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Stephen Hawking Will Travel To Space (skynews.com.au)

Posted by msmash on from the path-to-becoming-a-verified-astronaut dept.

Professor Stephen Hawking says he is planning to travel into space on Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic. From a report: The physicist and cosmologist, 75, said he had not expected to have the opportunity to experience space but that the Virgin boss had offered him a seat. Discussing the meaning of happiness on Good Morning Britain, he said: "My three children have brought me great joy. And I can tell you what will make me happy, to travel in space. I thought no one would take me but Richard Branson has offered me a seat on Virgin Galactic, and I said yes immediately."

5 of 77 comments (clear)

  1. Is Hawking up for the rigors of spaceflight? by xmas2003 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Awesome that Stephen Hawking gets a chance to go into (the edge) of space, but is he up for the rigors of Spaceflight? Zero-G shouldn't be an issue, but some positive G's on the way up and way down. Hopefully this has been thought through ...

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    Hulk SMASH Celiac Disease
    1. Re:Is Hawking up for the rigors of spaceflight? by TWX · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It has been.

      Many years ago Peter Dimandis took Hawking on a ride in a private version of the Vomit Comet, where they flew up really high, put the aircraft into freefall so the occupants would also go into freefall, and then leveled off and flew up again, etc. Same training that is provided to astronauts and is used to test machinery and processes in zero-G where they only need a few minutes of effective 0G.

      Diamandis was worried about how Hawking's body would handle it, but apparently Hawking had the time of his life and they made so many passes that they had to stop because they were getting low on fuel, not because Hawking couldn't take it.

      While there is probably added risk to Hawking compared to the Vomit Comit, as the G-forces imparted are going to be higher at least on the ascent phase, if they're calculable and can be studied then it may be safe enough.

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      Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
    2. Re:Is Hawking up for the rigors of spaceflight? by reboot246 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I think he will be okay. He's a tough old guy who has lived for decades with a disease that would have killed a lesser person. I hope he enjoys every minute he has left before he leaves us for good.

  2. Re:Good on Mr. Branson by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Interesting

    at 75 and with his health issues

    Since his days are numbered, maybe he figures it's worth the risk, and being the first civilian to die in space maybe has a record-book appeal to it. Go in style. Beats the nursing home.

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    Table-ized A.I.
  3. Re:What exactly has he accomplished? by pseudofrog · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If nothing else, he's been an effective popularizer of science. A Brief History of Time has been a tremendous success, and it's served as inspiration for many of today's scientists while teaching the public a bit about how the world works. Pretty cool.

    Saying he has "a disability" is a massive understatement. The man's body has been effectively useless for decades now, serving only to keep his brain ticking and providing a cumbersome and exhausting means to slowly communicate. But he continues to engage the public and maintain a sense of humor. So that's something.

    Sure, he's a celebrity. But he's also done some great things even if you discount all of his scientific accomplishments. He's served well as the face and (robo-)voice of science for a while. I think he's worthy of a short jaunt up to space.