[anymouse]

"Taxpayer-funded NASA should only fund research and not development," Rutan said. "When you spend hundreds of billions of dollars to build a manned spacecraft, you're...dumbing down a generation of new, young engineers (by telling them) "No, you can't take new approaches, you have to use this old technology."

Rutan said that the goal of private space tourism is to reduce the cost of space travel and exploration.

[anymouse]

space ping

[Eyes Unclouded]

Burt! Can you imagine a Chinese flag on the moon? We gotta back its a **** measuring thing. Not to mention the benefits to science of a presence on the moon or the impending militarization of space.

[The_Victor]

Rutan and other panelists also question the importance of space flight at a time when environmental concerns are paramount.

Hmmmmmm

[IrishCatholic]

The thought that space will not be militarized, since it already is, is not realistic.
I thought the Chinese just proved that by blowing up a communications satellite.
Therefore what remains is those that will have the edge and those that will play catch up, if they can.
If liberals have their way it is millions in social spending and not a dime for defense.
Either we own space or someone else will.

[Names Ash Housewares]

The high frontier is as a strategic a goal as they come and it is all together appropriate that this nation on a federal level persue that with vigor and with a human presence, as well as commerical endeavors of course

The nations that lead on the frontier end up dictating the course of human history.

Rutan is a brilliant disigner, but to say that the feds get out exploring and populating the high frontier is like saying that we should get rid of the Marines and contract that out.

It is too important of a national interest.

We must alwaqys lead as a nation in this regard.

No one is standing in Rutans way. I cheer him on.

But I also strongly support NASA.