[mogrim]

You can believe that if you like, but I'm sure he'd be the first to admit that his success is only possible thanks to the advances made in the Space Race, which was of course state funded.

[icebraining]

Playing Devil's advocate, the state just got there first; we can make suppositions, but it's now impossible to know if non-governmental entities could make such advances, since they're already made.

[mogrim]

Of course, although I find it hard to imagine a modern corporation funding something like the Apollo landings.