Scotusblog has a summary of the arguments.
[Update a while later]
Is it near the end of the line for the rocket? Looks like SpaceX has killed it.
Jeff Foust has the story from last week. As I noted at the time, I’m not sure that a prize is the best way to go. I’d rather see an airmail approach.
The list grows. This is the future of spaceflight and space development, not NASA.
This would be a huge game changer, for earth and space, if it can really be done.
Anyone who talks about the ROI of a degree without talking about the type of degree, or the relative value of one school over another, is either profoundly ignorant, or fraudulent. The fact is that there are a lot of degrees for which one would have to be a fool to put themselves deep into undischargeable debt to obtain. Unfortunately a lot of people don’t understand that, and are the most likely to get those worthless degrees.
Damon Root’s take on why he’ll probably knock it down this time.
[Update late morning]
“Save us John Roberts, you’re our only hope.”
A new alliance. This is long overdue.
I’m not sure about the prize idea, though. I’d rather the government actually purchase bulk items (e.g., water) on orbit. The goal should be a low cost per pound, not reusability per se. I’m pretty sure that reusability would naturally fall out of that. And reusable vehicles will have to be reliable to hit the cost goal.
“Corporations, like all human institutions, are great engines for making mistakes. The only reason they seem so competent is that companies who make too many mistakes go out of business, and we don’t have them around for comparison.”