I know this project will have obstacles. The biggest obstacle is why risk a man’s life. Another obstacle is the "what’s in it for me" syndrome. Why risk a man’s life? A man climbs into a rocket knowing things could go wrong, but he does the same thing every time he climbs into an automobile. The point is, we all risk our lives, but few of us risk it for something greater than ourselves, to make history, set a record or to bring back tales of high adventure--the stuff dreams are made of. Rocketry never really had a barnstorming era like flying had, and we wonder why the public has little interest in the space program. Can you buy a ticket to ride the space shuttle, or even a lottery ticket to have a one-in-a-thousand chance to be the common Joe or Jane to view the heavens from space? Those decisions will be made without your consent but paid for with your tax dollars. I am a big fan of N.A.S.A., but the time has come to show the world that space is bigger than governments, but it only belongs to those willing to risk their lives, money or reputations getting there. There are people who would trivialize a 3000-foot launch as a cheap stunt. The fact is, the challenge has been unanswered and big government holds the only ticket to space and can consider it null and void any time and for any reason it so chooses.

  What is "in it for you" is to have your work and ideas immortalized in the history books, to give your children or grandchildren a better chance to go into space and to be able to tell them you did your part to get them there.

  America was second to launch a satellite into space, put a man into orbit, and walk in space. Are we going to be second or third to conduct a privately funded manned rocket launch?

  If we are, what happened to our frontier spirit?