It was 46 years ago today that Yuri Gagarin did what no human being had ever done before. This is also the 26th anniversary of the first space shuttle launch. Rand Simberg had some thoughts around this time last year that bear repeating:

Perhaps, 45 years after a race initiated by a socialist-state space program, and 25 years after a failed attempt at our own socialist program, it's time for NASA to support even more vigorously the new space era. The space program should be based on the American values of free enterprise and individualism, not on NASA's failed 5, 10, and 25 year plans.

The Russians have, to some extent, re-engineered their space program to a private sector concern. But this is where the US should really be the leaders. Maybe the best thing NASA could do at this point is just sort of step out of the way.