8 replies to this topic

[Tyto Alba]

There was a crash this morning with a private enterprise funded space craft.    There was a report of at least one fatality.

 

http://rt.com/usa/20...-mojave-desert/

[supermom]

Thanks for sharing.

I dislike some of the cynical comments in the chat thread.

They say that private business will kill science exploration in space when private companies compete to build cheaply built space craft to make more money.

 

I say the two issues are separate.

 

Science exploration is now open to private investors and scientists for the first time.

 

Anyone who wants to make money taking people to space will need to compete with other companies and need to build a model that is sturdy enough to withstand multiple flights.

 

When people get that negative in a chat site; the first thing I think is that they must have been laid off from one of the 'downsized' NASA programs.

 

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On a side note, I wonder how quick National Security will get involved if private exploration does manage to take scientists out and bring back samples?

[nomad]

This stuff isn't easy. The shuttle used to cost about a billion to redo after every mission. Yes a billion. Musk and Branson will also see this stuff isn't cheap, especially when you plan to add passengers to the mix. 

 

We all know the govt can't get anything done these days and NASA is pretty much useless so privatization was the next logical step. it will still take a while though. Meantime we can rely on the Russians to re-stock the ISS. Shameful.

[camay2327]

I hate the idea that it has all come to this.  We are depending on the Russians and paying dearly for it.

 

We should have our own US system/shuttles to get where we are going, no matter how much it costs.

 

I love the way Branson thinks and his ingenuity.

[Tyto Alba]

I hate the idea that it has all come to this.  We are depending on the Russians and paying dearly for it.

 

We should have our own US system/shuttles to get where we are going, no matter how much it costs.

 

I love the way Branson thinks and his ingenuity.

Wish more people in the USA were like Branson.      I am a big fan of Post War Jet Age Aviation.   This private enterprise project reminds me of the X-15 program from 1959 to 1968.    In the last X-15 flight in late 1967,   the aircraft/space craft went into a "supersonic spin".    The aircraft and pilot were lost.    The pilot was from Sacramento.

 

 

http://en.wikipedia...._Flight_3-65-97

[Chad Vander Veen]

I hate the idea that it has all come to this.  We are depending on the Russians and paying dearly for it.

 

We should have our own US system/shuttles to get where we are going, no matter how much it costs.

 

I love the way Branson thinks and his ingenuity.

 

Here's an older (2005) but excellent essay on why the space shuttle program - conceived to accelerate our journey into space - actually did the opposite.

http://idlewords.com..._to_nowhere.htm

[The Average Joe]

Given that it was the 55th test flight, I'd say they are doing something right. Our space shuttle program had a total of 135 flights divided among six vehicles. One only had 5 test flights. So they lost 2 out of 5 shuttles in 130 flights DESPITE spending billions more dollars and over-engineering. The shuttle with the most flights only had 39 missions.

 

Out of 4356 rocket launches, 383 have failed. A failure rate of around 1 in 12. Getting to space is not easy. Prayers for the family of the pilot.

[FolsomEJ]

 

Here's an older (2005) but excellent essay on why the space shuttle program - conceived to accelerate our journey into space - actually did the opposite.

http://idlewords.com..._to_nowhere.htm

 

"You know you're in trouble when the Russians are adding safety features to your design."

 

Hilarious!!!

[Darth Lefty]

Given that it was the 55th test flight, I'd say they are doing something right. Our space shuttle program had a total of 135 flights divided among six vehicles.

This is like comparing a combine to a machete