> Governments do things that are not profitable but advance society, for profit entities don't.
The simplest way to understand if society wants something is if it will pay for it.
> the idea of access to space being solely the preserve of commercial entities is an uncomfortable one
It shouldn't be. Until SpaceX, the only way to the ISS was a Russian-controlled system. Would you prefer that to SpaceX today? Or is it better to have companies - that are regulated - follow money rather than the whims of whomever is currently in charge?
The simplest way to understand if society wants something is if it will pay for it.
> the idea of access to space being solely the preserve of commercial entities is an uncomfortable one
It shouldn't be. Until SpaceX, the only way to the ISS was a Russian-controlled system. Would you prefer that to SpaceX today? Or is it better to have companies - that are regulated - follow money rather than the whims of whomever is currently in charge?