This really isn't any different than when a professional sports team gets a stadium built on the taxpayers' dime. I don't necessarily agree with it and I don't know that it even makes sense, economically, but it happens all the time and a clear majority of the public seems to at least accept it as
the way it is.
Here in my backyard, Chicago is going ******* ape **** in an effort to get the Olympics here and the price tag for that makes the $200 million space port look like chump change by comparison (and the Olympics lasts only two weeks!)
But I didn't post this to be about the public financing issue (though I know it is important). I just think it's interesting that NASA made 15 minute suborbital flights in the 60's with the Mercury missions and it was a huge deal - in preparation for the later Gemini and Apollo missions that led to human beings walking on the moon, driving dune buggy's around, playing lunar golf and bringing back bags of rocks.
Now we've got private companies attempting to replicate their accomplishments and anyone who can pony up the price of the high-tech elevator ride can participate.
