Let's create fictional billionaire called, say, Elton Bozo. Just like his very real counterparts, he has made a colossal fortune (let's say he invented a new way of bread coming in slices, and got an Amazon cash cow out of this). His present fortune is $250 billion and rising again and again.
Just like Musk, Bezos, Branson and some others (Bill Gates in his Teledesic days) that guy happens to be a space nerd.
Except he has done nothing so far except reading Mars Direct and the NASA derivatives, notably DRM 1.0
forum.nasaspaceflight.com
This guy knows his space history and realizes that thanks to Congress absolute idiocy, NASA now has the exact rocket described in Zubrin "the case for Mars", the infamous SD-HLV: Shuttle Derived Heavy Lift Vehicle.
Except that Congress stopped right there: as far as pork goes, SLS is enough for their taste.
Our Elton Bozo decides this is just plain silly, and gets an idea. He goes to meet NASA and says "Let's do DRM 1.0 together. You have the rocket; I have the money to make it fly and to build the vehicles described in DRM 1.0 as long as NTR is not used."
What do you think ? Could be compete with Musk to Mars, starting in, say, 2018 - when SLS construction is well advanced ?
How would Congress react, and what would happen to Artemis ?
Just like Musk, Bezos, Branson and some others (Bill Gates in his Teledesic days) that guy happens to be a space nerd.
Except he has done nothing so far except reading Mars Direct and the NASA derivatives, notably DRM 1.0
Comprehensive list of Mars DRM/DRAs, especially including 2.0 and 4.0?
Comprehensive list of Mars DRM/DRAs, especially including 2.0 and 4.0?
forum.nasaspaceflight.com
This guy knows his space history and realizes that thanks to Congress absolute idiocy, NASA now has the exact rocket described in Zubrin "the case for Mars", the infamous SD-HLV: Shuttle Derived Heavy Lift Vehicle.
Except that Congress stopped right there: as far as pork goes, SLS is enough for their taste.
Our Elton Bozo decides this is just plain silly, and gets an idea. He goes to meet NASA and says "Let's do DRM 1.0 together. You have the rocket; I have the money to make it fly and to build the vehicles described in DRM 1.0 as long as NTR is not used."
What do you think ? Could be compete with Musk to Mars, starting in, say, 2018 - when SLS construction is well advanced ?
How would Congress react, and what would happen to Artemis ?
