First Private Spaceflight

DarkEyes · Jun 22, 2004

Everybody MUST check this out. Spaceship one succeded in it's first space flight. Here is the link. Just think, in about 20 Years time you might be able to take a trip into space for less than $10,000. Just imagine the photo oppurtunity- Earth from Space!

http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/062104-2.htm

Sharkbait · Jun 22, 2004

Yup, that's pretty slick. Glad to see someone other than big government getting into space.

mrsid99 · Jun 22, 2004

Shark said:
Yup, that's pretty slick. Glad to see someone other than big government getting into space.

And at a fraction of the cost!

Sharkbait · Jun 22, 2004

And I really like the piggyback concept as opposed to the direct thrust to orbit idea. Seems like it works a lot smoother--use existing technology to get close to orbit, then a much smaller rocket lift to get the rest of the way.

danalec99 · Jun 22, 2004

Yeah, its cool!

A round trip to planet Uranus, please!!

Chase · Jun 22, 2004

I actually considered trying to get out there to take pictures, but it was out in the middle of no where and they started too damn early (not to mention I would have taken a day off work to do it) :?

Still thinking I should have done it, maybe I'll make it out there when they actually try for the X prize.

StvShoop · Jun 22, 2004

Chase said:
I actually considered trying to get out there to take pictures, but it was out in the middle of no where and they started too damn early (not to mention I would have taken a day off work to do it) :?

Still thinking I should have done it, maybe I'll make it out there when they actually try for the X prize.

i thought you were talking about going into space :lol:

darkeyes's comment got me thinking in the wrong direction
space is... the middle of nowhere after all

Chase · Jun 22, 2004

Not sure I would be brave enough to do THAT! :lol:

photong · Jun 22, 2004

its a neat thought, but all of the images of earth will look the same. i dont see much of good thing to come from it with that.

westman · Jun 22, 2004

Chase said:
Not sure I would be brave enough to do THAT!

firstly,have u got enough money to do that :twisted:

Chase · Jun 22, 2004

Sure, what's a few million dollars

vonnagy · Jun 22, 2004

photong said:
its a neat thought, but all of the images of earth will look the same. i dont see much of good thing to come from it with that.

:shock: how can you say that if ya never been? where's your imagination young photong?

my god, strap me to the pilots seat with me d10! I am ready fer takeoff matey!

mrsid99 · Jun 22, 2004

Shark said:
And I really like the piggyback concept as opposed to the direct thrust to orbit idea.

Absolutely!
I wish I could find the numbers I saw somewhere about how many tons of fuel the Apollo's burned in the first few seconds of lift-off.
That method really is a brute force approach.
When I was a kid (really, I once was!) the USA was experimenting with the "X" planes and they used this method, worked great too but it was all dropped and with the advent of Sputnik it was rockets all the way.
There have been other methods considered such as a ramp for initial acceleration (a la the V1's) also balloon lifts but an air breathing first stage like a regular airplane is probably the most practical as these guys have just proven.

Canon Fan · Jun 22, 2004

photong said:
its a neat thought, but all of the images of earth will look the same. i dont see much of good thing to come from it with that.

Well I don't know about that. I mean c'mon a couple of reflectors on mars some softboxes on the moon and a colored gel in front of the sun and I bet we could see the Earth in a whole 'new" way!!!