--- -ray <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Nice to see some of MS' profits going to something > worthwhile... > > I read that Paul Allen invested up to $30 million in > the project. So > let's see, invest $30 million to win $10 million?? > I don't get it. Sounds > like something MS would do, haha (i know Allen isn't > involved at MS much > anymore)... Is that all they get is the money?
Loads of free advertisement on economical space travel? Ownership rights to the technology? etc, etc 30 million is a pittance for a multibillionaire like Paul Allen. I don't think Allen and the rest of the SpaceShipOne crew is going to rest on their laurels. > Is there no promise of > federal contracts or government sponsored monopolies > on space tourism? Dang, I hope not. Look what a monopoly in software has done for us. Competition is the key to innovation, not monopolies. > Or > is it all for science? Science is good, but money > is money, no matter how > much you have. C'mon, Ray. Surely you have more imagination than that. There are plenty of rich people in the world willing to pay $200K for an 83 minute ride to the edge of space. Not to mention developing extremely economical space travel relative to what the government has charged tax payers for decades. > BTW, who is going to regulate space tourism? FAA? > NASA? Governor Blanco? Unfortunately, governments think they should control space (http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/FAQ/splawfaq.htm), so I assume that private enterprise will have to ask someone for permission to ferry humans 62+ miles up. John _______________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Declare Yourself - Register online to vote today! http://vote.yahoo.com
