Keeping Pace with Japan IN SPACE! - interview with an aerospace engineer

On September 22, 2007 in Interviews

This is a continuation of our interview with Turner from KeepingPaceInJapan.

Today we are talking about Japan… IN SPACE! space space space *echo*

For those “out of the loop” here is a quick update:

The year is 2007, private space companies are already booking tickets and unveiling plans for the world’s first tourist spaceport. And Japan and China are in the middle of a new space race*. Lost?

Luckily for you, you have an rocket scientist at your beckon call

Daily J: I noticed in your Japan vs. China space race article you mentioned that you have a background in aerospace? (or did I read that wrong?) This is getting off the topic of Japan, but what do you think of the private space sector (Richard Branson and friends)?

You read correctly; I have a degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
I’ve believed from the moment of choosing my studies that the private sector will ultimately determine the future of space travel; in my opinion, organizations like NASA and its counterparts are too dependent on government funding and administrative procedures, we saw a good example of this after the Challenger disaster. People forget just how easily this could have occurred prior to 2003. Unfortunately, in order to recover, NASA had to effectively put all operations on hold until a subcommittee of a committee of a branch of another committee could say with 89.6% certainty that the problem was “patched”.

Companies like Scaled Compositions and those that competed for the X-Prize are doing the real pioneering work, simply because­ well, commercialism is quite a motivator, and space truly is an unexplored frontier in that regard as well as others. By putting the industry in the hands of more individuals (not necessarily the rich), we can expect to see more competition, better technology, and as such, more results.

Ultimately, I’d like to go to law school and get a degree in the as yet undeveloped field of space law, but we shall see what the future holds.

If you do, best of luck. And let us know!

*In the time since we had this conversation Google and the X prize offered a purse of $30 million to the first private company to land a robot on the moon. In response to this, JAXA (Japan Aerospace) announced plans to privatise and compete for the prize.

My question is, will China follow? I don’t know. But I think that you should read Turner’s post. Then be sure to join us again tomorrow to hear about some of his adventures in Japan!

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