Space Ship II, White Knight II - projects, flights, info

Michel Van said:
It's online

with Steven Colbert as Host of the videostream
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Yeah, he brings a level of cringeworthiness that really doesn't help.

He was funny... what, 20 years ago? Hasn't really been since. Too many years of "hurr durr" sapped whatever wit he had.
 
Orionblamblam said:
Michel Van said:
It's online

with Steven Colbert as Host of the videostream
Click to expand...
Yeah, he brings a level of cringeworthiness that really doesn't help.

He was funny... what, 20 years ago? Hasn't really been since. Too many years of "hurr durr" sapped whatever wit he had.
Click to expand...
Had to mute him. Couldn't handle the cringe. Interesting that they had about a one minute delay. NASA Space Flight was live-streaming the drop and they actually dropped it about a minute before the "official" stream hit zero.
 
Great flying. Always amazing to see that this will remain for long the only flight service to space piloted by humans.

Hats down to those engaged in such a long straining endeavor. Steel nerves (and not only to fly the boss!).
 
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www.bbc.com

Sir Richard Branson takes off on 'extraordinary' space flight

The UK businessman is set to realise a lifetime's ambition by flying to the edge of space.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com

www.telegraph.co.uk

Virgin Galactic launch: Richard Branson becomes first billionaire in space

Sir Richard Branson became the first person to go into space in his own ship on Sunday, beating rival billionaire Jeff Bezos by just days in what he called “the dawn of a new space age”.
www.telegraph.co.uk www.telegraph.co.uk

www.reuters.com

Billionaire Branson soars to space aboard Virgin Galactic flight

British billionaire Richard Branson on Sunday soared more than 50 miles above the New Mexico desert aboard his Virgin Galactic rocket plane and safely returned in the vehicle's first fully crewed test flight to space, a symbolic milestone for a venture he started 17 years ago.
www.reuters.com www.reuters.com
 
Deltafan said:
A page of history :)
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Depends. The day Musk starts flying Starship suborbital - 200 pax at 6 km/s and thus from one continent to another... a mere 1 km/s with 6 pax and no horizontal distance travelled won't seem very impressive anymore.

Still - nice to see SS2 accomplishing an important milestone after 15 years.

And now, up to Bezos and Wally Funk, who waited only 60 years for her trip to space !
 
TomcatViP said:
Great flying. Always amazing to see that this will remain for long the only flight service to space piloted by humans.

Hats down to those engaged in such a long straining endeavor. Steel nerves (and not only to fly the boss!).
Click to expand...
X-15 did it half a century ago. Going forward, as far as I know, everything else planned is a capsule EXCEPT VG. (Okay Starship isn't a capsule but one doesn't "fly" it either. They'll be payload.)
 
sferrin said:
TomcatViP said:
Great flying. Always amazing to see that this will remain for long the only flight service to space piloted by humans.

Hats down to those engaged in such a long straining endeavor. Steel nerves (and not only to fly the boss!).
Click to expand...
X-15 did it half a century ago. Going forward, as far as I know, everything else planned is a capsule EXCEPT VG. (Okay Starship isn't a capsule but one doesn't "fly" it either. They'll be payload.)
Click to expand...
IMOHO, it's the closest way to experience The Right stuff style. I would even qualify Blue Origin as being more Jules Vernish (I wouldn't be surprised to be served Thea and biscuits at the apogee to celebrate).
 
I wonder what Blue Origin is gonna do ?

oh first reactions from them and this is not a joke...
Source Twitter:
E53V1ytVEAMlI3m
 
Orionblamblam said:
Well, they're down safely. A magnificent pre-Falcon 9 accomplishment!
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I understand your scepticism but it's still a step forward and a great achievement for a commercial (relatively safe) high altitude flight. I wish Virgin Galactic well.
 
Nigelhg said:
Orionblamblam said:
Well, they're down safely. A magnificent pre-Falcon 9 accomplishment!
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I understand your scepticism
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It's not skepticism... it's recognition that they've been passed by. Had this happened a decade ago... it would have been glorious. Had it happened five years ago, it would have been great. It happened today, when it's just sorta... well, that's nice. SpaceShip One first flew to space in 2004. It could have (*could* have) carried passengers shortly afterwards. Suborbital space tourism should be an industry fifteen years into passenger flights.
 
Is it just me or did they cut the cabin feed right as it looked like Branson was about to hurl?
 
sferrin said:
Is it just me or did they cut the cabin feed right as it looked like Branson was about to hurl?
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There were some "Technical problems" with cabin feed
but virgin galactic wanted to post the cabin Footage on You Tube
once they out editing room...
 
Grey Havoc said:
Orionblamblam said:
Suborbital space tourism should be an industry fifteen years into passenger flights.
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With regards as to the United States, much of that delay is down to the FAA and the U.S. Department of Commerce.
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It also rather over looks the fact that a man lost his life testing SS2. You don’t have that happen and then just carry on straight away
 
Regarding their descent profile (feathered configuration), I think they could add stabilizing retractable canards in the front section à la SpaceX. You can see how during the free fall section, the ship is subject to oscillations that could bring discomfort to the passengers.

It's probably not a major redesign (they would be folded back or retracted during the aero portions of the flight).
 
If I had the money for such a thing and my health was a lot better I would pick SS2 over New Glenn. Just because it seems the more ‘familiar’ experience if you see what I mean.
 
en.wikipedia.org

Overview effect - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

Some people derides this as overblown; I do not. It seems like a really powerful experience. Reading Ars technica piece above, I wondered about it. Admittedly, suborbital is NOT orbital but as far as "the overview effect" is concerned, it may not make a large difference to the layman.

In a few words: time to see if the overview effect may have some positive effect on mankind. The more people flying suborbital and orbital... the better.
 
Flyaway said:
If I had the money for such a thing and my health was a lot better I would pick SS2 over New Glenn. Just because it seems the more ‘familiar’ experience if you see what I mean.
Click to expand...

I really don't know. Capsules are boring but much safer, and so far New Shepard safety record has been far more reassuring than Branson's babies (four dead so far: 3 in 2007 and 1 in 2014).
In a few words: I would pick New Shepard (plus the windows are HUGE, and you pay an arm and a testicle to Bezos for the VIEW, don't you ?)
 
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) made New rules
What Say "Astronaut hopefuls must be part of the flight crew and make contributions to space flight safety"...

..what ever this Bullshit means.
for moment Branson Bezos and there crew are Official not Astronaut !
What for insult for miss Wally Funk !
 

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