Why doesn't the Canadian Space Agency sell any merchandise? T-shirts, golf shirts, caps, mugs and other things to make money? SpaceShipOne, by winning the $10 million X Prize last fall made space less of a government sponsored research project and more of a business. Space tourism, last year a term of science fiction will become science fact when Virgin Galactic, led by Richard Branson of Virgin Atlantic sells flights for $200,000 a pop in two or three years. Expensive, but a start. Five years ago Richard Tito, a former NASA sceintist, spent $20 million for a week in the Russian part of the International Space Station. That is steep.
Some say the peak of the space was the moonwalk in 1969. And people wonder what it has done lately for us. Great science, but little effect on our everyday working lives. Now, people will be able to briefly experience zero gravity like astronauts.
The development and colonization of space will cost trillions of dollars, are taxpayers going to foot the entire bill? Not likely, and let's hope not. We have well known astronauts like Roberta Bondar, Marc Garneau and Julie Payette who should be traveling the country giving speeches and selling merchandise. Big companies would be involved and the publicity would be huge. These are the educated and talented people who should be famous to encourage education and science among the general public.
Astronauts from all countries should be going on world tours and meeting the public. Few of us have met any of these rare people who have seen 45 minute days and the earth hanging as a ball in space. Nor the few men who have walked on the moon.
But try to buy any CSA stuff? Have they got all the money they need for all the projects they wish to pursue? Hardly. So many countries could sell space merchandise and promote a great and noble endeavour that would encourage world cooperation, peace and prosperity.
A new space race has begun between space exploration and space tourism, and the world will benefit. It is time for CSA to get with the new marketing program. IMHO.
Some say the peak of the space was the moonwalk in 1969. And people wonder what it has done lately for us. Great science, but little effect on our everyday working lives. Now, people will be able to briefly experience zero gravity like astronauts.
The development and colonization of space will cost trillions of dollars, are taxpayers going to foot the entire bill? Not likely, and let's hope not. We have well known astronauts like Roberta Bondar, Marc Garneau and Julie Payette who should be traveling the country giving speeches and selling merchandise. Big companies would be involved and the publicity would be huge. These are the educated and talented people who should be famous to encourage education and science among the general public.
Astronauts from all countries should be going on world tours and meeting the public. Few of us have met any of these rare people who have seen 45 minute days and the earth hanging as a ball in space. Nor the few men who have walked on the moon.
But try to buy any CSA stuff? Have they got all the money they need for all the projects they wish to pursue? Hardly. So many countries could sell space merchandise and promote a great and noble endeavour that would encourage world cooperation, peace and prosperity.
A new space race has begun between space exploration and space tourism, and the world will benefit. It is time for CSA to get with the new marketing program. IMHO.
