What can we do?

I've said it before and I'll say it again: we all want to go to space, we
all want to see the human race develop a "space-faring nation" (or whatever
you want to call it). We merely disagree on the specifics. And the almost
universal consensus as to what is prohibiting steady, quicker progress is
access. It costs way too much to get there.

It's a little difficult to justify any industry in space if it costs (the
oft-quoted) $10,000 per pound to reach LEO and beyond. Access costs of that
magnitude reduce almost every single idea economically prohibitive and
until access costs can be reduced very little progress will be made. Do you
not agree?

The lack of a market has also been identified as a sticking point. No
market seems to equate to little progress on reducing access costs. I mean,
what makes more money for aerospace companies - a single RLV with it's
amortized costs or multiple ELVs that must built from scratch (and resold)
after each launch? If I am an aerospace company, what motivation do I have
to develop RLV's for a market that doesn't exist yet? I can rake in big
money making ELV after ELV for an already established market (primarily,
satellite deployment).

These days everyone seems to think tourism will solve the problem. I think
that's preposterous, but that's a can of worms I see no value in opening.
Believe as you will, I don't see it happening.

To repeat my previous claim: The single most important breakthrough for
advancing the development of space is the invention or discovery of ANY
product whose cost-effective production is significantly more favorable in
the space environment. Does anyone disagree with that statement?

Assuming that to be true, and I do, how can we provide for the "invention
or discovery of ANY product whose cost-effective production is
significantly more favorable in the space environment" within the
constraints imposed by current circumstances? Can we do so using launch
systems currently available? Can we do so using only existing technologies?

It was this thinking that lead to the MUOL concept I have described
previously (see Earth-Moon Network and MUOL threads). Regardless, what are
the requirements for realistic projects under current circumstances? As I
see it, there are three:

1. It must be able to utilize existing launch systems.
2. It must be able to utilize existing technologies.
3. It must be affordable.

Right?

Jack