Whatever happens in space, I would want the U.S. to be the undisputed leaders.
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Well you are one of the first on FR with a positive view of manned exploration. Most are negative or hohum types. The problem we have is that whenever one administration announces a program, the next reduces or eliminates it.
What we need is a national, not a party, goal to explore space, one that cannot be easily altered on some political whim of the moment.
However, the obstacles to overcome are huge. All the many advances in science, living standards, tech like cell phones, computers, medical devices - all originated as a result of the US manned space program. But that was so long ago, many just assume that those things always existed and just came about for unknown reasons. Basically it a problem in overcoming ignorance and in some cases willful ignorance.
I have no suggestions, just pointing out some of the problems.
Well Pence and Trump seem to be very pro-space. As are Gen McMaster and others. So we shall see...SpaceX seems to excite people.
Actually I had never heard of Elon Musk until a Russian friend told me about him. Musk is even more pooular there than here.
Popular* sorry typo. Musk is more popular in Russia than even here.