SpaceShipOne!!

POSTED BY: Calhoun
UPDATED: Wednesday, October 6, 2004 22:48
VIEWED: 4767
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CALHOUN

Monday, October 4, 2004 9:41 AM

Is anyone else as excited by the recent successes of Burt Rutan's X-Prize contender SpaceShipOne?

Richard Branson has formed a new company called "Virgin Galactic" and is throwing large sums of cash at Scaled Composites and expects to be flying tourists into space by 2007 for around 200K a ticket. I know this is still expensive but the revenue generated will be going straight back into the technology and costs will come down. I firmly believe it possible I might make it into space before I die, something that didnt seem very likely only a short while ago.

This is a momentous time, the dawn of a new era.

I am truly mystified by how little "air time" this story gets on the news...

CALHOUN

Monday, October 4, 2004 11:00 AM

bump..

This is humanitys' biggest milestone I can think of.. Time to get excited people!!

Have you checked out the flight video of the first official run? look here! http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/video/x-prize-flight-1.wmv

CALHOUN

Monday, October 4, 2004 11:03 AM

Hmmm.. the link doesnt seem to work...

Just go to Scaled Composites web site and download it. ITS AWESOME!

http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/

BARNEYT

Monday, October 4, 2004 12:27 PM

Also of note for the SpaceShipOne launch was the presence of co-pilot bear Terence, released from his tour of duty with the RAF to accompany SpaceShipOne on this awesome flight. When he returns home to England, he'll be auctioned to raise money for the Air Ambulance in Cumbria

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/3697538.stm

---
"I think the right place to start is to say, fair is fair. This is who we are. These are our numbers." Mr Willis of Ohio - The West Wing

SIMONF

Monday, October 4, 2004 12:33 PM

I rather think this is a publicity gimmick by Branson, he can't even get Virgin trains running properly in the UK.

But regardless of that, there is a very important role for the private sector in space flights.

CALHOUN

Monday, October 4, 2004 12:43 PM

Quote:
SimonF wrote:
Monday, October 04, 2004 02:33
I rather think this is a publicity gimmick by Branson, he can't even get Virgin trains running properly in the UK.

The deal has been inked and the ink has dried.

I am stoked that someone with MONEY has come to the party. I Wish Bill Gates would throw a couple of Billion at this.

EVILTOBZ

Monday, October 4, 2004 2:31 PM

you're right on the bill gates thing. most of the vocal microsoft haters are probably wetting themselves at the idea of affordable commercial space flight, i know i am. seeing the evil empire throwing money at something like this would probably gain them a lot of credibility from such people as well as just being huge advertising in general.

just hope they aren't running the flight systems on windows :)

---------------------------------------------
eviltobz - that's lowercase gorram it!

BARNEYT

Monday, October 4, 2004 2:33 PM

SpaceShipOne's taking it's second flight today - if this one is ratified, it wins the X-Prize

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3712998.stm

(no mention of whether Terence is going up in this one or not though... )

---
"I think the right place to start is to say, fair is fair. This is who we are. These are our numbers." Mr Willis of Ohio - The West Wing

BLUESUNWORSHIPPER

Monday, October 4, 2004 3:41 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Calhoun:
Is anyone else as excited by the recent successes of Burt Rutan's X-Prize contender SpaceShipOne?

Richard Branson has formed a new company called "Virgin Galactic" and is throwing large sums of cash at Scaled Composites and expects to be flying tourists into space by 2007 for around 200K a ticket. I know this is still expensive but the revenue generated will be going straight back into the technology and costs will come down. I firmly believe it possible I might make it into space before I die, something that didnt seem very likely only a short while ago.

This is a momentous time, the dawn of a new era.

I am truly mystified by how little "air time" this story gets on the news...

...and did you ALSO know that Branson is going to name the FIRST Virgin Galactic spaceship to be made for the company the "VSS Enterprise"? It is absolutely true, I read it on www.nwcn.com when they broke the story. It's a proud day for us geeks everywhere.

God, I love it!

- T

MISTRESSOFUSELESSKNOWLEDGE

Monday, October 4, 2004 8:39 PM

MASSIVE BUMP!!!

Space Ship One did it! With hundreds of feet to spare! Oh, it is a great day for space enthusiasts and geeks alike. The Science Channel ran full coverage the whole time, from 9am until about 3 pm EST. It was awesome! I watched it on Wednesday and today, and was very excited to see some good history being made, instead of tragic history. The Science Channel and Discovery Channel are going to run some documentaries about Ruttan and Scaled Composites this week, and a documentary about these flights later this month. Catch it if you can!
WOO HOO!!!

Mistress of Useless Knowledge

"Gravity.
It's not just a good idea;
It's the Law."

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