[LibertarianInExile]

"The private market has never invested in raw research, or in massive new projects."

Oh, PUH-LEEZE. Wilbur and Orville Wright. Thomas Edison. Leonardo DaVinci. Robert Goddard. See also Space Ship One, Paul Allen.

"NASA provides a vehicle to fund private research while shielding it from the legal risk of loss. How would you like to be the company footing the bill for the Columbia Disaster? Private can exploit technology and develop applications, but your overly idealistic if you think that it can tackle stuff like this."

If your argument is that lawyers suck, well, you're right. If your argument is that nobody innovates because lawyers suck, I refer you to the U.S. patent office. You're overly attached to NASA and government research money if you think private industry CAN'T tackle stuff like this.

[ARCADIA]

The Goddard and the Wright brothers were working on a military contracts. Edison worked on developing applications for existing science, and Da Vinci was employed by his Prince. Big raw reseach requires massive public investment, without Isabella,Colombus would never have crossed the ocean.

[RightWhale]

You're overly attached to NASA and government research money if you think private industry CAN'T tackle stuff like this.

There is a small legal matter to attend to and then private industry will take care of developing outer space. As it stands now, however, private industry will not take care of developing outer space. Private industry is effectively excluded from outer space.