From: young@spinifex.dg.oz (Philip Young)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.space
Subject: Re: Soyuz vs. reality
Date: 29 Jan 93 05:09:17 GMT
Organization: Data General Australia

In article <1993Jan26.225108.24157@watson.ibm.com>, larry@labrador.fishkill.ibm.com (Larry Pieniazek) writes:
|> In article <0fNLWO200iUyA3s2h9@andrew.cmu.edu>, Theodore Wadsworth
|> <tw1t+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:
|> > In your discusions of Proton launched Soyuz not being able to reach a 28
|> > degree orbit is this including the possibility of launch from the Cape
|> > York facility.  I am not aware whether the facility is currently capable
|> > of handling proton launch.
|> 
|> Since I for one have been lead to understand that nothing has been
|> built there yet, it is my impression that the facility is not even
|> currently capable of handling an estes launch. :-)
|> 

Not one sod has been turned, and I doubt very much if it'll ever see
the light of day, despite the Queensland state government backing it,
and the existence of private parties, including a consortium fronted
by a former Premier of Qld., who are willing to finance, build and run
it if they can just get the federal government to permit it.

The problem is entirely political.  The current Qld. government, and the
federal government (both Australian Labor Party) are of a different
political persuasion to those who originally championed the idea
(National Party - smallest of the "big three", rural-based).  So the
present state govt. is only giving lip service, and the federal govt.
is ducking the issue (referring it to various committees, c.f. "Yes, Prime
Minister").  The real trouble is that the ALP, like the Democrats in the US,
is a "true-believer"-style party, and therefore has the support of most
activist organizations.  In Australia we have well-organized, government-
funded Environmentalist and Aboriginal Rights groups who oppose the idea
anywhere on Cape York, which is where it needs to be.

Now, the ALP knows that a spaceport would be a fantastic generator of
jobs, a big boost for Australian research, etc., and one would expect
them to be avid fans of the project, since it's to be carried out with
private money, especially since unemployment here is around 12% (yes,
that's t-w-e-l-v-e).  However, there's a federal election due by the end
of May which looks like being fairly close, and the ALP is evidently
unwilling to alienate passionate supporters.  And if they do win the
election, there'll be political debts to pay.

So, without a change of government here, it's unlikely Australia will
get a spaceport at all.  Cape York's main advantages are: close to the
equator; in a politically stable environment; in an industrialized
nation with an educated workforce.  Our near Asian neighbours will
probably beat us to it, since their economies, and the educational level
of their workforces, are rapidly catching up, and they have the same
geographical advantage.

Sadly, space enthusiasm in Australia has virtually no voice.  There's not
been a single word about it from any politician, or the media, in the
run-up to the election.  Not even in the letters to the editor in the
newspapers.  Perhaps if we could de-emphasize the cerebral side, turn up
the volume and pull a few media stunts we could at least be on an even
footing with the others who play this way.  Suggestions welcome!

Ad astra ex Terra Australis?  Who are you kidding???
  

-- 
Philip R. Young                   | Sir Lloyne might rib his friends,
Data General Australia Pty. Ltd.  | but he always gets in for his chop.
 
Organization: Masters student, Industrial Administration, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA