Slashdot Mirror
More SpaceShipTwo Details
Anonymous Coward from Manitoba writes "BBC news is reporting more details about Burt Rutan's proposed SpaceShipTwo. Apparently the new flyer will include five to eight passenger seats and have the 'same diameter crew cabin as a Gulfstream V business jet'. It will fly much higher than SpaceShip One - up to '135-140 km' that will permit an additional 90 seconds of microgravity. This will be important, since 'we want this roller coaster-type bar that you fold out of the way and you can float around'. They are also planning to 'have the option of landing in a different place from where they took off'. I can't wait until we can ride SpaceShipThree across the Atlantic in 20 minutes!"
All they need now is to reach orbit and offer some serious microgravity.
I think they need to find a better way of launching those things into space. Because the amount of fuel they require now is unbelievable and I don't believe the oil price will drop within 10 years.
I think that this is going to be the biggest push for sub orbital flights.
Can you imagine SS3 taking people from Mojave to Japan in 2-3 hours? Or what about the US govt/DoD using it to deliver specalized troops anywhere in the world withing 4-5 hours. Hostage situation in Africa? SeAL's on the ground from the US to the target in 3 hours. Earthquake in Iran? Specalized rescue teams on site in hours and not days. It makes sense to send people around the globe just like you send ICBM's.
Imagine a first class airline service for people to needed to get from NY to London quickly (or just didnt want to sit on a long airline flight.) Sure, the flight would cost more, but its the same economics as first class compared to coach. If people are willing to pay more for faster speeds then eventually someone will find a way to make it financially viable.
My sig can beat up your sig.
This is still pretty much a straight up and down operation. Perhaps with a bigger/longer burning engine, you could reach the height of the ISS, but it would whiz by at 7000km/hr. Bit hard to dock with at that speed :-)
You are in a twisty maze of processor lines, all alike.
There is a lot of hype here.
Eh, I wouldn't exactly call it homebuilt.
I can't wait until we can ride SpaceShipThree across the Atlantic in 20 minutes!
...and imagine still wasting one hour travelling to the air/spaceport, three ours in check-in and security lanes, half an hour on the other end to get your luggage back, and yet one hour travelling off the port.
“Wait for Hurd if you want something real” –Linus
Hey, if the insanely rich want to blow large whacks of cash on something like this... let them. It only increases the chance that someone like Paris Hilton could be involved in a tragic sub-orbital accident.
Kierthos
Mr. Hu is not a ninja.
You must work for Lockheed. ;)
Even though we have millions of cars polluting the skies it does not mean we should ignore the fact that SRBs are dirty polluters as well.
Then by that logic. Stop breathing. No, seriously. You are poluting this world with the greenhouse gas Carbon Dioxide. So stop breathing and stop poluting.
Fly me to the moon Let me sing among those stars Let me see what spring is like On jupiter and mars
Don't forget the cargo carrying capacity of each. There's more than bipedal organic lifeforms to move about the planet.
Of course there is often more than efficiency or economy to moving those pesky humans. Sometimes they just want to get "there" in a hurry.