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are we SURE that we need the collision energies this new collider will give us?

Yes, if you read the reports they give some examples:

"However, several experimental facts do require the extension of the Standard Model and explanations are needed for observations such as the abundance of matter over antimatter, the striking evidence for dark matter and the non-zero neutrino masses. Theoretical issues such as the hierarchy problem, and, more in general, the dynamical origin of the Higgs mechanism, do likewise point to the existence of physics beyond the Standard Model."

Maybe the money would be better spent on bio-medical research, genetic manipulation of food crops, Fusion energy commercialization or space exploration?

Huge amounts of money are already going towards bio-medical research, both by governments and commercial interests: "Globally, in excess of US$200bn is invested each year in biomedical research." link
There is already a multi-billion dollar international research project on fusion energy (see ITER). Fusion energy commercialization in an engineering challenge and not fundamental research and is already be addressed by commercial investment: Tokamak Energy, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, TAE Technologies, General Fusion, Helion Energy, LPPFusion, Proton Scientific and others.
Space exploration is being funded: "global government investment in space exploration totaled $14.6 billion in 2017" link and space exploration is also going commercial, witness SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, and United Launch Alliance.

Yeah god forbid people spend money on making something real that sometimes creates a whole new industry. I mean look at all those other failures. Damn them for creating businesses that provide gainful employment and research into something new.

I mean there's so many better things to spend money on.

Actually, they've switched LauncherOne to use a Boeing 747. IRC they couldn't get enough payload out of the White Knight Two/launcher combination.

Three. Carmack did the same, but he backed out I believe.

Now revived as a kickstarter, Exos Aerospace

Four, Richard Branson, Virgin Galactic

Five, Paul Allen, Stratolaunch/Vulcan Aerospace

The Virgin Galactic pilots did. Actually, I just noticed that Virgin Galactic's own site claims that you will get them! lol! whoooops!

"Later that evening, sitting with your astronaut wings, you know that life will never quite be the same again."

http://www.virgingalactic.com/...

"On return to Earth these pioneering individuals will receive their Virgin Galactic astronaut wings and plenty of images and videos of their experience."

http://www.ulixtravel.com/virg...

Although, according to Space Law: A Treatise it says:

In the US, any person going higher than 50 miles is awarded 'astronaut wings'

So maybe there is still a chance?

Ok I remember reading that Virgin Galactic is expecting its first passenger flight this year... Christmas Day...

Here it is:
Virgin Galactic first flight expected in 2013
Richard Branson: first Virgin Galactic flight on Christmas Day
Virgin Galactic to launch on Christmas
And he plans to take his kids:
Our 500th Astronaut

I'm sure it could all fall through, or some regulator will pop their head in, but my bets are with the exuberant billionaire.

The probe in question is Voyager 1 and was launched in 1977. Let's not call it modern. It was designed in an era when there was no such thing as a personal computer. A high end cellphone probably has more battery-powered computing power in your pocket now than all of the compute resources of NASA back then. Imagine what those engineers could achieve with this. Materials science has progressed also. But the biggest gift of days is in our understanding the rich resources available in the space around us. Water is abundant everywhere from Mercury to the edge of the solar system. We didn't know that back then. Almost all stars have planets in the habitable zone. We didn't know that either.

It's unlikely a mission to Vega would launch any sooner than 2037, or 60 years after the launch of the first Voyager. We have learned a lot of things since Voyager 1 was launched, and will have learned more. That none have gone faster is an artifact of 30 years of neglect of space operations, but not space science. At the moment Vega is too far to a man to reach in his span of years with the science we have, though another star might be. There is no reason to expect that this will always be so.

With VASMR 200KW thrusters entering service on the ISS in a few years, and the development of suitable power plants ongoing, we still would need fuel - LOTS of fuel - on orbit or somewhere near zero-G to make a go of it. Fortunately in 26 months the NASA Dawn mission will arrive at Ceres and find there a practically unlimited supply of Xenon, Argon, Hydrogen and Oxygen ready for mining as well as a surface amenable to easily building human habitats on. You may schedule two years from now for the space Gold Rush to begin.

Ceres is not only the perfect source for interstellar fuels: it's also the perfect launchpad as it should be possible to build a railgun there 1000KM long capable of launching interstellar probes with solar system escape velocity that don't require any fuel at all. It's also the only minor planet so situated within easy reach.

Planetary Resources, SpaceX, Virgin Galactic and others are all over this. The people behind these efforts are some of the brightest, most successful minds the world has ever known. Elon Musk. Sergey Brin. Larry Page. Eric Schmidt. Richard Branson. These are but a few. They know something you don't know.

