Longtime fans of my blog (which means pretty much only me) may remember my discussion about the concept of a space elevator. Well NASA is adapting to the new century and has an idea which mgiht jumpstart the space elevator program. Based on the Ansari X Prize, NASA is sponsoring a contest to design a tether system, with the idea of using what is developed to build an elevator at some point in the future. At the very least, the $400,000 they are awarding should spark some good ideas. I really think that private enterprise is the way to go with space exploration. Not necessarily because private companies are better equipped to get there, but because they won't be held down by people complaining. People complain about everything. First they would complain about all the money that is going towards space exploration instead of being spent on bums, out of work single mothers, old people who didn't save for retirement, and everyone else whose bad choices make them eligible for public welfare. Then, after the government goes ahead and gets in space, they will complain that all the same people deserve the chance to go in to space, too. With private enterprise leading the way, they can give the complainers the middle finger and say, "If you want to go in to space, build a spaceship, just like we did."