Business View Civil & Municipal | Volume 2, Issue 8

12 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 2, ISSUE 8 POWER QUEST ION as being possible. They’ve taken on what was a government program and turned it into a potentially private enterprise. Obviously, it has a lot of proving to do before there’s a large group of people that would be willing, and could afford, to go. But with technology, they’ll find a way to make it more cost efficient and more available. I don’t know if I’d be on the second flight but I would buy a ticket… it just might be on a flight down the road a bit. It would be very cool.” Kate Williams, CEO of 1% for the Planet, Burlington, Vermont: “Personally, I’m fascinated by it. Every now and then I’ll have a moment where I see the moon and think, that is just amazing that we went there. So I really appreciate the ingenuity of humans, it’s just such an example for me of what we’re capable of when we put our mind to it. But it’s not something I would personally pursue because I’m pretty interested in our planet. I tend to go the other direction – I’m still learning about the woods and trees in my backyard. I want to know those well. And having my feet on the ground… I feel that there’s untapped learning for me here, right now.” Barry Gaw, President Sippican Partners Construction, Ashland, New Hampshire: “I would not consider it, the extent of my going vertical is confined to a ladder. But I think that it’s great that people are taking those risks and innovating because I think it will only better the way we function in the world. It’s pretty phenomenal.” Steven Wright, Director of Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport, Brainerd, Minnesota: “That’s a very fitting question because during our last vacation I took my family down to Cape Canaveral to watch the SpaceX Falcon rocket launch. And my sons and I said, ‘Ya, we’re going to be on that first flight to Mars’. So, yes, as soon as I can afford a ticket, I’d love to be on that flight.”