Random Reflections on: Space Junk and Earth Junk

2007/12/28

I'm a little behind the news on this one, but the One Eyed Monster reported tonight on recent developments in Google's challenge to private sector entrepreneurs to put a working lunar lander on the Moon. This was first announced on or about 2007, Sept. 13.  A total purse of $30 million has been established for distribution according to various mileposts of accomplishment. One of the mileposts is for the new space junk to send back photos of space junk previously deposited by governments.

This is what happens when too much money lands in too few hands. Google has announced a number of initiatives to spur technological creativity, many of them more down-to-earth in locus as well as relevance.  But this one and its predecessor, the Ansari X prize of $10 million for private sector suborbital flight, prompt a number of questions.