Virgin Galactic Spaceship Two Now Booking Flights for Next Year

While it took the government to get us into space they did it at a huge cost to the taxpayer. Commercialization of space, like the mass production of the automobile, is necessary to get the cost down to where the average Joe can go into space for fun. A corporation will always be able to do things cheaper than a government that has no incentive to save money.
 
Quarter million to go? Man, if I had it, I'd go for it! Add that to the stuff SpaceX has been doing lately, and things are looking up for space exploration!
 
JoshL said:
Quarter million to go? Man, if I had it, I'd go for it!
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+1

I just hope the safety aspect is very well understood and designed for - triple system redundancies etc. And they're not taking crazy risks like NASA did when Challenger launched despite some engineers saying the sub-zero temperatures on the landing pad could cause a critical failure... Being commercial, money is a huge factor and constant pressure.
 
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wreckerman893 said:
While it took the government to get us into space they did it at a huge cost to the taxpayer. Commercialization of space, like the mass production of the automobile, is necessary to get the cost down to where the average Joe can go into space for fun. A corporation will always be able to do things cheaper than a government that has no incentive to save money.
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But it took a government's will, fear and money to have the desire to develop those technologies in the first place.
Scientists always wanted to explore space.
A lot of politicians were just eager to build a delivery system for weapons that can reach every spot on the earth or a camera that can spot every spot on the earth. Getting things in orbit makes it possible.
Add the competition between the different ideologies to proof who is better at sports, technology, art, etc and it's a perfect environment to develop space technologies.

No commercial business could have done that and survived the costs.

Commercialization is now possible because it's all tweaking proven concepts instead of developing new stuff.
I think it's a great next step in spaceflight, but it's still just a toe in the swimmingpool.

I would love to see Earth from outer space :)
 
Lucky Hardwood said:
Going into space is on my bucket list. If I do not get into space before I die, my will stipulates that my ashes are to be launched.
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Oh my gosh. Imagine. How much you wanna bet they do eventually offer that service? Hmmm, something to think about. Hopefully a much cheaper way to get out to space, at least.
 
richy said:
Oh my gosh. Imagine. How much you wanna bet they do eventually offer that service? Hmmm, something to think about. Hopefully a much cheaper way to get out to space, at least.
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It's already being done, and has been for quite a while. One such company shot Timothy Leary & Gene Rodenberry ashes into space in the mid-90's, and has been doing it ever since. There's probably other companies, too. They piggyback onto regular satellite launches.

James Doohan (old-school Scotty) is scheduled to shoot up & away next year. :cool:

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Zensteve said:
It's already being done, and has been for quite a while. One such company shot Timothy Leary & Gene Rodenberry ashes into space in the mid-90's, and has been doing it ever since. There's probably other companies, too. They piggyback onto regular satellite launches.

James Doohan (old-school Scotty) is scheduled to shoot up & away next year. :cool:

.
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Let's do it!
 
I once spent 800 bucks for my son and I to fly in a WWII B-17 Flying Fortress. I grew up watching war movies and TV programs like "Twelve O'clock High". Best money I ever spent. If I hit the lotto a trip into space is right up there with owning a Huey chopper (I was a door gunner on one back in the 70's). Money is for spending.
 
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