Bzzzt. As usual, the privatize space exploration screed is long on pointing out problems and void of solutions. Free market implies that a profit is to be made. Outside of the communication satellite industry, there are no companies earning a profit from space exploration (and its debatable whether comm sats qualify as "exploration"). Many here at FR promote tourism as the next space industry, but after much venture capital, there has yet to be a single private human space flight. All blame NASA, but NASA cannot stop you from buying a rocket and launching your happy @$$ into orbit. The FAA will want to see your launch plan, but NASA is not a regulatory agency and has no authority to even try to stop you.
I believe that profits will be made in space exploration in the not to distance future (certainly in my lifetime), but for now NASA is all we have.