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What's Next in the New Private Space Industry?

Posted by Cliff on from the profit-among-the-stars dept.

Cesaro asks: "I'm as thrilled as every other geek out there with the success of SpaceShipOne. But what are realistic expectations of our next steps into this new industry? The Economist clearly thinks the next step is high paying 'space tourism' at a whopping $200k+ per trip. That is all well and good, but what do *we* think the goals and schedule should look like?" "How about travel? A flight to Australia will currently take me 20+ hours. How long down the road until I can take off from the US and land SpaceShipOne in Australia where another White Knight is waiting to ferry it back into the air again? (Anyone know how fast I could get there?) I only get 10 days of vacation a year and spending two of them in a metal cylinder is not such a good deal. How many years until we can start carrying cargo and DHL/UPS/FedEx can promise around the globe next day delivery? So I ask Slashdot: What should be the next steps and what is a realistic expectation of when those steps could occur?"

12 of 360 comments (clear)

  1. SPACE PIRATES by bobbozzo · · Score: 5, Funny

    Space Pirates, of course!

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    Nothing to see here; Move along.
  2. legalized space prostitution by seringen · · Score: 5, Funny

    sex in space is where it's at. I'm almost not even kidding. It's out of the control of any state, and who wouldn't want to have sex in space?

  3. Daredevils! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I want to see whichever member of the Knievel family is still alive jump out of this thing at the apex of the flight, and parachute back to the ground.

    Assuming he makes it, then the next thing would be some kind of horrible reality TV show.

  4. Re:PhDs by stroustrup · · Score: 4, Funny

    Congrats mate!! You got the first post for the next story.

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    If you lost your job today, don't despair. You may die tomorrow anyway.
  5. Hmm by pHatidic · · Score: 4, Funny

    Going into space would be awesome, but I'd rather be able to read slashdot in firefox.

  6. Re:Longer stay, lower price by worldtechguy · · Score: 5, Funny

    How about three minutes with Britney Spears? Now there's a ride worth taking! HEY! Before criticizing, remember, in three minutes you could make mad passionate love to her AND get to know her entire depth of her being!

  7. Sex in space... by anactofgod · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm definitely interested in scoring some zero-G space nooky. My mom did say that I should wait and make sure my first time is special.

    And, hopefully there will be room for two in that capsule, so that it can be even MORE special!

    *JOY*

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    ---anactofgod---

    "Equal opportunity swindling - *that* is the true test of a sustainable democracy."
    1. Re:Sex in space... by graveyhead · · Score: 4, Funny
      I'm definitely interested in scoring some zero-G space nooky. My mom did say that I should wait and make sure my first time is special.

      And, hopefully there will be room for two in that capsule, so that it can be even MORE special!
      Apparently, the consolation prize for admitting you're a virgin on slashdot is a +5 funny karma bonus ;)
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      std::disclaimer<std::legalese> sig=new std::disclaimer; sig->dump(); delete sig;
    2. Re:Sex in space... by multimed · · Score: 2, Funny
      It's always been that way. Humor that works is always rewarded here--and self depricating humor even more so considering the typical audience.

      By the way, after his flight, would the company running the flights have to change its name?

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      Vote Quimby.
  8. On television... by Nick+Driver · · Score: 5, Funny

    I predict a new episode of Junkyard Wars, where the show will provide the rubber & N20 burning engine, but the teams will have to scrounge up the rest of the parts from the junkyard. Teams have the customary 8 hours to build a vehicle, and the first one that makes it to suborbital space... and comes back alive... wins a complete set of all 20 TV espisodes, plus the 2-hour movie, of Andy Griffith's "Salvage One" series on DVD. :-)

  9. Re:Longer stay, lower price by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
    There are millions of people in the world who live on $2.00 a day.

    <republican philosophy>So if I can get each of them to pay me a dollar, I could take 10 friends for a trip into space.</republican philosophy&gt

  10. My money is on Sir Richard by ArcticCelt · · Score: 2, Funny
    I respect your opinion but on this one I have to choose between what you believe and what Sir Richard Branson believe.

    I am sorry but no matter how high is your karma I still put my money on Sir Richard. ;)

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    Yahh, hiii haaaaa! -Major Kong, from Dr. Strangelove