If Bush gets a second term (which he most likely will) - he will be a hands on president overseeing much of all this on his watch.

Lets throw this idealized hypothetical timetable:

2004 Congressional approval and funding
2004/5 Design development & selection (re: lunar base, manned craft, assembly platform)
2005/6 Construction of assembly platform
2006/7 Construction of manned craft
2007/8 Construction of lunar base
2009 Permanent manned presence on moon begins.
2010 Mission to mars

There are too few space enthusiasts as it is. As a voting block it's not even on the map. If we present a united front we will win out - if we squabble we play right into the hands of the folks who would like to see that money never go for any space pursuit in any manner and whom really don't care about space simply because it goes against their fiddle playing rhetoric.

It's way premature to start discussing property rights. I can assure you once someone actually can reach some property and sustain themselves on it or use it - there will be the requisite laws and bodies to debate the issue all over again.

DARPA's great. But if you asked DARPA to manage a trip to mars you'll be waiting a LONG time.

In 1966, 400,000 scientists in hundreds of universities were employed by NASA to design and bring about the Apollo landing. It was the largest brain-drain the US had ever embarked upon, much larger even than the Manhattan project. In ten years time we could get to the moon and get there with 1960's technology and slow information handling speeds. 6 years should be no problem for mars in 2004 - but only if we employ the same method of splitting the pie and employing lots of people.

When Kennedy proposed the mission to the moon, G.E. came to NASA and asked for the project. NASA said, "Sorry, not a chance." No NASA bureacrats will be king makers with this initiative - this initiative is so big it will require ALL our aerospace firms, all our universities and the small entrepreneurs just to make it happen. There will be room for everyone. This isn't just building a space ship or a satellite. This is the whole kit and kaboodle - a lunar base, assembly platform and multiple manned spacecraft! The energy companies will be in on this too. (hint hint)

I don't think folks get the scale of this thing - we are talking about a US employment program that will make the Roosevelt's NRA look like the amateur hour.

This is the best thing that's happened to space exploration - ever - and we have a Congress that can actually APPROVE it. Bush was denied his vision in 1989 because of the Democrat controlled congress who took delight in cutting him off at the knees. Where are we? The democrats will always be beholden to cut space down as long as they pander and have as their sole claim to office - class warfare between the rich and the poor. They have to claim frugality even when it's farcical.

Any entrepreneur should be jumping out of their socks for joy. This is going to mean business - and lasting business. It's cheaper now than later and later may never come if the population keep increasing and the US eventually subsidizes Mexico.

Again...this is it. There won't be another chance later if we blow this one.

Think big.

;-)

SDAI-Tech1