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by rick tumlinson 2012 will be seen as the beginning of the frontier era in read more »

by rick tumlinson
2012 will be seen as the beginning of the frontier era in space. By 2030 there will be people on the Moon, on Mars, and in the free space between worlds. The first permanent communities beyond Earth will be founded, the first major products and inventions created there will have long since changed the markets and medical establishments of the planet, the first harvests of resources and energy from space will begin, and the first fortunes based on frontier-related activities in space will be made.
2012 will see those committed to settling space (O’Neillians) begin orbital delivery operations, private microgravity experiments on the space station, and sub-orbital, commercial, human space-flight tests. Recently, the revolution jumped another level, as a commercial space-station company announced it is partnering with a commercial spaceflight firm, thus completely eliminating the government from the equation.
And yet, even as some of today’s savviest and wealthiest business leaders begin to dive into this new ocean of possibility, many of yesterday’s space heroes, our government and political class, don’t get it.
The irony should not be lost ...