Generally speaking, think of "bling" as shiny or adding shine to something.  For some critics NewSpace is nothing but bling, and this image will only be reinforced by the fawning hyper-attention to be lavished upon the first Hollywood stars and starlets to attain sub-orbital stature.  And while the flights will be sub-orbital, sales of magazines like People will definitely go all the way to LEO, if not GEO.

When the Rocket Racing League® holds its first exhibition race at the EAA AirVenture on August 1st and 2nd in Oshkosh, WI, what impact will this have on the nascent NewSpace industry?  From an engineering point of view, it's an outstanding opportunity for companies like Armadillo Aerospace, which is providing the LOX engines for the League's racing rockets.  It also provides a public forum for educating people about NewSpace and how it will transform human space activity in a way that will make it almost unrecognizable from the first fifty years of the Space Age.  Will this forum be used wisely, or will it be nothing more than NASCAR-on-rocket-steroids?  Will the LOX fuel the "NewSpace is bling" critics, or will it inform and inspire those who see more than profit when they look to the stars?  I hope it's a healthy blend of both, thereby making it clear that NewSpace and the profit motive can be good for more than just entertainment and bling.

No reason not to have one helluva fun time on the way to the solar system... but let's not forget all that humanity has to gain by exploring, settling and developing our stellar neighborhood.