Like Jobs, he saved his beloved baby Tesla Motors from the brink of oblivion.

And unlike Steve Jobs, he first put it there himself, and only "saved" it by pissing in his investors' and customers' pockets and telling them it was raining.

...Which might be forgivable, if he had put himself as far out on a limb as he put them. He didn't; through the process of milking his investors (big and small), he managed to hold on to almost every penny of his personal multi-billion-dollar fortune. And frankly, even THAT could have been forgivable, had he not also leveraged the Department of Energy for an additional $465 million of taxpayer funds.

Ostensibly this was a loan; realistically, with an anticipated total market of 1 million electric cars by 2015 (the DOE invested in 2009), even if every one of those came from Tesla, it would have to pay almost $500 from the sale of *every car* to pay this "loan" back. Hell, they finally made the FIRST payment on this loan this month after more than 3 years. How? Not from being profitable. Not even from being frugal. From a $200-million influx of investor cash, which investors are only putting up because they know it's all but secured by the US government (having seen how Washington says, "How high?" when Detroit says, "Jump.") -- in other words, if (rather, when) they don't pay that money back, you and I will.

Screw Elon Musk. I'll happily let the Brits get a head start on private-sector space travel if it means we don't have to reward the fetid values and practices on which Musk builds his vision.

For those that haven't heard about Virgin Galactic's Spaceport.... I wouldn't consider a return trip too far off... Such a base might actually start making Richard Branson's baby useful and profitable. http://www.virgingalactic.com/

It's possible for monopolies to exist without government intervention.

- without gov't intervention no monopoly can exist, and if there is some dominant business, it's domination is totally temporary.

. Perhaps the business in question is a risky endeavor that no one but a select few wish to take up.

- what does that even mean? Every business is a risky endeavor that only very few are willing to take up. Case in point is private space launches, what can be more risky and time/resource consuming that that? Well, there are things, but this is definitely one of them:

http://www.space.com/11298-spacex-rocket-private-spaceflight-falcon9.html

http://copenhagensuborbitals.com/

http://www.virgingalactic.com/

http://www.armadilloaerospace.com/n.x/Armadillo/Home

Perhaps very few people have the money to provide competition towards an already established business

- this wasn't a problem in the beginning of 20th century, before the Fed started printing all that money and IRS started taking people's incomes away, so there were hundreds, even thousands of competitors in phone business, dozens in electrical power generation AND transmission. Of-course this happened before some businesses in those industries started colluding with the government to get monopoly statuses. Same with pharma and medical profession, which always were private enterprises but eventually became monopolies due to government involvement.

Perhaps the majority help create a monopoly themselves by not shopping elsewhere enough

- that's called demand, if one company provides a solution that is so cost effective and provides so much value, that most people do not bother looking for alternatives, then for a while this business will dominate, but the competition arises anyway, just like with the phone and electrical companies that I mentioned. Those are tough businesses, especially due to name recognition, and still the monopolies there only formed after government intervention.

And without regulation, how would anyone stop companies that cooperate with one another (which could happen if they would receive more money by doing so)?

- nobody wants to share their pie with somebody else, who may or may not succeed being a competitor.

If you have a business and I come over and tell you: I am going to take over your market share because I am going to build a business better than yours. So you think you'd just start paying me money only so that I wouldn't do it? How many people would you be willing to support this way, because that's what this amounts to. No no, what you do is you laugh me out of your office and tell me to go do it if I can, and then you concentrate more on your market share because I promised to take it away.

Cartels do not work, it's clear with oil cartels - they don't work. It's because there is no upside for you to keep your promise to only meet your quota at some preset price and not to sell more and not to sell more at lower price, because clearly, if you have to collude with others in your cartel, then the prices are artificially set, and in reality (IRL) you make more money by having more customers who buy more of your product, not by setting artificial barriers to your customers by raising prices too high.

Businesses know that it's better to have as much market penetration as possible, you do this by providing product as cheaply and at highest quality that can, that way you get the most market penetration. The only time cartels work is when government is standing there with a gun - just like in case of big pharma and FDA.

NO. The Space Nutters keep telling me how people will just line up miles-long for a chance to go for a 15 minute sub-orbital hop at 15000$ a pop. People have so much money these days!

It's $200K per flight, and if you were referring to the deposit, it's $20K, not $15K. We're both going to die of old age, QA, but I'll have had way more fun along the way.

Right. Money pit.

That't why Scaled Composites http://scaled.com/ and Virgin Galactic http://www.virgingalactic.com/ are all betting money on re-entry vehicles.

