Burt Rutan On Future Of SpaceShipOne (and Two)

Neil Halelamien writes "In a recent interview with the Desert Sun, Burt Rutan talks about the future of SpaceShipOne and SpaceShipTwo. The bad news is that SpaceShipOne will be retired straight to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, despite getting five different requests to fly suborbital payloads. The good news is that efforts are being focused on SpaceShipTwo, which will carry nine people, and fly higher and further downrange than SpaceShipOne. Virgin Galactic will purchase a fleet of five of these vehicles, which will start test flights in 2007. Virgin Galactic may end up competing with Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin, which is rumored to be developing a VTOL suborbital vehicle. Also interesting to watch will be Rutan's involvement with t/Space, one of the companies contracted by NASA to conduct concept studies for the Vision for Space Exploration."

Comments

Re:Rutan is my hero.

[Subjective]

I applaud Bush for invading Iraq. It has cost the US alot of money and reduced the dollar further. My rent is much lower now (I pay in dollars, but get payed in NIS)

I'm overjoyed reading Bush's next targets - all aggressive muslim countries who'll resist America at all cost - more money spent, dollar goes down.

I burst into manical laughter at the notion of Bush dropping nukes. MAD, man. MAD.

China's where it's at, just like you said.
It's huge (never been conquered, only changed rulers from within), industrial, and have nukes.
How is the US going to fight one of the biggest countries in the world and the maker of most of US's products?