restoring the dream

On Oct 5, 2011, at 7:54 PM, l_ed_cox wrote:

> There is some private venture capital going into space flight and
> orbiting "hotels," but where's the government?

Funding a key enabler of those hotels, commercial, private launchers
without which Bigelow (whom you are referring to) has no business
because his customers can't get to his facilities. That funding is in
the commercial crew program. The Obama administration asked for $850
million for this, the House has voted $300 million and the Senate $500
million. The final amount will be hashed out between the houses. I
suggest you contact your elected representative and encourage them to
go for the highest possible figure. It is the most important gov't
program NASA is involved in, by far, because it is substantial and can
lead to a growing, self-sufficient industry in space that may put
thousands of people in space and develop low cost launch -- the key to
everything in space.