3 ms·

Could definitely happen in New Zealand. Same can-do attitude, and we have some pretty technical small companies here; just not much money or population base.

by asw456 14y ago

jasonadriaan 14y ago
Elon Musk is South African
- dagw 14y ago
  And yet he lives and works in the US. That is(was?) America's big strength, not that Americans are the best or the brightest, but that the best and the brightest from all around the world would choose to come to America to realize their dreams.
- jpendry 14y ago
  Absolutely, but he worked methodically when he was younger to get both himself and his family into the USA.
  - tacitus 14y ago
    I doubt it was a struggle, since his mother was American-Canadian. Doesn't diminish his accomplishments in any way though.
mparlane 14y ago
We just don't have the money, that's the biggest problem. Sure, we have a few people in NZ that are very wealthy, but they aren't the type to spend it on stuff like this.
lumberjack 14y ago
People and talent are the most location independent resource. If it weren't so then space endeavours would be more proportionally distributed. But what really happens is that all the talent is continuously immigrating to the US. Besides the economic factor the major hurdle is bureaucracy. If you are a small country you can be sure that all the big guys will want to know what you are going to do, how, when and they would probably even request a means to overhaul the operation if they deem it necessary. And that's just international bureaucracy. Most nation governments will probably never support you in such an endeavour anyway.
siculars 14y ago
I was in NZ in Nov. 2009 when they launched their first "rocket." it was all over the news and papers. A "big" deal. So the day finally arrives and I'm watching the recap and I see the rocket. It was maybe 20 ft tall if that, launched from some sheep grazing area with spectators hanging out here and there. Thoroughly unimpressive. Don't get me wrong NZ is a great place but I just don't see them in the space race. There is no way something like this is happening in NZ.

Could definitely happen in New Zealand. Same can-do attitude, and we have some pretty technical small companies here; just not much money or population base.

by asw456 14y ago

Could definitely happen in New Zealand. Same can-do attitude, and we have some pretty technical small companies here; just not much money or population base.

jasonadriaan 14y ago

Elon Musk is South African

dagw 14y ago
And yet he lives and works in the US. That is(was?) America's big strength, not that Americans are the best or the brightest, but that the best and the brightest from all around the world would choose to come to America to realize their dreams.
jpendry 14y ago
Absolutely, but he worked methodically when he was younger to get both himself and his family into the USA.
- tacitus 14y ago
  I doubt it was a struggle, since his mother was American-Canadian. Doesn't diminish his accomplishments in any way though.

mparlane 14y ago

We just don't have the money, that's the biggest problem. Sure, we have a few people in NZ that are very wealthy, but they aren't the type to spend it on stuff like this.

lumberjack 14y ago

People and talent are the most location independent resource. If it weren't so then space endeavours would be more proportionally distributed. But what really happens is that all the talent is continuously immigrating to the US. Besides the economic factor the major hurdle is bureaucracy. If you are a small country you can be sure that all the big guys will want to know what you are going to do, how, when and they would probably even request a means to overhaul the operation if they deem it necessary. And that's just international bureaucracy. Most nation governments will probably never support you in such an endeavour anyway.

siculars 14y ago

I was in NZ in Nov. 2009 when they launched their first "rocket." it was all over the news and papers. A "big" deal. So the day finally arrives and I'm watching the recap and I see the rocket. It was maybe 20 ft tall if that, launched from some sheep grazing area with spectators hanging out here and there. Thoroughly unimpressive. Don't get me wrong NZ is a great place but I just don't see them in the space race. There is no way something like this is happening in NZ.