[DB]

I do believe the Queen funded his trip...

[Illbay]

She did, it's true. But it was done as an investment, with the promise of great wealth--a promise that was fulfilled, in ways unimagined at the time.

That was my point, though. The money came as a result of the promise of great return on investment. Without such a tangible return, you can forget any significant strides in the exploration of space.

Government programs aren't the answer--they seldom are.