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First-Ever Private Spaceport Nears Final Approval
bobhagopian writes "According to the article on Space.com, the Federal Aviation Administration is nearing the final stages of certifying the Mojave Airport as the first-ever private spaceport. Both Scaled Composites and XCOR Aerospace (the two leading competitors in the X-Prize competition) currently fly out of Mojave Airport. The approval of a commercial spaceport will certainly facilitate the creation of even more private-sector space technologies."
So...what are the civilians going to DO in space?
;)
Unlike astronauts, they don't have to take scientific readings of everything.
Other than the wow-factor of, "I've been in outer space!", there really isn't a reason for the average civilian to go...It's not like they're going to visit relatives on Mars
...are the actual space ships. I'm definitely looking forward to many of the X-Prize contenders, but so far they're only building simple rockets to go up and down. It's a great in-between stage, but I'm looking forward to the day when orbital rockets will be built.
The one caveat to that is that a manned orbital rocket would probably be launched from the ocean rather than land. The reason for that is that water makes a plentiful rocket fuel. Tote along a reactor (nuclear is preferable, but diesel will do), convert sea water to LHOx, and launch your rocket. (This was the premise behind the Sea Dragon craft.) While a nuclear generator would probably be out of the range of a private company, using a diesel and/or solar reactor to make the fuel could cut the costs of the launch considerably.
Oh, and it's environmentally friendly.
Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
That is a neat thing, to have an actual "official" spaceport, but it will be even more exciting when the FAA designates a "public" spaceport! But I am looking forward to spacecraft with "RyanAir" markings setting down at our local municipal air... ahem SPACEport!
"The generation of random numbers is too important to be left to chance."
So does this mean that they'll change all the signs to the Mojave Airport to the Mojave Spaceport? That would be really cool and I bet those signs 'll disappear every week or so:)
Modes proposal for keeping the signs up:
Make up extras. Sell them at the spaceport office (profits to help fund the spaceport or space exploration in general).
Print notice on the back of the ones on the road that reasonably-priced souvenirs are available at the office or by mail-order at (x) for ($y) and how big the fine is for stealing THIS one. B-)
Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
Think of it as a sign of confidence and commitment. It means even the government is beginning to realize that the private sector has a better chance of making space exploration a going concern. Sort of an approving nod. Official recognition is usually a good thing. With all the red tape involved, making the efort main stream is absolutely necessary. This is a start.
OK, if you payed attention last time, you know that there is an interesting meaning to the SS1 tail number.
N328KF
As in N (US air vehicle)
328KF as in 328,000 Feet!
Burt and company are supurbly cool folks!
Err, there's already one out there in Oklahoma, called, funnily enough;
SpacePort, Oklahoma.
Google it up, there's alot of good info about it, and makes a pretty good site too. Just enough out the way.
Waiting for an amusing sig.
"A monkey dressed in silk is still a monkey."
:-P
Not to discourage people's efforts for commercial space ventures, but I think that quote is suitable in this case
I kinda wanted to mod you down, but since you asked nicely, I'll just reply. Scaled Composites (Burt Rutan's company) seems to believe in it enough to invest a lot into creating a sub-orbial spacecraft. In case you don't know: Scaled Composites is the company most likely to win the X Prize, and I think they've invested a lot more than the $10m prize money. Some of the other X Prize contenders seem to have the same faith in a profitable market.
karma capped
I would hope that it would take on more the flavor of the old time passenger cruise lines of the late 19th & early 20th Centuries. Still, once space travel starts to really emerge, it is going to be a very capital intensive business. Almost all of the capital that Wall Street & other exchanges can dig up is going to help fuel this next economic expansion.
I predict that over the next 15-25 years you will see Wall Street (especially once the X-Prize has been won) get into space in a major way. You will see the whole dot Bomb thing happen all over again, unfortunately, with fly-by-night companies that do little but promise the Moon (this time in a more litteral fashion). Some companies are going to emerge and become very successful, but many others are going to take a whole lot of money from people and throw it down the drain.
If the X-Prize team list is an indication with over 26 different teams listed, once it has been proven to be a practical business you will see many others jump into the business. Companies like Boeing, Airbus, and Thiokol (all companies you seemed to miss) are more than likely going to come in and join the party as well. They all have some sort of rocketry/avaition experience, deep pockets, and an aire of respectability when they start producing spacecraft.
In this regard it would be more like the P.C. industry, where it started in a bunch of garages and small industrial parks, where several millionaires arose from relatively modest beginnings. In this case we have a few "modest" millionaires who are perhaps going to turn this into billions.
I agree. The problem with government spending on space exploration/commercial usage is its funding is fickle and politically charged. Unfortunately many governments for quite a while could not accept that they simply were not as well equipt as the private sector for this type of work, they were looking at sheer amounts of money available and not at the innovation that comes with having to do more with less. now dont get me wrong, NASA has done a fine job, often doing their best work under fiscal stress (see comment above about innovation). But extraterrestrial exploration on a large scale has to come from the private sector. With this private spaceport designated as such, more companies in the private sector will be able to more easily enter the arena. As the parent said, this is a start. Lets hope it ends as well. --Aaron
"goodbye and hello, as always" ~Prince Corwin, from Zelazny's Amber series