INTERESTING COMMERCIALIZATION STEP: Space, Inc. And NASA's Role

Under the 1998 Space Commercialization Act, NASA is required by law to purchase remote sensing data from commercial sources if that data meets the agency's needs. This article describes how commercial data sources are evaluated in that regard.

One wonders why the agency doesn't pursue a similar line with humans in space. Sure, it would take more than a couple of years for the industry to react and provide competetive options, but there's no reason it couldn't do so if given a nudge in that direction. For example, instead of designing and building the OSP as the next manned spacecraft, why not state up front that it will no longer build or operate manned spacecraft on its own, lay out a set of (attainable) requirements that a commercial vehicle must meet, and (with the consent and commitment of Congress) guarantee a certain minimum number of flights to be purchased in the future?

I'm certainly not suggesting anything new -- this is just the "Air Mail" strategy that many others have discussed. It's disappointing to see NASA successfully implement a strategy like this on small-potato programs, but plow right ahead with the same old buy-it-and-fly-it approach that's worked so poorly for them -- and us -- in the past when it comes to manned spacecraft.