spaceflight. It would change the way the whole world thinks about private spaceflight. It is definitely doable for under the $200 million price tag," Anderson [president and CEO of Space Adventures] explained, thereby signaling a radical reduction in cost [emphasis mine] of any past piloted lunar flight.
Space Adventures is the company responsible for the recent tourist visits to the ISS and they are hoping to sign the first contracts later this year.
Another success for the market. The next step of course is to (try to) fend off the regulators.
Comments (5)
Enough effort could get Republicans to pass a bill banning regulation, similar to the Internet tax moratorium. They're more likely to pass it now, when the industry is young and needs protection. If the airlines were smart, they'd move in on the deal and push to have sub-orbital flight deregulated.
Published: June 28, 2007 1:54 PM
Remember the story "The Man who SOld the Moon?" The moral of the story was that if there is a profit interest in it, the men who make this country great will get us there. It will be interesting, in retrospect, to analyze the total cost and return of the government getting us to the moon versus the free market.
Published: June 28, 2007 2:13 PM
So how will NASA justify its existence after this?
Published: June 30, 2007 1:30 PM
Nasa is needed to stop terrorism.
Published: June 30, 2007 1:57 PM