Come on guy! Just because government projects do not have a profit motive does not mean it can never be workable.

Also how hard would it be to make one of these to carry a person? If Virgin Galactic is going to charge $200,000 to carry someone to the edge of space, wouldn't it be cooler to ride a balloon to space and then parachute back to earth?

If those reality TV people can make a fake UFO to carry off their kid (or not), it can't be all that hard.

I wonder what the final altitude is before the balloon bursts? The next person to make one of these needs to put an altimeter in it, preferably one that can can stamp the images with the altitude.

Also how hard would it be to make one of these to carry a person? If Virgin Galactic is going to charge $200,000 to carry someone to the edge of space, wouldn't it be cooler to ride a balloon to space and then parachute back to earth?

The actual press release:
http://www.virgingalactic.com/news/item/virgin-galactic-unveils-spaceshiptwo-the-worlds-first-commercial-manned-spaceship/
with more pictures:
http://www.virgingalactic.com/multimedia/album/spaceshiptwo-unveil/

The actual press release:
http://www.virgingalactic.com/news/item/virgin-galactic-unveils-spaceshiptwo-the-worlds-first-commercial-manned-spaceship/
with more pictures:
http://www.virgingalactic.com/multimedia/album/spaceshiptwo-unveil/

Look around. Do you see private companies lining up to fund Moon travel?

Why, yes, I do.

Virgin Galactic comes to mind immediately.

Once there is a significant private presence in near-earth orbit you can expect to see development of the moon with private funding.

For starters, it's a LOT cheaper to mine, refine, and launch material for space-based industry on the Moon than on the Earth. The gravity well is MUCH shallower, even with significant industrial outgassing the atmosphere will remain thin enough that electric catapults can provide most of the delta-v to orbit payloads, solar power is much more economical with no atmospheric attenuation and full sunlight whenever you need the power for a launch, and hard vacuum simplifies the construction of solar panels.

They should just give it all to Virgin Galactic. In a couple of months these guys will probably be sending NASA advertisements for an international spaces station commuter shuttle (filmed on location in space). http://www.virgingalactic.com/ http://science.slashdot.org/story/09/07/31/1359243/White-Knight-Two-Unveiled?art_pos=1

Virgin's FAQ says 200000 is only for the first 100 and then scaling down between 100 and 175K for the remainder of the first 1000 and 20k thereafter.

I found nothing there that proves your point. every endeavor has regulations. how does pointing at the regulation in this area demonstrate your point? I am aware of private companies that are already doing the things which you say they cannot do.

both of these are private companies: http://www.scaled.com/ http://www.virgingalactic.com/

and then a list of 24 additional companies here on the left sidebar of this page: http://space.xprize.org/ansari-x-prize

Makes me wonder about that near-future 5-year gap where the US will have no way to get up there and repair our assets in space (like the Hubble)??...

Virgin Galatic? SpaceX?

I'm thinking a five-year downtime for government run space launches is a wonderful idea. A lot of people seem to think private companies would do a much better job of it. I don't know that that's true, but let's see what happens. We may look back on the five-year NASA downtime as the best thing that ever happened to the US space industry...

Virgin Galactic has done successful manned space flights, albeit only sub-orbital. SpaceX has now successfully done orbital launches, albeit unmanned. Manned orbital spaceflight is within reach. The private sector isn't quite ready to service a satellite in orbit -- but it ain't that far off...

This begs the question - if an Iranian astronaut dies because they can't bring him down successfully, does he still get his 40 virgins?

No - if he gets stuck in space he might find just one virgin a lot more useful...assuming this isn't how Iran is planning to get him into space in the first place!

A superbly crude, one-dimensional comparrison of budget size past and present.

It ignores the projected span of time to re-reach the moon and that the $2B figure is a yearly addition to the budget, not a one-time grant. It underestimates what $2 buys: a shuttle(!) or 4 to 5 launches. It also neglects to mention that space exploration is no longer an "us against them" war, but a combined effort (though granted the U.S. is a major contributor to international efforts), spreading the cost and reducing waste-by-redundancy. In its haste to condemn Obama and trash NASA it also promots ignorance of decades' worth of research and experience in engineering, which significantly reduces cost, complexity and risk.

While I applaud the skepticism politicians deserve, it's up to us skeptics to be better than the politicians by providing actual arguments. Leave the empty rhetoric to campaigners.

