Barriers to free enterprise in the high frontier

Getting launch costs down is something that might best be done by government
who would also develop infrastructure. These would be done by private
contracters under government money but the government would be keeping a close
eye on them to prevent them taking the money for themselves. The
infrastructure would be built with the purpose of providing for private
industry in space of any country on the planet (if it is done by the US
government doing that would provide proof that they care about truely free
trade and not just free trade for their businesses). Government could also
then fund part of an asteriod mining mission and let private enterprise take up
the rest of it. The reason for having government provide a mission that costs
the private sector less meaning it is easier to get investors for it. Once
asteriod mining is proven then private enterprise will be doing it without
government funding. The materials from the first rock mined could also be used
to build a prototype SPS to prove that it is economical and pave the way for
further SPS development.

I wouldn't expect private enterprise to be able to do much until launch costs
come down and there is some basic infrastructure (doesn't have to be much) in
space that can be used. Of course I also don't see any governments lowering
the launch costs and building the infrastructure unless they think that it
would help them at the next election.

--- jdr7181@... wrote: