Rand Simberg points to a brief article by Ronald Bailey at ReasonOnline: Making Spaceflight Too Safe?

Reading this, I'm reminded of a quote which I've quoted here before:

Deep in the sea are riches beyond compare, but if you seek safety, it is on the shore.

Rereading my earlier post, I realized that I failed to make the connection to private efforts. Bailey makes this connection, pointing out that a new generation of safer spacecraft will only come about through competition in the marketplace:

The CAIB has identified technical safety problems, and they will be fixed. But the report also recommends that NASA create "an independent Technical Engineering Authority" that would be in charge of shuttle safety. Adding a new managerial layer of scared, risk-averse bureaucrats is just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. We all know what really works—competition.

Competition focuses the minds of even the stodgiest technocrats. So let's end NASA's monopoly on human space flight. Let the private sector design, test and fly innovative, cheaper, and yes, safer spacecraft.

Amen. It's time to turn over LEO to the startups.