Jim Lovell of Apollo 13 fame now backs the commercial approach to space development: Back to the Moon, Commercially – SpaceNews.com.

Some in Congress are at this very moment talking once again about forcing NASA to establish a program to sustain a human presence on the Moon. I, unfortunately, am not optimistic as we have been here before.

But there is hope. The private sector is stepping up to meet the challenge: an ambitious startup, the Golden Spike Co., is leading the way in creating commercial models to mount human expeditions to the surface of the Moon for nations, companies and individuals.

Until now I have been very doubtful and indeed critical of many existing commercial space ventures that are largely funded by taxpayer dollars. But after several meetings with Golden Spike executives, including the chairman of its board — my old friend — former Apollo Flight Director Gerry Griffin, I became convinced that we truly are on the cusp of a brand new era of commercial lunar space travel.

He has become an advisor to Golden Spike, which is developing a system architecture to enable human missions to the Moon at a small fraction of what NASA’s Constellation program  would have cost. Their mission architecture combines existing rockets and in-space transports with new landing/return vehicles and surface systems.

Lovell probably won’t be invited back to any Congressional hearings on space.

Perhaps Apollo 17 astronaut Gene Cernan, who has repeatedly dissed commercial approaches to human spaceflight, will be the next one to come around.

[ Update: Stephen C. Smith gives the background story to Lovell’s new views on commercial spaceflight: Jim Lovell Joins NewSpace – Space KSC.]

===

More space policy items:

• Why the Space Station Must Trump Exploration – Donald F. Robertson/SpaceNews.com
• Letter: Fla. Congress members backed NASA’s bid process – Florida Today – Op-Ed by Stephen C. Smith
• Maryland has an opportunity in space exploration and science – baltimoresun.com
• Space Policy Events for the Week of September 23-27, 2013

Update:

• Mission to moon will boost research and awareness – chinadaily.com.cn
• US Military Wants New Experimental XS-1 Space Plane – Space.com – via Rand Simberg who is quoted in the piece