Comment Risk of Death (Score 1) 268
You're perfectly correct - NASA is trying to shift the risk of death from its own shoulders over to private contractors. NASA is unable to accept any death at all in their operations - look what has happened to the Shuttle program after each of their accidents. Massive re-design efforts, interference and reprimands from Washington, and huge delays in the space program. The public backlash is so bad that government-financed space flight is no longer allowed to take chances.
But, taking risks, trying new approaches, and yes, putting lives on the line, are necessary for expanding our capabilities in space. With this new program of prizes, NASA is trying to finance new approaches to space the only way they still can. NASA cannot take the necessary risks themselves, so they want to fund private companies willing to do the work on their own.
If a person believes a cause is worth risk to their life, no one, not you, not the government should stop them from pursuing it.
(..that is, as long as they pose no risk to the general public. Current private spaceflight is being strictly regulated to avoid risk to un-involved people.)
But, taking risks, trying new approaches, and yes, putting lives on the line, are necessary for expanding our capabilities in space. With this new program of prizes, NASA is trying to finance new approaches to space the only way they still can. NASA cannot take the necessary risks themselves, so they want to fund private companies willing to do the work on their own.
If a person believes a cause is worth risk to their life, no one, not you, not the government should stop them from pursuing it.
(..that is, as long as they pose no risk to the general public. Current private spaceflight is being strictly regulated to avoid risk to un-involved people.)
