Will Ad Astra become a commercial supplier for deep space?

Nydoc · Post by **Nydoc** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:00 pm

I spotted this article on Aviation Week. Does anyone think there can be a viable business model for space tugs delivering probes? Is it a "if we build it, they will come" scenario?

http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.asp ... 42.xml&p=1

Skipjack · Post by **Skipjack** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 10:01 pm

Yeah, that could work, but only if NASA did something like CCDev where they have SEVERAL competing providers. Just having Ad Astra as a single source would not work. Maybe get some competing systems financed as well (e.g. something like Sloughs fusion propulsion which is currently getting funding from NIAC).