I’m in two minds about this. NASA has announced it’s intention to resume manned spaceflght. That is surely something to be welcomed, and presumably it will be designing a replacement for the shuttle somewhere down the line. What I’m not so sure about is it’ intention to use private firms to help it do so. Of course, talent and expertise can crop up in any sector, but everyone knows that private industry cuts corners for profit, and the idea that competition leads to excellence is a myth. So while this is promising news from NASA, I just hope their new space ships aren’t going to be laden with McDonald’s logos, and turn out to be as flimsy as their burgers.