Sounds like Dr. Simonyi thinks he got his money’s worth:

Among the many images burned in Simonyi

Sounds like Dr. Simonyi thinks he got his money’s worth:

Among the many images burned in Simonyi

Leonard David has a very encouraging story about XCOR. This is something that I’ve been predicting for a while, despite those who said that there was no way that the rocket industry could ever be like the computer industry, with people starting businesses in their garages:

Rich Pournelle, XCOR

“…to know that competing against the government is a fool

“…to know that competing against the government is a fool

“…to know that competing against the government is a fool

TechRepublic has some photos of Yuri’s flight, and Yuri’s Night, here, and here.

And The Economist wonders if private space is finally ready to take off.

Greg Olsen, the private sector’s number three astronaut gave some remarks to welcome the space investors and entrepreneurs to the Space Investment Summit along with Buzz Aldrin on Monday. He said, “I live in Princeton. Everyone knows everyone in Princeton. I went out to dinner and the owner of the restaurant said, ‘You’re that astronaut guy.’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘Let me give you this bottle of wine!’ I was feeling pretty good about myself until my girl friend said, ‘If you were Buzz Aldrin, he would pay for your whole dinner.'”

Olsen was not there as an investor. His current investment fancies are energy related. We shared a cab after the event broke up. There was a bunch of road construction near the Ritz where Boeing had hosted the welcome. I asked him, “Which is rougher, a Soyuz flight or a New York City cab ride?” His answer: “Both.”

I asked him if he got a tax deduction on the flight from doing experiments. “No.”

We were both going to different Jean George’s, but Olsen tried to convince me that they had only one location in New York. It seems Olsen can still be surprised.

I explained to him that I’d spent more money than the cost a suborbital flight trying to bring space to everyone. And that Space Shot’s Latin motto, Astrae Popularetis, means, “You’ll see the Stars belong to the People.” I got off first and he said, “Don’t worry about the cab fare.” I said, “After that story you told, you have to let me pay.” I gave the cabbie $20 and said, “Driver, I want to treat this man to a cab ride!” If he was Buzz Aldrin, we would have taken a limo.

Please extend your best wishes for a rapid and full recovery to Eric Anderson’s step daughter.

Sam has been blogging individual items from it, but Charles Lurio has an overview over at Space Transport News today.