Re: Sigh! The latest US Fed cutbacks mean the end of NASA's unmanned deepspace dominance.
Hmmmm......
Could a company develop that exists almost solely for the purpose of scientific missions? I imagine it'd be a think tank of sorts, and in order to keep afloat, they could sell or loan off returned samples, and the like; rent out advertising; run a subscribed newsletter; etc... generally collaborating with private interests.