In orbit for profit

[Perfection]

And to everyone else who thinks companies are going to lead the way into space travel.

It's taken 43 years from a government sponsered Yuri Gagarin to make 1 orbit of the earth to get a commerical program to do 1 parabolic space-grazing flight).

That's, of course, only including manned space flight.

How much longer (and expensive) before they they can match what the Russians did in 61 as a tourist attraction? How much longer again before they can get a moonshot?

Depends on the market and technology.

Will capitalism wil get us to the stars off its own back? NASA has a budget of billions. Only a few companies can match that, and they aren't going to use that without a cast-iron return.

Who needs billions? Scaled Composites can do it for millions, and what makes you think that it won't be profitable netting them billions?

The only way space travel will advance is by government spend. Capitalism can bring up the rear and make money after. Not the British government either, who are far to cheap (and maybe sensible).

Pffft. Private firms have already mastered the unmanned launch, what makes you think that manned flights will be any more of a problem?