First Civilian Launch Into Space!
DOOManiac
Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
<div class="IPBDescription">Really a historic day</div>Can't believe nobody else has posted this...
<a href='http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,63924,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_1' target='_blank'>Private Space Shot a Success</a>
<a href='http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5261571/' target='_blank'>Private Rocket Ship Breaks Space Barrier</a>
<a href='http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/06/21/suborbital.test/index.html' target='_blank'>Private craft soars into space, history</a>
Today the ship SpaceShipOne and its pilot became the first civilian (as in, no government funding, completely in the private sector) to build a ship and go into space!
For those that are wondering, no this isn't the X-Prize, as only the pilot went up himself this time. He needs either 2 passengers or (stories conflict) the equivilant of the weight of 2 passengers with him AND they have to go up again within a 2 week period. But today is definately a historic day that'll mark the beginning of the drive for commercial space use.
I just hope that in 20 years or so they have affordable tour ships or something. :)
[edit]
And if anybody finds video footage of this, post it! You can't view CNN or MSNBC's videos, and they won't stop talking about Clinton or Bush or Iraq for 10 damn minutes on TV to cover this story...
[/edit]
<a href='http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,63924,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_1' target='_blank'>Private Space Shot a Success</a>
<a href='http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5261571/' target='_blank'>Private Rocket Ship Breaks Space Barrier</a>
<a href='http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/06/21/suborbital.test/index.html' target='_blank'>Private craft soars into space, history</a>
Today the ship SpaceShipOne and its pilot became the first civilian (as in, no government funding, completely in the private sector) to build a ship and go into space!
For those that are wondering, no this isn't the X-Prize, as only the pilot went up himself this time. He needs either 2 passengers or (stories conflict) the equivilant of the weight of 2 passengers with him AND they have to go up again within a 2 week period. But today is definately a historic day that'll mark the beginning of the drive for commercial space use.
I just hope that in 20 years or so they have affordable tour ships or something. :)
[edit]
And if anybody finds video footage of this, post it! You can't view CNN or MSNBC's videos, and they won't stop talking about Clinton or Bush or Iraq for 10 damn minutes on TV to cover this story...
[/edit]
Comments
I just saw it on the news. Quite brilliant really. First space travel needs to become commercialized, then it can reach the point where it can become cheap and affordable. Then soon enough... Space Pirates! Yes!
Ok. No. Honestly this is a great step forward. And the good thing to know is that more is still to come.
This is truly a great step for mankind.
It is indeed a historical moment.
They're doing that later this year and going up 100 miles with 2 passangers.
--Scythe--
You crazy Europeans with your crazy metric system (even though it is more efficient and logical than what we use...)
:jumps into pool to escape flames:
Well, it rallied an entire nation, and brought about some political actions that will most definetly get us into trouble later (anything we do in the middle east EVER comes back and bites us in the rear).
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->capture of saddam, pfft. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
News-worthy, not historic.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->death of raegan.... i didnt know the guy.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Newsworthy also, but not historic. People die. And considering his condition, I think that Reagan (the man) died a decade ago.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> this space jet thing, meh.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Small groups privately funded by mega-corporations (like Microsoft) developing independant space technology. Do you WATCH Sci-Fi? This is what its about! We're entering the error in which all those fantasies of a civilization in space ruled over by mega-conglomerates are being realized. The next few centuries will be like Tachyon: The Fringe and Natural Selection (except without the aliens... we hope).
and the space i thing, i dont think it really marks anything, "oh yay we went into space on a lil jet dealy" i dont think them doing that is going to lead to anything, its just like "going to the moon" dont ask me why i put that in qoutes, it didnt really matter, it didnt benefit us as a nation in any real way, acually, all it did was cost tons of money...
tang. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
they could have figured that stuff out without going to space
And surely you can't deny that we've learned quite a bit by going into space, and that is was good for rallying the nation during the uncertain years of the Cold War.
Yeah, I was rooting for Armadillo Aerospace too. But considering the guys who went up today have been working since 1995, I'd say Carmack is a bit behind. :P
Considering his enthusiasm though I have no doubt that even if he isn't the first one up there he will get something launched some time.
In fact there's a lot of talk of over id's next game Carmack is gonna retire and go full time w/ Armadillo...
And I also found out there's a group competing right here in Oklahoma! woot!
Cool videos though <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Note that this went to only 65km (From memory). The threshold for the X-Prize was 100km.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> No, its 100 miles, not Kilometers.
You crazy Europeans with your crazy metric system (even though it is more efficient and logical than what we use...)
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It went a little above 100km or 62.5 miles.
The X Prize height is set at 100km.
HATE.
IMPERIAL.
RUBBISH.
DAMNIT.
>_<.
</b>
--Scythe--
Lets all hope our grand grand grand grand children can afford it someday to fly once up and down... oh.... but wait.
I forgot that our grand grand grand grand children will not exist becouse we tryed to get away from this allmoust dead planet instead of trying to fix it's problems first.
If having rich billion/millionares go up right now to fund the development then so be it. But the only way space technology is going to boom is to find a good reason to devote our economy into it.
Wasn't that one of the major pros of SS1, it could go up and down for a fraction of the cost of a shuttle mission?
You crazy Europeans with your crazy metric system (even though it is more efficient and logical than what we use...) <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Check your facts if you are going to 'correct' someone damnit. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<a href='http://www.xprize.org/teams/guidelines.html' target='_blank'>x-prize guidelines</a>
"The flight vehicle must be flown twice within a 14-day period. Each flight must carry at least one person, to minimum altitude of 100 km (62 miles)."
And they did reach their 100 km target. They are going to try for the x-prize later.
Wasn't that one of the major pros of SS1, it could go up and down for a fraction of the cost of a shuttle mission? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
SS1 cost $20 Million to build it. The shuttle required several billion to be built.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Lets all hope our grand grand grand grand children can afford it someday to fly once up and down... oh.... but wait.
I forgot that our grand grand grand grand children will not exist becouse we tryed to get away from this allmoust dead planet instead of trying to fix it's problems first.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Logically, it makes sense to leave a planet we've trashed for a new one that we've terraformed.
Consider Earth a "practice run". When we have the technology to leave it, we'll figure out how to keep the same thing from happening on other planets we inhabit.
It does, as much it does not!
What if we fail, there is no warranty we could live on mars, it's still science fiction, and will be for few 100-1000 years... Well, maybe never possible.
BTW it is much cheaper and easier to take care of a planet, then to trash it and leave when done.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Consider Earth a "practice run". When we have the technology to leave it, we'll figure out how to keep the same thing from happening on other planets we inhabit.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
There is no other run we can have.
And IF we get this kind of technology, why would we bother taking care of a planet if we can leave it... Like the earth...
I would not want to live like a parasite.
Never saw independance day?
HATE.
IMPERIAL.
RUBBISH.
DAMNIT.
>_<.
</b>
--Scythe-- <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
im with him
"It's like scoring a #1 hit song on a Mr. Microphone."