While I see some depressing trends continuing in NASA,
I have noticed some possitive trends in the private sector.

I don't have to remind you about Scaled Composites or Virgin Galactic,
but they're still only suborbital efforts.
And Gary Hudson, God bless him, has simply gone off the radar screen
as far as his projects are concerned. I understand NASA turned down his referbished Titan-2 proposal.

However! There is good news about orbital efforts from the private
space sector: And it belongs to Elon Musk.
He has successfully static-tested his 73,000Ib thrust rocket-motor
for 162 seconds; a rocket motor that will help the Falcon rocket
put upto 1,500 Ibs into orbit. [that's roughly half the wieght of John Glenn's capsule].

So? It stands to reason that if Elon Musk is interested, he could perhaps
have the Falcon rocket fitted with strap-on boosters, and the core-stage
could mount a suitable upper-stage [3,000 - 4,000Ibs into orbit?].
Elon could find himself in the enviable position of being able to shoot
a one-man capsule into low-Earth orbit within the next five years, if he vigorously pursues the concept.
It might even be profitable? Sell the one-man capsule and the privelage
to occupy and pilot it in LEO for at least three orbits or three days and then return.

Mr. Bigelow's prize is well-intentioned, but it maybe expecting a little too much of private companies a little too soon.

Jacob