space exploration
- Thread starter blastboy
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The costs far exceed any funds that a private company would have available for research and development (which is very extensive). Companies don't have billions to throw away for no-return (if you're talking about actual satellites and telescopes for space exploration). This is why the public sector are more invested in actual exploration, whilst private companies are researching the possibilities of commercializing space travel, as it will actually yield a return.
If you're talking about the entire private sector being forced to invest in space exploration, then that's nonsensical (and theft) and no different to the public sector funding space exploration (through taxes obtained from the private sector).
kill dank
Hero
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They do have billions to throw away, and so do the people at the top of them.. I have no doubt that soon enough you will see private companies and investors exploring space.
Provide evidence then. Your statement is anecdotal.
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http://www.riotinto.com/annualreport2010/financial_statements/company_balance_sheet.html
They have a 27 Billion Dollar Equity.
They have 36 Billion Dollars in Investments.
Big Business does have billions to throw away, although many companies do not have a Balance Sheet as impressive as Rio Tinto, their equity is still in the billions.
You're taking the situation of out context however. This isn't about whether companies can throw away money, it's about private spaceflight companies being able to privately fund space exploration (spacecraft flight that cannot be commercialized. i.e. satellites and telescopes etc.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_private_spaceflight_companies
Most of the companies listed seek to use their funds to commercialize space flight.
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Or, big companies like Rio Tinto could invest in those private spaceflight companies?
The point is that 100's of companies have more money than they know what to do with. An Investment in space exploration wouldn't be so drastic.
Try convincing the shareholders of an extremely large public limited company to approve a diversification model (a high-risk strategy) into a completely non-existent market. It wont happen. Cash flow within such large companies is inherently high. They are always planning to expand within their market.
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Don't you think a mining giant would be interested in the chance to mine nearby asteroids? Perhaps the moon?
Not all things in business are done with the pure intention of profit, I'm sure it would be great advertising however, should a company donate billions to space exploration.
Do you know of any companies that have donated to science? Consider donating to space exploration the same. No one company has to donate 20 billion, but I'm sure small donations from many companies amounts to a sizable amount.
