SpaceX Dragon has docked with the space station! Not quite a “giant leap for mankind” moment, but this is a huge step for the next phase of space exploration. The era of private space vehicles is here.

Wonderful!

So maybe we will be able to go to the moon with private probes and collect our own Moon-rocks very soon .-)

Jr. Member

Total Posts:  31
Joined  2011-09-23
Wonderful!

So maybe we will be able to go to the moon with private probes and collect our own Moon-rocks very soon .-)

And yet another money making industry is born, moon rocks anyone? Just think of the profit from sales, paper weights, moon rocks in lucite as curiosities, magic pendant necklaces, rings, the list is endless. Trump should be all over this. 

Cap’t Jack

Thevillageatheist - 25 May 2012 10:22 AM

Jr. Member

Total Posts:  31
Joined  2011-09-23
Wonderful!

So maybe we will be able to go to the moon with private probes and collect our own Moon-rocks very soon .-)

And yet another money making industry is born, moon rocks anyone? Just think of the profit from sales, paper weights, moon rocks in lucite as curiosities, magic pendant necklaces, rings, the list is endless. Trump should be all over this. 

Cap’t Jack

No can do.  I hear WalMart is already there and they have a total monopoly on rocks but they can send some to a store near you if you ask.

Damn, this always happens when I have a money making scheme. Beaten to the post yet again. I’ll never be 1%er! I was going to build a big building in The city, run for pres. Start my own cult, create a pizza empire and force 30-40 kids into a classroom and then privatize edu. Oh well…

Cap’t Jack

Reminds of this great old Tang commercial from the Apollo days. I hadn’t seen this since I was a kid until just now when I Googled it. Damn I love this Intertubes thing.

http://youtu.be/Wf1kw5Yp9Ck

This is fine as long as there’s only one game in town, where failure means bad publicity only.  Wait til there’s 5 companies competing on price.  They’ll do what every other greed driven corporation does…cut costs by cutting service quality, fighting regulations, etc.

CuthbertJ - 08 June 2012 09:51 AM

This is fine as long as there’s only one game in town, where failure means bad publicity only.  Wait til there’s 5 companies competing on price.  They’ll do what every other greed driven corporation does…cut costs by cutting service quality, fighting regulations, etc.

A fair point. I was not advocating that governments should hand over space exploration to private companies. Far from it—I support increasing funding for NASA. But the entry of private enterprise into space is a huge milestone. It is an indication that we are crossing a new frontier. It is inevitable and does not have to be a bad thing.

FreeInKy - 08 June 2012 09:40 AM

Reminds of this great old Tang commercial from the Apollo days. I hadn’t seen this since I was a kid until just now when I Googled it. Damn I love this Intertubes thing.

http://youtu.be/Wf1kw5Yp9Ck

Grape flavored?, oh jeez, i’m more out of touch than I thought.

There’s more good pics over here: http://www.spacex.com/updates.php

First look at astronauts inside Dragon on the space station!!!