And to all the "Privatization solves all problems!!!-nuts" out there, where exactly do you expect private industry to find the revenue to outnumber the overwhelming investment and risk involved in such endeavors? How many $200,000 tickets do you think Branson's will sell? Not all millionaires are so foolish as to spend money at that rate, risking their lives- he's got a rather limited clientele with which to attempt to reduce the cost and create sustaining business. Sure- there's place for a market for lifting cargo into orbit. But to the moon? Mars? What possible business model is there for anything beyond Low-Earth Orbit? Nobody is crazy enough to put their money into such a high risk and long term venture.

Whether the Federal government should be doing it is still a valid question. I found Bush's selfish, legacy-oriented declaration of going to Mars another example of terrible leadership. I don't know that enough scientists have immediate use of Moon/Mars missions, especially considering how useful the money would be to education and infrastructure projects in the U.S. and abroad. If there's enough desire on part of the scientific community for these, I'd be happy to have my tax dollars go there. Otherwise, I'd be more interested in my paying for the reduction of war, disease, corruption, crime and hunger around the world.

Apparently, progress is not available in small packages. The PW4077 turbofan used by the 777 has a diameter just about four times that of the PW308 used on WK2, and produce about ten times the thrust. Having seen pictures of WK2's engines in place, do you think maybe they're just not appropriate?

Different powerplants for much different needs... (insert some kind of pun about engine scale and Scaled here... =)

It looks almost like a Kestrel. So it will have 4 launchers, and 0 turrets.

EVE
Kestrel

The bonuses suck because they're split and don't stack, but 305 m^3 isn't a lot of space, so he's going to want a lot of expanders with it's two low slots..

Branson and Rutan are truly ushering in a new golden age...

of mutton chops

More, high-res pictures here http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/

The text came up fine for me, even most of the images were available after a few refreshes. TFA as follows:

(Virgin Galactic) - WhiteKnightTwo launch vehicle for SpaceShipTwo heralds a new era in aerospace fuel efficiency, performance and versatility

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMSeveBransonRutan_thumb.jpg

Mojave Air and Spaceport, California

Virgin Founder, Sir Richard Branson and SpaceShipOne designer, Burt Rutan, today pulled back the hangar doors on the new WhiteKnightTwo (WK2) carrier aircraft that will ferry SpaceShipTwo and thousands of private astronauts, science packages and payload on the first stage of the Virgin Galactic sub-orbital space experience.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMS%20Eve%20tow_thumb.jpg

The rollout represents another major milestone in Virgin Galactic's quest to launch the world's first private, environmentally benign, space access system for people, payload and science.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/In%20Air%20Banking_thumb.jpg

Christened "EVE" in honor of Sir Richard's mother, who performed the official naming ceremony, WK2 is both visually remarkable and represents ground-breaking aerospace technology. It is the world's largest all carbon composite aircraft and many of its component parts have been built using composite materials for the very first time. At 140 ft, the wing spar is the longest single carbon composite aviation component ever manufactured.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMS%20Eve%20rollout_thumb.jpg

Driven by a demanding performance specification set by Virgin Galactic, WK2 has a unique heavy lift, high altitude capability and an open architecture driven design which provides for maximum versatility in the weight, mass and volume of its payload potential. It has the power, strength and maneuverability to provide for pre space-flight, positive G force and zero G astronaut training as well as a lift capability which is over 30% greater than that represented by a fully crewed SpaceShipTwo. The vehicle has a maximum altitude over 50,000 ft and its U.S. coast-to-coast range will allow the spaceship to be ferried on long duration flights.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMS%20Eve%20bow_thumb.jpg

An all carbon composite vehicle of this size represents a giant leap for a material technology that has already been identified as a key contributor to the increasingly urgent requirement by the commercial aviation sector for dramatically more fuel efficient aircraft. Powered by four Pratt and Whitney PW308A engines, which are amongst the most powerful, economic and efficient available, WK2 is a mold breaker in carbon efficiency and the epitome of 21st century aerospace design and technology.

The twin fuselage and central payload area configuration allow for easy access to WK2 and to the spaceship for passengers and crew; the design also aids operational efficiencies and turnaround times. WK2 will be able to support up to four daily space flights, is able to carry out both day and night time operations and is equipped with a package of highly advanced avionics.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/Galactic%20Girl_thumb.jpg

Large numbers of VIP's, media and more than 100 fully signed-up future Virgin Galactic astronauts flew into Mo

The text came up fine for me, even most of the images were available after a few refreshes. TFA as follows:

(Virgin Galactic) - WhiteKnightTwo launch vehicle for SpaceShipTwo heralds a new era in aerospace fuel efficiency, performance and versatility

