New Era Expected To Launch Space Travel Out Of This World
By Stan Bush
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4)- The announcement of new manned American space flights has aerospace insiders declaring Friday the beginning of a new era – where commercial business will launch science and technology off the planet.
"It's kind of this Wright Brother's moment transitioning from government only space flight to this public private partnership," says Phil Larson, a former Obama science advisor and assistant dean at the University of Colorado Boulder School of Applied Science.
Larson foresees a future where companies use space flight in a competition to fully connect the globe with gig-speed internet, open space tourism, or even mine for rare minerals on passing asteroids.
The possibilities are endless for science and finance. Larson says the first trillionaire could be made in the space industry.
"You and I can go. We can pick up a space Uber. This announcement was the beginning of it," adds Larson.
Colorado companies stand to benefit. Virtually every current space launch uses at least one aspect of a Colorado-based aerospace company.
The nine astronauts introduced today will be tasked with the first missions taking space vehicles made by Boeing and Space-X to the International Space Station.
Stan Bush is a general assignment reporter at CBS4. His stories can be seen on CBS4 News at 10. Read his bio and follow him on Twitter @StanBushTV.