Trump administration wants to privatize International Space Station: report

[pbmus]

The Trump administration has put together plans that would end the federal funding of the International Space Station and instead turn it into a private, commercially run venture.

An internal NASA document obtained by the Washington Post has revealed the Trump administration intends to turn the ISS "into a kind of orbiting real estate venture run not by the government, but by private industry." Federal funding for the ISS, first launched in 1998, would end by the end of 2024, though, the Trump administration "does not intend to abandon the orbiting laboratory altogether and is working on a transition plan that could turn the station over to the private sector."

The station is currently contracted to Boeing and costs roughly between $3 and $4 billion annually to run, but it would not be "deorbited."
"The decision to end direct federal support for the ISS in 2025 does not imply that the platform itself will be deorbited at that time — it is possible that industry could continue to operate certain elements or capabilities of the ISS as part of a future commercial platform," the internal document stated, according to the Post. "NASA will expand international and commercial partnerships over the next seven years in order to ensure continued human access to and presence in low Earth orbit."

There is little insight, however, on exactly how its transition into the private sector would work, but the White House said it "will request market analysis and business plans from the commercial sector and solicit plans from commercial industry," the Post reported. The administration will also make a request for $15 million in fiscal year 2019, in order "to enable the development and maturation of commercial entities and capabilities which will ensure that commercial successors to the ISS —potentially including elements of the ISS — are operational when they are needed."

https://www.salon.com/2018/02/11/trump-administration-wants-to-privatize-international-space-station-report/

///////////////////////////////////////////////////

If these money grubbers have there way, we could be paying for the air we breath....

[C_U_L8R]

1. Would you buy a used space station from this man?

Buyer beware.

[dewsgirl]

2. I was certain this was satire when I read it this morning,

What the hell is happening? Someone make it stop.

[bronxiteforever]

3. I can see it now. First Casino in Space.

[dixiegrrrrl]

10. Financed by money laundering. n/t

[bronxiteforever]

12. True!

[Wellstone ruled]

4. First off,is not this thing about to

be decommissioned in the near future? Is not Musk and the fellow from Virgin Atlantic teaming up on replacement.

[pbmus]

5. Yes, but if he can talk his oligarch friends to invest in an out of date used

Space station,,,I say go for it...

[Wellstone ruled]

7. As long as thr Treasury actually

gets paid in real money and not Tax Rebate Script.

[Anon-C]

6. Cant wait for the Zero-G Folies and the Free-Fall Craps!

[tritsofme]

8. I believe this thing is near the end of its life, I think its a neat idea.

I am excited for more private innovation from guys like Musk and Bezos in space!

[rickford66]

9. The US government can absorb unexpected costs in emergencies.

That could put a private company out of business, leaving stranded astronauts to be rescued by others, if others still have the equipment and manpower. I haven't seen enough coverage of the tremendous historical investment made by the US taxpayers to enable a private company to send up a rocket. I think this latest shot was unbelievable and exciting, but there's no way the US taxpayers will be off the hook for a good portion of any future space endeavors.

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. AKA...privatize the profits, socialize the expenses. n/t

[Control-Z]

13. Yup. n/t