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMSeveBransonRutan_thumb.jpg

Mojave Air and Spaceport, California

Virgin Founder, Sir Richard Branson and SpaceShipOne designer, Burt Rutan, today pulled back the hangar doors on the new WhiteKnightTwo (WK2) carrier aircraft that will ferry SpaceShipTwo and thousands of private astronauts, science packages and payload on the first stage of the Virgin Galactic sub-orbital space experience.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMS%20Eve%20tow_thumb.jpg

The rollout represents another major milestone in Virgin Galactic's quest to launch the world's first private, environmentally benign, space access system for people, payload and science.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/In%20Air%20Banking_thumb.jpg

Christened "EVE" in honor of Sir Richard's mother, who performed the official naming ceremony, WK2 is both visually remarkable and represents ground-breaking aerospace technology. It is the world's largest all carbon composite aircraft and many of its component parts have been built using composite materials for the very first time. At 140 ft, the wing spar is the longest single carbon composite aviation component ever manufactured.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMS%20Eve%20rollout_thumb.jpg

Driven by a demanding performance specification set by Virgin Galactic, WK2 has a unique heavy lift, high altitude capability and an open architecture driven design which provides for maximum versatility in the weight, mass and volume of its payload potential. It has the power, strength and maneuverability to provide for pre space-flight, positive G force and zero G astronaut training as well as a lift capability which is over 30% greater than that represented by a fully crewed SpaceShipTwo. The vehicle has a maximum altitude over 50,000 ft and its U.S. coast-to-coast range will allow the spaceship to be ferried on long duration flights.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMS%20Eve%20bow_thumb.jpg

An all carbon composite vehicle of this size represents a giant leap for a material technology that has already been identified as a key contributor to the increasingly urgent requirement by the commercial aviation sector for dramatically more fuel efficient aircraft. Powered by four Pratt and Whitney PW308A engines, which are amongst the most powerful, economic and efficient available, WK2 is a mold breaker in carbon efficiency and the epitome of 21st century aerospace design and technology.

The twin fuselage and central payload area configuration allow for easy access to WK2 and to the spaceship for passengers and crew; the design also aids operational efficiencies and turnaround times. WK2 will be able to support up to four daily space flights, is able to carry out both day and night time operations and is equipped with a package of highly advanced avionics.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/Galactic%20Girl_thumb.jpg

Large numbers of VIP's, media and more than 100 fully signed-up future Virgin Galactic astronauts flew into Mo

The text came up fine for me, even most of the images were available after a few refreshes. TFA as follows:

(Virgin Galactic) - WhiteKnightTwo launch vehicle for SpaceShipTwo heralds a new era in aerospace fuel efficiency, performance and versatility

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMSeveBransonRutan_thumb.jpg

Mojave Air and Spaceport, California

Virgin Founder, Sir Richard Branson and SpaceShipOne designer, Burt Rutan, today pulled back the hangar doors on the new WhiteKnightTwo (WK2) carrier aircraft that will ferry SpaceShipTwo and thousands of private astronauts, science packages and payload on the first stage of the Virgin Galactic sub-orbital space experience.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMS%20Eve%20tow_thumb.jpg

The rollout represents another major milestone in Virgin Galactic's quest to launch the world's first private, environmentally benign, space access system for people, payload and science.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/In%20Air%20Banking_thumb.jpg

Christened "EVE" in honor of Sir Richard's mother, who performed the official naming ceremony, WK2 is both visually remarkable and represents ground-breaking aerospace technology. It is the world's largest all carbon composite aircraft and many of its component parts have been built using composite materials for the very first time. At 140 ft, the wing spar is the longest single carbon composite aviation component ever manufactured.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMS%20Eve%20rollout_thumb.jpg

Driven by a demanding performance specification set by Virgin Galactic, WK2 has a unique heavy lift, high altitude capability and an open architecture driven design which provides for maximum versatility in the weight, mass and volume of its payload potential. It has the power, strength and maneuverability to provide for pre space-flight, positive G force and zero G astronaut training as well as a lift capability which is over 30% greater than that represented by a fully crewed SpaceShipTwo. The vehicle has a maximum altitude over 50,000 ft and its U.S. coast-to-coast range will allow the spaceship to be ferried on long duration flights.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMS%20Eve%20bow_thumb.jpg

An all carbon composite vehicle of this size represents a giant leap for a material technology that has already been identified as a key contributor to the increasingly urgent requirement by the commercial aviation sector for dramatically more fuel efficient aircraft. Powered by four Pratt and Whitney PW308A engines, which are amongst the most powerful, economic and efficient available, WK2 is a mold breaker in carbon efficiency and the epitome of 21st century aerospace design and technology.

