[airborne]

And yet we have a space ship that can't survive foam insulation or rain.

[chimera]

That's the point. Everyone hammers NASA and sings the praises of "private industry". Well, in this business, there is no guarantee that either won't screw up. You think cheap, you'll get cheap. You think small, and you'll be small. Maybe I just don't buy into this "private industry is God" that FReepers are seemingly prone to. I'm not sure private companies will do any better or worse than the government. It takes good people and a willingness to go the extra mile that will make the difference. Laziness and incompetence won't cut it. I've seen both kinds of people, in industry and government. The results are usually the same in either case.