Bruce Boxleitner, best known among science fiction fans as Captain Sheridan of Babylon 5, is obviously passionate about space exploration. A recent 45-minute appearance for Babylon 5 turned into a half-hour speech on the importance of space.
Speaking at Fantasticon in Los Angeles, Boxleitner, a member of the Board of Governors for the National Space Society, addressed the problems with the space program.
Something rotten in space
Simply, he said, "the problem is bureaucrats."
"Until we can make going to space profitable and get the capitalists involved, nothing will happen."
In particular, he believes NASA has become bogged down in the red tape of bureaucracy and government involvement.
"Anything the government gets involved in," he said, "it screws up."
Addressing the recent rash of disappointing Mars exploration he conceded that NASA is dangerously underfunded and overwhelmed with expectations.
"No bucks, no Buck Rogers," he said, adding that this is why it is vital to make space a commercial enterprise.
"When businesses see that they can profit from space exploration," he said, "they will be willing to invest in it."
Are we there yet?
Later, Boxleitner echoed his concerns about the space exploration budget by saying, "We haven't been back to the moon since the Apollo missions! We are so far behind it's ridiculous."
And the lack of positive media attention is part of the problem.
"We had a successful rover landing on Mars, but all the media reports is the failures."
Finally, Boxleitner, who just returned from Boston from filming independent film The Perfect Nanny, encouraged all fans to write their congressmen and senators to get the ball rolling on the space program again.
"Until and unless the government knows that [everyday] people care about the space program, they won't feel the need to focus on it."
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