The twin fuselage and central payload area configuration allow for easy access to WK2 and to the spaceship for passengers and crew; the design also aids operational efficiencies and turnaround times. WK2 will be able to support up to four daily space flights, is able to carry out both day and night time operations and is equipped with a package of highly advanced avionics.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/Galactic%20Girl_thumb.jpg

Large numbers of VIP's, media and more than 100 fully signed-up future Virgin Galactic astronauts flew into Mo

The text came up fine for me, even most of the images were available after a few refreshes. TFA as follows:

(Virgin Galactic) - WhiteKnightTwo launch vehicle for SpaceShipTwo heralds a new era in aerospace fuel efficiency, performance and versatility

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMSeveBransonRutan_thumb.jpg

Mojave Air and Spaceport, California

Virgin Founder, Sir Richard Branson and SpaceShipOne designer, Burt Rutan, today pulled back the hangar doors on the new WhiteKnightTwo (WK2) carrier aircraft that will ferry SpaceShipTwo and thousands of private astronauts, science packages and payload on the first stage of the Virgin Galactic sub-orbital space experience.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMS%20Eve%20tow_thumb.jpg

The rollout represents another major milestone in Virgin Galactic's quest to launch the world's first private, environmentally benign, space access system for people, payload and science.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/In%20Air%20Banking_thumb.jpg

Christened "EVE" in honor of Sir Richard's mother, who performed the official naming ceremony, WK2 is both visually remarkable and represents ground-breaking aerospace technology. It is the world's largest all carbon composite aircraft and many of its component parts have been built using composite materials for the very first time. At 140 ft, the wing spar is the longest single carbon composite aviation component ever manufactured.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMS%20Eve%20rollout_thumb.jpg

Driven by a demanding performance specification set by Virgin Galactic, WK2 has a unique heavy lift, high altitude capability and an open architecture driven design which provides for maximum versatility in the weight, mass and volume of its payload potential. It has the power, strength and maneuverability to provide for pre space-flight, positive G force and zero G astronaut training as well as a lift capability which is over 30% greater than that represented by a fully crewed SpaceShipTwo. The vehicle has a maximum altitude over 50,000 ft and its U.S. coast-to-coast range will allow the spaceship to be ferried on long duration flights.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMS%20Eve%20bow_thumb.jpg

An all carbon composite vehicle of this size represents a giant leap for a material technology that has already been identified as a key contributor to the increasingly urgent requirement by the commercial aviation sector for dramatically more fuel efficient aircraft. Powered by four Pratt and Whitney PW308A engines, which are amongst the most powerful, economic and efficient available, WK2 is a mold breaker in carbon efficiency and the epitome of 21st century aerospace design and technology.

The twin fuselage and central payload area configuration allow for easy access to WK2 and to the spaceship for passengers and crew; the design also aids operational efficiencies and turnaround times. WK2 will be able to support up to four daily space flights, is able to carry out both day and night time operations and is equipped with a package of highly advanced avionics.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/Galactic%20Girl_thumb.jpg

Large numbers of VIP's, media and more than 100 fully signed-up future Virgin Galactic astronauts flew into Mo

The text came up fine for me, even most of the images were available after a few refreshes. TFA as follows:

(Virgin Galactic) - WhiteKnightTwo launch vehicle for SpaceShipTwo heralds a new era in aerospace fuel efficiency, performance and versatility

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMSeveBransonRutan_thumb.jpg

Mojave Air and Spaceport, California

Virgin Founder, Sir Richard Branson and SpaceShipOne designer, Burt Rutan, today pulled back the hangar doors on the new WhiteKnightTwo (WK2) carrier aircraft that will ferry SpaceShipTwo and thousands of private astronauts, science packages and payload on the first stage of the Virgin Galactic sub-orbital space experience.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMS%20Eve%20tow_thumb.jpg

The rollout represents another major milestone in Virgin Galactic's quest to launch the world's first private, environmentally benign, space access system for people, payload and science.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/In%20Air%20Banking_thumb.jpg

Christened "EVE" in honor of Sir Richard's mother, who performed the official naming ceremony, WK2 is both visually remarkable and represents ground-breaking aerospace technology. It is the world's largest all carbon composite aircraft and many of its component parts have been built using composite materials for the very first time. At 140 ft, the wing spar is the longest single carbon composite aviation component ever manufactured.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMS%20Eve%20rollout_thumb.jpg

