Space exploration thrills me. I've followed Apollo moon landings, Skylab, various Martian landers and rovers, Space Shuttle launches, and every other manned or robotic mission I could watch.
So I got even more excited when private individuals became serious about going to space. The latest feat-- last week's launch of the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, carrying Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster and "Starman" to the asteroid belt-- was amazing.
Many people dislike Musk for making deals with government, and I completely understand their disgust. I share it-- tempered with a dose of harsh reality.
While I would prefer private space travel, free of the stain of tax money, I realize there is no such thing in the real world, yet.
Unless you keep your space project secret, government is going to discover what you're doing and demand you beg for licenses. Refuse, and they will kill you. Such a project is too big to hide, and any test flights will be shot down (if the military jets can catch them) and your launch facility will be invaded and possibly bombed; your other property stolen by government employees "just following orders".
The FAA has no "authority" but has power masquerading as "authority". Unless you can hide from or outrun the hired guns of the State, seeking government permission, for the time being, is probably unavoidable.
But, what about accepting "tax" money to help finance your project? This bothers me about Musk's endeavor.
Yet the part which disappoints me most is that he accepts government payloads, including US military payloads. That's just wrong. Yes, I realize the landscape of the real world in which he must currently operate dictates a certain partnership with those who believe they own the sky and everything above and below it. You buy government favors both by accepting the stolen money and by taking on government as a "paying customer". Otherwise, your business and your life will be destroyed. It doesn't make it right, but how could anyone manage to avoid this?
I would prefer this not be the case. I don't think I could enter into such a "partnership" with government, even knowing it might eventually result in people escaping the grasp of the State. This is part of why I'm not a billionaire, and why Elon Musk is.
Whatever you think of space travel, anything which helps people move off-planet, and out of the reach of governments, will greatly benefit the future of the human species.
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