CIT 173, week 7, Bog 5, FredNet

Team FredNet, the open source project to win the 20 million dollar Google X Prize, is a wonderful idea. If colonization of space is ever to get off the ground as anything other than a government or corporate experiment, private individuals must become involved in exploration. Team FredNet is making space exploration literally open to the masses. Anyone can now actually participate in the design of spacecraft, instead of just watching on the TV. Although this project will probably turn out to be somewhat pricey, with 6 to 10 million dollars just for the lift to Earth orbit, it is something finally within reach of a private, non-profit organization.

Team FredNet also clearly shows that the open source community can compete with major corporations on major physical projects, and not just information systems (as major as the Linux project is). This will open space travel to all kinds of unimaginable private pursuits, and provide competition to the military and industrial development of space. I can easily imagine a time in the not too distant future when the idea of Team FredNet has inspired the imagination of millions, and open source space exploration becomes the first public sector, open exploration project on the scale of the Apollo program.

Team FredNet is an inspiration for anyone who believes that space colonization is the destiny of a free humanity.