Driven by a demanding performance specification set by Virgin Galactic, WK2 has a unique heavy lift, high altitude capability and an open architecture driven design which provides for maximum versatility in the weight, mass and volume of its payload potential. It has the power, strength and maneuverability to provide for pre space-flight, positive G force and zero G astronaut training as well as a lift capability which is over 30% greater than that represented by a fully crewed SpaceShipTwo. The vehicle has a maximum altitude over 50,000 ft and its U.S. coast-to-coast range will allow the spaceship to be ferried on long duration flights.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMS%20Eve%20bow_thumb.jpg

An all carbon composite vehicle of this size represents a giant leap for a material technology that has already been identified as a key contributor to the increasingly urgent requirement by the commercial aviation sector for dramatically more fuel efficient aircraft. Powered by four Pratt and Whitney PW308A engines, which are amongst the most powerful, economic and efficient available, WK2 is a mold breaker in carbon efficiency and the epitome of 21st century aerospace design and technology.

The twin fuselage and central payload area configuration allow for easy access to WK2 and to the spaceship for passengers and crew; the design also aids operational efficiencies and turnaround times. WK2 will be able to support up to four daily space flights, is able to carry out both day and night time operations and is equipped with a package of highly advanced avionics.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/Galactic%20Girl_thumb.jpg

Large numbers of VIP's, media and more than 100 fully signed-up future Virgin Galactic astronauts flew into Mo

The text came up fine for me, even most of the images were available after a few refreshes. TFA as follows:

(Virgin Galactic) - WhiteKnightTwo launch vehicle for SpaceShipTwo heralds a new era in aerospace fuel efficiency, performance and versatility

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMSeveBransonRutan_thumb.jpg

Mojave Air and Spaceport, California

Virgin Founder, Sir Richard Branson and SpaceShipOne designer, Burt Rutan, today pulled back the hangar doors on the new WhiteKnightTwo (WK2) carrier aircraft that will ferry SpaceShipTwo and thousands of private astronauts, science packages and payload on the first stage of the Virgin Galactic sub-orbital space experience.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMS%20Eve%20tow_thumb.jpg

The rollout represents another major milestone in Virgin Galactic's quest to launch the world's first private, environmentally benign, space access system for people, payload and science.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/In%20Air%20Banking_thumb.jpg

Christened "EVE" in honor of Sir Richard's mother, who performed the official naming ceremony, WK2 is both visually remarkable and represents ground-breaking aerospace technology. It is the world's largest all carbon composite aircraft and many of its component parts have been built using composite materials for the very first time. At 140 ft, the wing spar is the longest single carbon composite aviation component ever manufactured.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMS%20Eve%20rollout_thumb.jpg

Driven by a demanding performance specification set by Virgin Galactic, WK2 has a unique heavy lift, high altitude capability and an open architecture driven design which provides for maximum versatility in the weight, mass and volume of its payload potential. It has the power, strength and maneuverability to provide for pre space-flight, positive G force and zero G astronaut training as well as a lift capability which is over 30% greater than that represented by a fully crewed SpaceShipTwo. The vehicle has a maximum altitude over 50,000 ft and its U.S. coast-to-coast range will allow the spaceship to be ferried on long duration flights.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/VMS%20Eve%20bow_thumb.jpg

An all carbon composite vehicle of this size represents a giant leap for a material technology that has already been identified as a key contributor to the increasingly urgent requirement by the commercial aviation sector for dramatically more fuel efficient aircraft. Powered by four Pratt and Whitney PW308A engines, which are amongst the most powerful, economic and efficient available, WK2 is a mold breaker in carbon efficiency and the epitome of 21st century aerospace design and technology.

The twin fuselage and central payload area configuration allow for easy access to WK2 and to the spaceship for passengers and crew; the design also aids operational efficiencies and turnaround times. WK2 will be able to support up to four daily space flights, is able to carry out both day and night time operations and is equipped with a package of highly advanced avionics.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/content/Presspacks/Galactic%20Girl_thumb.jpg

Large numbers of VIP's, media and more than 100 fully signed-up future Virgin Galactic astronauts flew into Mo

• http://www.planetary.org/home/ The Planetary Society
  
• http://www.marssociety.org/ The Mars Society
  
• http://www.nss.org/ The National Space Society
  
• http://www.seds.org/ Students for the Exploration and Development of Space
  
• http://www.space-frontier.org/ Space Frontier Foundation
  

The Zero Gravity Corporation (http://www.gozerog.com/) alone has had over 4000 passengers on their vomit comets. I know that it is not sub orbital or orbital flight. But it does show that people will pay even if they are not the first. After the first person dished out $10-20 million to take a ride on the Soyuz spacecraft and visit the ISS, it hasn't stopped other people from doing the same. Also, Virgin Galactic (http://www.virgingalactic.com/), who does not even have the plane built yet, is already taking reservations. This is just three examples that I know of. If I were to do any research, I bet I could find a bunch more example.

