re: Privatization could increase the cost to launch
Depending on the industry.
I don't understand why American's think privatization is the meaning of life. Private companies need a market, and there is no market in space for people. The only market is on the surface of earth, the only profit is in services *to* people *on* earth. Unless you can put more people in space there will never be a market. Three people in space doesn't do it for capitalism. It's no accident that USA has to spend billions of dollars of taxpayer's money to 'compete' (better terms are available) in the manned space program. All space-capable countries in fact do the same thing.