Virgin Galactic
Discussion
I don't know if I am more impressed by the fact that in 2 years time people might be able to casually fly to the edge of space without specific training or by the design of the terminal!
Ha the glamour,
the champagne,
the dream,
the exclusivity,
th...
"any liquid in the bag? Take you laptop out!"
<sigh>
Ha the glamour,
the champagne,
the dream,
the exclusivity,
th...
"any liquid in the bag? Take you laptop out!"
<sigh>
Edited by J B L on Tuesday 8th December 13:46
Don't you think £121,000 for six minutes of weightlessness is a little steep? Total flight duration is two hours most of which is spent climbing around airliner attitudes followed by a 90-second zoom from 50,000 ft to 110km, six minutes floating around, a glide to the runway & a bill comparable to a mortgage. This is effectively just a high-flying aircraft. The ISS orbits at 380 kilometres, the shuttle operates in an altitude range of 190 - 960 kilometres, geostationary orbit is at 35,000 kilometres (at the equator) & the moon is approximately 385,000 km away. Even the old X-15 went up to 108km back in August 1963, so please excuse me if I don't get excited by Beardie's lastest venture - like most of his projects - it's more spin than substance.
Penguinracer said:
Don't you think £121,000 for six minutes of weightlessness is a little steep? Total flight duration is two hours most of which is spent climbing around airliner attitudes followed by a 90-second zoom from 50,000 ft to 110km, six minutes floating around, a glide to the runway & a bill comparable to a mortgage. This is effectively just a high-flying aircraft. The ISS orbits at 380 kilometres, the shuttle operates in an altitude range of 190 - 960 kilometres, geostationary orbit is at 35,000 kilometres (at the equator) & the moon is approximately 385,000 km away. Even the old X-15 went up to 108km back in August 1963, so please excuse me if I don't get excited by Beardie's lastest venture - like most of his projects - it's more spin than substance.
Take it you've booked then?Penguinracer said:
This is effectively just a high-flying aircraft.
There are no aircraft capable of that altitude currently in service. The official altitude record is held by Space Ship One, bettering by a small margin the previous unofficial record held by an X-15. A Virgin Galactic flight would be comparable with Alan Sheperd's "First American in space" flight in Freedom 7 in 1961, and he was hailed a hero...How much would you expect to pay for this kind of experience?
Although Virgin Galactic does not break new ground regarding its technical capabilities, it does warant a number of firsts -
it's the first non-governmental effort to put people beyond the atmosphere
although the Russians have taken some fare paying passengers to help fund their programme, this is really the first ever truly commercial human space venture
Look on it as a beginning. There are other, more ambitious, private enterprise programmes waiting in the wings.
it's the first non-governmental effort to put people beyond the atmosphere
although the Russians have taken some fare paying passengers to help fund their programme, this is really the first ever truly commercial human space venture
Look on it as a beginning. There are other, more ambitious, private enterprise programmes waiting in the wings.
Eric Mc said:
Although Virgin Galactic does not break new ground regarding its technical capabilities, it does warant a number of firsts -
it's the first non-governmental effort to put people beyond the atmosphere
although the Russians have taken some fare paying passengers to help fund their programme, this is really the first ever truly commercial human space venture
Look on it as a beginning. There are other, more ambitious, private enterprise programmes waiting in the wings.
I'd agree with this. If it goes well and some real potential is visible in this, in both a business and a technological sense, it could be hugely important. I just hope that this doesn't become a one off project.it's the first non-governmental effort to put people beyond the atmosphere
although the Russians have taken some fare paying passengers to help fund their programme, this is really the first ever truly commercial human space venture
Look on it as a beginning. There are other, more ambitious, private enterprise programmes waiting in the wings.
Due to the nature of these things, I'd imagine anything that happens will have been done beforehand by NASA etc. Opening the doors for everyone else will be the groundbreaking act.
Penguinracer said:
Don't you think £121,000 for six minutes of weightlessness is a little steep? Total flight duration is two hours most of which is spent climbing around airliner attitudes followed by a 90-second zoom from 50,000 ft to 110km, six minutes floating around, a glide to the runway & a bill comparable to a mortgage. This is effectively just a high-flying aircraft. The ISS orbits at 380 kilometres, the shuttle operates in an altitude range of 190 - 960 kilometres, geostationary orbit is at 35,000 kilometres (at the equator) & the moon is approximately 385,000 km away. Even the old X-15 went up to 108km back in August 1963, so please excuse me if I don't get excited by Beardie's lastest venture - like most of his projects - it's more spin than substance.
I think Branson and his customers also see themselves as investing in future projects.It might only be 6 min at the moment, but they want to be in orbit for a few days in another decade.
Although it might seem a bit steep for you and me... for his customers its not all that expensive. For somebody on 6mil a year pension they could have 50 flights each year
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