If you check the picture in the second row, second from left you see something very interesting. Look under the picture of the Virgin "Galactic Girl" on the forward fuselage. It's faint, but you can make out "VSS Enterprise". It's a big image so you might have to zoom in on it.

Is this a Star Trek reference or are they following the US space program tradition of calling the first Shuttle Enterprise? Although that was in response to outcry from trekkies. Anyway, interesting none the less.

If you check the picture in the second row, second from left you see something very interesting. Look under the picture of the Virgin "Galactic Girl" on the forward fuselage. It's faint, but you can make out "VSS Enterprise". It's a big image so you might have to zoom in on it.

Is this a Star Trek reference or are they following the US space program tradition of calling the first Shuttle Enterprise? Although that was in response to outcry from trekkies. Anyway, interesting none the less.

More pix: http://www.virgingalactic.com/pressftp/

Hey, now that there is a potential boom in the space tourism industry, those scientists can flock to the private sector.

Way to go, NASA!

Alternatively, we could sell it to a private concern, like Bigelow or Virgin or a private consortium who happens to have a few (ok, many, many) billions lying around.

Then again, the buyers might require that the ISS be boosted into a more usable, higher orbit before they take posession.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/

Interesting how on the video on the flash version of the website, old Rich describes his company as bringing space travel to people of "all walks of life"... in just how many walks of life can people afford $200,000?? o_O

Post 9/11, how many airlines remain financially strong enough to invest in radically new technology...

Virgin

See:
http://www.virgingalactic.com/

Indeed, seeing this first hand was quite interesting (I was there both days, and spent some time in neighboring Truth or Consequences, Aguirre Springs Recreation Area, and White Sands National Monument). I was really impressed with the high school space elevator team, as their device made it all the way up without much of a problem. I wish I was able to get more videos of the Tripoli rockets firing, as those were really neat. I was a bit under-whelmed by the lunar lander challenge though, if only because of the lack of teams competing and the problems encountered. But I suppose that is the nature of experimentation! :^) I thought the rocketman was going to fly around the crowd (like at other events)... Just seeing him float up 30 feet and back down was not too impressive. Seeing NASA astronaut Mike Foale's presentation about life aboard the ISS was really interesting and humorous. It is really neat to see the general enthusiasm surrounding rocketry and space exploration/travel at the event. I would like to go again when Virgin Galactic sets up shop in Upham, NM at the New Mexico Spaceport...

You mean Virgin Galactic. It's rumoured to be around $200k per flight.

Here's a really novel idea about how Rutan could make money: offer black sky flights on Spaceship One. According to the Virgin Galactic web page they go for about US$200,000 each. At that price you'd expect Rutan would have started flights two weeks after he won the X-Prize. What'd he do instead? He put Spaceship One in the Smithsonian. WTF? The old Spaceship One FAQ (prior to the X-Prize win) has this to say:


How much will it cost to get a ride into space?
Rides will not be offered in SpaceShipOne. The price of a ride will have to take in consideration the cost of certification and establishing an airliner-like operation. One goal of this research program is to see how low it might be without the burden of regulatory costs. At program completion we will have good data for operational costs and may publish them.


Establishing an airliner? WTF? Seriously dude, require your passenger to aquire a pilot's license, do the minimum required number of flight hours and designate them as a co-pilot. Then get them to sign a waiver as long as you're arm and you'll still have enough rich jerks with $200k each lining up to keep you flying two flights a day, every day, for the next five years.

Speaking of five years, when will Virgin Galatic be offering flights? Who the hell knows. Their web site says:

By the end of the decade, Virgin Galactic - the most exciting development in the story of modern space history - is planning to make it possible for almost anyone to visit the final frontier at an affordable price.


Surely they don't mean US$200k, so how long will it take to go from that to an "affordable" price? 5 years? Can't be, that would mean they have already started flights. 3 years? Sweet, so they'll start flying next year? Don't count on it.

All the text in the /. story in italics is what the submitter wrote. Editors sometimes add text to that in normal text.

For example, it was the story submitter who goofed on the "Richard Branson's SpaceShipOne" bit - it should have been a reference to Virgin Galactic.

And like another fellow said, the terrorism reference was in the linked article.

Branson's endeavour is Virgin Galactic and it will be using Spaceship Two. Spaceship One has been moth-balled, next to the Spirit of St. Louis.