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Two Radically Different Approaches to Private Access to Space (gizmag.com)
Zothecula writes: Commercial spaceflight company World View came a step closer to carrying tourists to the edge of space with a successful test flight last weekend. At Page, Arizona, a one-tenth scale replica spacecraft was carried by high-altitude ballon to a height of 100,475 ft (30,624 m) to demonstrate the technology that is intended for use in a full-size version slated to begin commercial flights next year. And with a note on the other end of the size spectrum for private access to space, reader Habberhead writes: As reported first by Wired Magazine and followed on by others including Discovery News, start-up company ThumbSat is aiming to provide turn-key access to space for students, experimenters and citizen scientists with a new femto-satellite and creative business model. Small payloads and experiments in space for $20k, including the launch? Sign me up!
At Page, Arizona, a one-tenth scale replica spacecraft was carried by high-altitude balloon
What is this, tourism for ants?! It has to be at least...3 times bigger than this!
The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
Please tell me about these exciting problems you think you'll solve floating around in a deadly vacuum towards empty hostile rocks. That's better?
Recycling of resources is the obvious huge one. Extracting space resources for use on Earth is another.
Only Space Nutters look at a planet teemng with life and water nad air and think they have to leave, but look at empty, hostile, dry, barren, radiation-blasted Hells and think "abundant water".
That teeming life also means Earth is poorly suited for a lot of industrial uses. Doing heavy industry in desolate places of space means we can get those benefits without the usual consequences of doing them on Earth (like massive pollution).