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I think you should read this: https://launiusr.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/why-explore-space-a-1970-letter-to-a-nun-in-africa/ https://launiusr.wordpress.com/2012/

I think you should read this: https://launiusr.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/why-explore-space-a-1970-letter-to-a-nun-in-africa/ https://launiusr.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/why-explore-space-... I had similar views until 5 years ago and questioned almost every new investment/endeavour by people that required significant upfront capital investment but I think this letter has changed a lot of my thinking process.

input_sh 5y ago
There's no "space exploration" to be done 50-70 miles above ground. Billionaires charging other billionaires for 10 minutes above the imaginary "space line" has nothing to do with space exploration.
- taway_scott 5y ago
  Sure if you want to be pedantic. My response to the parent comment was more around trying to provide a possible answer to a natural question of "Why spend so much money on anything new while there are several million problems to be solved on Earth?". And I don't think 50-70 miles is going to be the norm. This is more of a "test" flight, which is pretty normal. Everything has to start somewhere with a baby step.
  - input_sh 5y ago
    > And I don't think 50-70 miles is going to be the norm. It is going to be for the foreseeable future, and I'll tell you two reasons why: 1. FAA and USAF considers everyone that's been above 50 miles (~62 kilometres) as an astronaut. 2. Von Karman line (at 100 kilometres, or 62 miles) is the closest we have to the consensus over what constitutes "space". We could've drawn it pretty much everywhere because Earth's atmosphere disappears gradually, but these are nice round numbers previously agreed upon. Therefore, if you're after commercial space flights (like Bezos and Branson are), that's the minimum you need to do to be able to charge millions for a "space flight". There is no incentive to go above that for commercial purposes.
- t0mbstone 5y ago
  The future of space is NOT "exploration" for the sake of exploration. The future of space is going to involve a lot of robots, a lot of mining other planets for resources, and a lot of space stations made from those resources. Bezos is planning for a future where all polluting industry is moved to outer space instead of being done here on Earth. He has publicly stated this on multiple occasions recently.
  - blooalien 5y ago
    > Bezos is planning for a future where all polluting industry is moved to outer space instead of being done here on Earth. Highly doubtful … > He has publicly stated this on multiple occasions recently. He can say whatever he likes. I still don't trust that he cares about anything beyond amassing personal control of more money/resources.

input_sh 5y ago

There's no "space exploration" to be done 50-70 miles above ground. Billionaires charging other billionaires for 10 minutes above the imaginary "space line" has nothing to do with space exploration.

taway_scott 5y ago
Sure if you want to be pedantic. My response to the parent comment was more around trying to provide a possible answer to a natural question of "Why spend so much money on anything new while there are several million problems to be solved on Earth?". And I don't think 50-70 miles is going to be the norm. This is more of a "test" flight, which is pretty normal. Everything has to start somewhere with a baby step.
- input_sh 5y ago
  > And I don't think 50-70 miles is going to be the norm. It is going to be for the foreseeable future, and I'll tell you two reasons why: 1. FAA and USAF considers everyone that's been above 50 miles (~62 kilometres) as an astronaut. 2. Von Karman line (at 100 kilometres, or 62 miles) is the closest we have to the consensus over what constitutes "space". We could've drawn it pretty much everywhere because Earth's atmosphere disappears gradually, but these are nice round numbers previously agreed upon. Therefore, if you're after commercial space flights (like Bezos and Branson are), that's the minimum you need to do to be able to charge millions for a "space flight". There is no incentive to go above that for commercial purposes.
t0mbstone 5y ago
The future of space is NOT "exploration" for the sake of exploration. The future of space is going to involve a lot of robots, a lot of mining other planets for resources, and a lot of space stations made from those resources. Bezos is planning for a future where all polluting industry is moved to outer space instead of being done here on Earth. He has publicly stated this on multiple occasions recently.
- blooalien 5y ago
  > Bezos is planning for a future where all polluting industry is moved to outer space instead of being done here on Earth. Highly doubtful … > He has publicly stated this on multiple occasions recently. He can say whatever he likes. I still don't trust that he cares about anything beyond amassing personal control of more money/resources.