Virgin Galactic unveils SpaceShipTwo

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Virgin spaceship bared

Virgin Galactic unveils SpaceShipTwo, the world's first manned commercial spaceship

Hehehehehe Virgin Galactic!

Didn't read much of the article, but it seems interesting that a corporation is trying to make intergalactic commercial space flights a reality. Maybe space shuttles will become obsolete?

Not intergalactic, or interstellar (both would require much bigger ships, or some kind of faster-than-light drive mechanism, which we have no theory to describe), or even interplanetary - just suborbital flights around Earth. On the other hand, these would be the first-ever commercial passenger space flights (the "space tourists" who have flown to the ISS have done so by deadheading aboard actual working missions, supply runs and such).

And while the name is kind of funny, it is run by the same man who brought us Virgin Records, Virgin Cola, and Virgin Atlantic Airways - guess he just likes exploiting Virgins for money...

Actually, it's sort of a partial orbit at best; for some strange reason, it reminds me of the ship concept of Land of the Giants...

It also reminds me (the passengers to the ISS) of a wonderful BBC news snippet of when one of those boy band guys was going to be in a launch, when it fell through. The line ended with "...was replaced by a cargo container"...

It would cost quite a bit of money to pay for a ride on one.

This vehicle still does not have enough energy to achieve orbit. What it produces is an elaborate version of the "vomit comet" ride. Which may be worth it to some people. About five minutes of zero-g.

It is roughly what the U.S. did when it launced Alan Shepherd into sub-orbital flight the first time. The main difference is that private enterprise has done it for one penny on the government dollar.

Riddle: What is an elephant? Answer: A horse designed by the government.

ruveyn

You said it was a mouse yesterday. Are your politics sliding?

See also: [url=http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt113571.html
]News and current events - Space travel[/url]

Wow thats really cool thanks for posting.

no. The point is the same. The government is stupid, shortsighted, incompetent and corrupt. The same government that can't even deliver your mail efficiently proposes to run a health care system. We are in deep doo doo.

ruveyn

I know. I was just using of the dichotomy between your posts to poke fun at you.

Anyway. We have no interest in letting the US government deliver our mail, nor provide us with health care. The Canadian government bungles it badly enough.

Yes, and judging by the price of about 10 trillion dollars per ride, people with way more money than sense. Instant proof that possessing vast amounts of cash is not necessarily a symptom of a healthy functioning brain. If the vehicle proves as 'reliable' as most technology, it may be natures cunning way of eliminating some useless parasites from off her back.

10 trillion dollars? You think that a ride on SpaceShipTwo is going to cost more than the GDP of the United States???

(In point of fact, current reservations are being taken at a rate of US$200,000 per seat - and they're going fast...)

Which is a symptom of a grossly dysfunctional economic system, not a great step forward for the human race.