Thoughts on the X Prize
As those who know me are aware, I have a long-standing interest in space travel, astronomy and the use of technology to achieve the amazing. SpaceShipOne's flight today is significant not for what was done but who did it. This privately-funded endeavor demonstrates that government is not the only entity capable of sending human beings into space. This moment was enevitable. In the golden age of space flight only national governments could afford such programs. Clearly though, as technology became less expensive and more ubiquitous, the science of the process widely understood, ambitious (and wealthy) individuals were destined to reach for the stars themselves like so many Phileas Foggs. Does this make national or international space agencies irrelevant? Wasteful? Hopelessly bogged down in bureaucracy?
Since this web log is now concerned with the political I would like to share some thoughts on that aspect of the X Prize phenomenon. Advocates of privatization are quick to point to real-world successes of private management over government spending. An event like SpaceShipOne's flight is further evidence for these folks that we must continue to dismantle government, which is hopelessly inept compared to streamlined private business. What concerns me is that wholesale idictment of government will proceed from such events. As I said above, only national governements could initially handle the expense of space flight and only because it was in the public interest. Why would any private company desire to make the vast investments necessary to send a few individuals into orbit, or to land on the moon? During the golden age of space flight this was all fueled by national pride. Americans (and Russians for that matter) wanted to be first and best in interstellar technology. Private companies are not primarily motivated by these factors. In fact, the success of SpaceShipOne is due in large part to the personal interest of it's primary investor, Paul Allen. Once there is money to be made in space off more than rich thrill-seekers the private sector will invest there, not before.
It is my belief that government should intervene only in the public interest. Regulation should be of essential services. Space travel is not essential. But it will be some time before the bulk of the cost of space flight should be shouldered by private industry. Regardless we see comments at places like Slashdot, proclaiming "the prestige of repeatably...reaching space, on a budget embarrassingly smaller than NASA's." I have noticed among preeminent technology publications like Slashdot and Wired an underlying tendency towards libertarianism, based upon a unwavering belief in the power of business coupled with technology. I think this optimism stems from the tanglible and rapid results of technology over the last 20 years which has caused its proponents to more and more view government as a relic of the past, unable to keep up with the pace of high-tech. The meltdown of the new economy in beginning of the 21st century should be evidence enough that faith in markets is misplaced at best and dangerous at worst. Far from denigrating the achievements of SpaceShipOne, I think its important that we understand what it is, exactly, that we are celebrating.