Race for space goes private

The June 5 issue of The Spokesman-Review featured an article about the successful flight of SpaceX’s Falcon 9. It’s about time. A recent issue of Popular Science said no less than seven other private-sector groups are also building spacecraft. Of these, three are planning for expeditions beyond our moon.

Undoubtedly, some people think that space exploration is a waste of time and money. Let me assure you that such is not the case. For starters, a lot of everyday technology (such as memory foam) has been invented in the course of space program development. Here is a partial list of other benefits:

1) Employment. Since the inception of NASA, space exploration has always been a source of jobs in the private sector.

2) Resources. Since our moon and Mars are both basalt based, it stands to reason that they would both have metals waiting to be mined. Uranium is probably also present. Water has been proven to exist on both spheres as well.

3) Imagination. Face it, we are video zombies. A great deal of ingenuity was required to tame the West. We need such a fresh impetus for college graduates.

Space entrepreneurs should get government grants, not the banks.

Douglas R. Benn

Spokane