You guys call yourselves conservatives. "Prizes” offered for technology research. "What NASA lacks is focus and direction" Privatization of the shuttle to be paid for (In part) by "Universities" (tax payers) with a strong astronomy department.

Give me a break.

What is lacking at NASA is competition and more importantly profit incentive.
If there was money to be made in space the private sector would be there
already. Human presence beyond Earth would be far greater.

As I see it, there is about as much true need for space exploration as there is for
the National Endowment for the Arts. I find our space program much more
desirable but it is still a "want" non the less.

Don't get me wrong. I love science and space technology. I think we need to
face facts. The space program is a recipient of charity. We need to focus on ways
to make it profitable other than space tourism. Admittedly, we need to be there. (How about that project with Gates and Boeing? 2400 communication satellites
- Who's going to get that service contract? )