Virgin Atlantic Licensing SpaceShipOne

Tigerquoll writes "According to the Australian Broadcasting Commission, British airline magnate Richard Branson has announced a plan for the world's first commercial space flights and has signed a technology licensing deal with Mojave Aerospace Ventures - the US company behind SpaceShipOne. See scaled composites' media release and the Virgin Galactic website"

Comments

Space travel in my lifetime :-)

[Space cowboy]

I may never get onto the world's first commercial supersonic jet, now that it's been retired, but with an initial price of £115,000 I'll certainly hope that (after another 5 years or so, when the price has come down), I'll get into space. Cool. Really cool if it flies over my house :-))

I'd always regretted not doing the quick flight to NY from London (not that I could afford it!), even with tiny seats. I'm told it was just about possible to pop over the pond, do your xmas shopping in a different continent, and pop back the next day (same day was possible but left little time for shopping...) Let's just hope that the space-flights stimulate some competition, unlike Concorde, because then the next goal would quickly become 'lunar city'...

I think that 'Virgin Galactic' is hopelessly optimistic, though, given that it's sub-orbital. I'm guessing people won't really want the 'galactic' version, and a return ticket might be a bit superfluous...

Simon

Re:Space travel in my lifetime :-)

[JohnnyNoSPAM]

Hopelessly optimistic... perhaps. Still, even for the glimpse of our world from the perspective that thus far only a few have been able to see would be incredible. I don't have a few hundred thousand bucks sitting around to burn; maybe I never will. But, for those who do I'm sure that it will be the experience of a life time - even if they don't go to the moon or anything like that.

In Thornton Wilder's play, Our Town, there is a memorable quote: "It takes life to love life." As an example, it's one thing to read about a roller coaster ride, to see the pictures, and to hear the tales of others who have experienced it. But, to be there yourself, to take that and to feel that energy and excitment for which no words or pictures can simulate - there is nothing that comes close to knowing for yourself.

Commerical space flights might not be anything that would be anywhere nearly as affordable as commerical flights of today at least relatively speaking within my lifetime. I might end up being a very old man by the time that they do. Aside of the excite of seeing our planet from such an amazing view point, I am sure that the sheer speed of being able to get from one place to another will become yet another convenience - a luxury of future life. I just hope that there is competition so that the prices will be competitive and thus the flights will not remain an experience only for a priviledged few.

Re:Meanwhile, at Virgin Atlantic, the webmaster sa

[gowen]

"Our press release was covered by Slashdot today! Perfect!"

Actually, you can stop there. Branson is a master of PR, and I wouldn't be remotely surprised if this venture gets quietly binned, once its provided its much needed channels to allow Branson time to plug his newly launched credit card.

Forget tourism!

[InternationalCow]

The virgin galactic (which translates to Virgin Milky...) site gushes about the spiritual experience for rich tourists ("executive jets"..."dine with astronauts" yadda yadda) but the true opportunity for the foreseeable future will be IMHO in high speed intercontinental flight for those for whom it is really important. Let space tourism pave the way (like the rich did with the automobile) but let's not forget the ultimate goal. Then I can finally go to a conference in Australia without haveing to reserve two days for getting there!

Re:Insurance cost ?

[CrazyTalk]

Simple - have passengers sign a waver. Not responsible for death, injury, etc. etc. Done and done!

Re:Don't forget the long term plans!

[TintinX]

" If it is a success, we want to move into orbital flights and then, possibly, even get a hotel up there"

Am I a hopeless geek who needs therapy or does reading that quote from Branson bring a genuine tear of emotion to anyone else's eye?
That such a thing has taken one very real step closer to realisation in my lifetime is - quite literally - awesome.

Re:Insurance cost ?

[CrazyTalk]

err - can I mod myself down? I meant to be funny, not informative. Obviously, insurance will be an issue for a commercial enterprise like this.

Re:Meanwhile, at Virgin Atlantic, the webmaster sa

[nexu56]

Branson is a master of PR, and I wouldn't be remotely surprised if this venture gets quietly binned, once its provided its much needed channels to allow Branson time to plug his newly launched credit card

He's also a successful entrepreneur to the tune of billions, so I wouldn't write him off that quickly. He must be doing something right.

When he started an airline (Virgin Atlantic) people aired similar doubts. When British Airlines realised he was serious they threw every dirty trick in the book at him... but they got smacked down in the courts when Branson proved they were operating an effective monopoly (a situation close to slashdot readers' hearts).

Despite extensive industrial sabotage, Virgin launched the worlds prototype discount airline, which to date has been massively successful. Virgin Blue, the australian arm of the business, has captured a third of the domestic market from Qantas within a few years. All the while Virgin has dominated another form of air travel with Virgin Balloons. But I'm sure that was a ploy to sell plastic credit too.

Naive spin-master or visionary benefactor? I think Branson's record speaks for itself.

Astronaut wings

[chiph]

The site says that after your flight, you'll have a dinner where you'll be presented with your astronaut wings. I can see some resentment from the established astronaut/cosmonaut/taikonaut corps to this.

How much do you want to bet that the requirements for receiving your wings will be raised by 100km or so?

Chip H.