I would suggest that there are more important alternative goals to "democratize access to space" 1 - such as: democratize access to clean air. 2 - democratize access to clean water, 3 - democratize access to food everywhere on earth, 4 - democratize access to health care, democratize access to a world where women are not treated as object, 5 - democratize access to a world where racism has been eradicated, 7 - democratize access to living without fear, 8 - democratize access to democracy. So plenty of work to do "down here" before we spend our time and money playing Buck Rogers. Before you throw me the "we can do many things at the same time"...really? Can you tell me which priority is given to my 1 to 8 points below. Also, "space is a source of innovations"....I worked on the space program in the late 80s, early 90s (and by the way worked on some of the same initiatives...exploring the universe), there are plenty opportunities to innovate while addressing 1 to 8 above. How about we start with that? Next will be "space is the new frontier": no it isn't. Unless you find some Star Trek or Star Wars wizbang propulsion system we are confined to earth, the moon and mars...that's about it. Why bother? Oh yeah, Christopher Columbus...well, the equivallent would have been telling this fellow he could not sail beyon 12 miles of the Spanish coast, if that! Lastly, I am sicj and tired of the hype around SpaceX: they are doing what's been done long before, with technology that's about the same, and with the same source of funding: tax payers $. Enough already!