I do think that privatization of the space program will have affects on our economy. Did you know that there are many things that we take for granted that were patented by NASA, and are available to the public? If private companies make new discoveries, and patent them, we will have to pay for them in the cost of goods that come from them for quite some time. This is not so if they come from a government program. At least they haven't been in the past.
I do know that the Space Shuttle, though a beautiful and elegant craft, was obsolete. It is high time that they retired it. It was much more costly to run than what was expected. I hope that the substitute craft will come quickly.
Did I mention that I was at the last shuttle launch? Kennedy Space Center had lotteries to see who would get tickets for a launch. I was on the list for about two or three years, and was not picked until the final launch. When I got to KSC, I found that it was a veritable nerdfest. I swear, I haven't seen so many fellow nerds in the same place in my life. The IQ of the country would have gone down by 50 points if the folks who were there were gone! I guess that they knew when the last launch was coming, and they saved all the people who were "science professionals" for the last one.
Me, I am just a computer jockey, with a degree in Geology, emphasis in Astronomy. I always wanted to work for NASA, and a friend told me about a program that NASA was running, at the local college observatory, to get kids interested in space. I volunteered in a nanosecond! Yes, it was a volunteer job, for a few nights, but it was STILL a job with NASA, as far as I am concerned.
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