Monkies in tin cans.
Unfortunately, with our current technology and the human passion for things that go boom and blow other humans into bite sized chunks, I am not optimistic about this happening any time, let's say, within my lifetime.
Until, company or government can make more money by doing something in space rather than down at this end of the gravity well, then I'm afraid relying on altruism or curiosity won't cut it.
As an aside: the NASA budget in 1966 was 4.41% of the total government spend. In 2014 it was approximately 0.5%
Biting the hand that feeds IT
