What was the significance of the Space-X flight, now concluded? By way of clearing away of side-issue: I'm not an admirer of Elon Musk. He is the epitome of the faux-entrepreneur who makes his money on connections rather than real savvy or productivity. He has sometimes seemed like Donald Trump, but with a high-tech gloss (I mean of course the Trump of casinos and a television show, before his descent into politics, where his role has been something far worse.) But Musk aside: what is the significance of Space-X? My answer: it marks a stage in the privatization of space travel. We have passed the 'hero stage' of astronauts. Much of what they do -- replacing old satellites with new ones, running experiments where zero-grav is important -- has become a more-or-less routine matter. Yes, the science of those experiments can be cutting edge, but the heroes stay on the ground. The astronauts are important for laboratory maintenance. Or, sometimes, their bodies ARE the e...