Posted on 07/11/2021 9:45:32 AM PDT by White Lives Matter
The people in New Mexico are among the poorest in the country. Crooked former Gov. Bill Richardson and Branson convinced the state to finance Spaceport America, and a special hangar and runway for Virgin Galactic, in hopes this will bring tourists to the area. The poor people there are being taxed to pay for all this. So far this hasn’t brought one dime to Sierra County.
It was quite funny to listen to the ‘pre-game’ show featuring former astronauts reminiscing of how they saw how fragile the Earth was while up there. If they really believe what they’re saying, sending multitides up will detroy that fragility.
Branson’s whole scheme is to make trips to space like this a commonplace thing. The amount of pollution for the few people who’ll make the trip only to return to the point of departure is incredible. It is anti-environazi, which is why I’m all for it. Go humans!
That huge airplane is more impressive to me than the rocket ship that went into “space”.
A sub-orbital flight is not reaching space. ALMOST only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades and nukes.
Still, an impressive accomplishment.
Musk bought a ticket.
Different goals. Branson’s feathered re-entry approach method is inherently limited to “edge of space” flights like this, it cannot be used at the re-entry speeds of orbital craft, according to Bert Rutan. But it’s ideal for the intended purpose of space tourism.
Musk likes to do big things, take giant leaps, and that involves higher risk. Branson is more incremental, taking proven technologies and stretching them a bit to accomplish new things. Both are legitimate approaches but they are not the same, nor are their end goals.
I agree. A launch platform that can reach 40k+ feet prevents the need for a launch pad and lots of rocket fuel.
I’m curious whether Virgin Orbit or Virgin Galactic will start human orbital flights. This has the potential for extremely fast antipodal travel (<2hr vs 18hrs for halfway araound the world). There have to be significant military applications. The commercial impact would take some time.
Not only that, but he also polluted the Moon by leaving a couple of golf balls.
Seems like the free-assent record for a balloon altitude record would have to include the ride up to that parachute jump from over 100,000 feet.
But, perhaps the “balloon flight” must include a takeoff and (safe) landing from the same balloon for an altitude record?
I hit Mach 2 in a Honda Civic in third gear.
On a Branson tractor? I can believe it.
What’s your point?
Look up Project Excelsior and Red Bull Stratos.
No, the world record for manned ballooning is 69,680 ft
See Post 38.
Was gonna watch it live but they had Steven Cobert hosting part of the space launch and the CeO of Virgin is a flaming fag on TV so I had to stop watching and go vomit.
Bull, a balloon might get you 30 miles up maybe a little more but no way are you going 50/60 miles up in a balloon.
Disneyland for ultra-rich adults. Beyond that, I do not see an application.
Certainly, the method has succeeded in launching small sats to LEO, but to do the same with humans is problematical. Perhaps if the vehicles were designed to dock and mate with a space habit, without any intention of returning to earth, it might make sense. But, the need to survive re-entry would make the craft unprofitable.
We will see.
Meanwhile, Boeing just ain’t going.
Who will be the first billionaire to complete an orbit?
The race is on.
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