The only reason humans ever went into space was because governments chose to go there. Governments were the only human institutions with the resources and the vision. The resources were public funds raised through taxation. The vision was national prestige and military superiority. Exploration of the unknown and travel to the stars has always been an individal human dream, but the ability to actually accomplish it is purely a collective one. This is not a value judgement or a moralistic statement or an ideological point. Its just the way it is.

But governments, however imperfectly or infrequently, can be influenced by their citizens and by economic and political events. When the resources or the vision are in short supply, priorities will change. For those of us who have a passionate interest in the exploration of space, this is a cruel blow. For space community Conservatives inclined to denounce the use of tax funds employed for purposes not to their liking, this is one purpose they DO like, and one they are willing to make an exception for. How many of our rocket scientists and space pundits would have had the opportunity to participate in this enterprise if it had not been for government? Even the education of many of our techie types was encouraged and partially subsidized by government technical needs (Remember the NDEA?). I know I personally benefitted from it because I exhibited interest in Sputnik when I was a child.

Capitalism provides an alternative mechanism to channel private dreams into public purpose. If enough people want to go to space, especially if they can be convinced it will profit them personally, then private resources could be diverted to a public purpose. It is the purpose of government to help identify these goals, and to assist them, with seed money, preliminary exploration and survey, protective law, proof-of-concept, infrastructure and any other form of state support, including subsidies. I think government has done its job. But it is now the responsibility of Capital to provide the vision, and to manage those resources. It has happened before; many of the world's great engineering works were created through individual and corporate effort, with little or no assistance from government.

The question is whether the private sector is still capable of providing that vision. Here is its chance to prove it, not just talk about it. We are waiting.