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| Scaled Composites Mission Control Center, June 21, 2004 |
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| Burt Rutan (left) and Paul Allen at the press conference following the first successful privately funded human space flight, June 21, 2004. |
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—— What was your relationship with the U.S. government on this project?
This has nothing to do with any government contract or any government work. In fact, our government was not aware of what we were doing until the public was told. This could not have been done under the regulatory rules over the technical monitoring procedures of our government.
—— What do you think the difference will be between the government's role in the space industry and the private sector's?
I don't think the government will have a major role in the coming decades for flying passengers. Government has ignored the needs of members of the public who want to fly outside of the atmosphere. And government systems tend to be extremely expensive. Not necessarily safer, but just extremely expensive. So I don't see that there will be a government role, just like there wasn't a government airline in this country. Airlines started as commercial business entities, not government. The thing that's confusing and different here is that for 43 years all the manned space flying has been done through government programs. But once that changes, I think the government won't be doing it any longer, because it doesn't make sense to fly astronauts on systems that are more expensive to fly and more dangerous.
—— How should a government organization like JAXA support private space development?
I think it should support it by getting out of the way and not being a burden.
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