Why are we still using expensive, dangerous rockets to go to space? Is it still the 1950s? We have dozens of scientifically-plausible ideas to make space access cheaper and safer:

-Skyhook

-Space Gun

-Mass Drivers

-Orbital Ring

-Space Elevator

-Space Fountain

-Launch Loop

-Space Plane

Just pick one, and start trying to make it work. We’re paying thousands of dollars per kilogram to send payloads into space. Once we get to a few hundred dollars, we can start doing things like asteroid mining. Solar power satellites will be cost-competitive with fossil fuels. Space tourism would take off.

Come on, NASA! What the fuck?