Virgin Galactic

[lTraditional]

Never knew about it untill today - looks pretty awesome!!

http://www.virgingalactic.com/

Thread closed by Recursion (Forum Super Moderator): Arguments.

[Apple]

That plane looks amazing, it's as if they have joined 3 separate plains together side by side. Are they supposed to disconnect or something? :S

[Mathew]

That plane looks amazing, it's as if they have joined 3 separate plains together side by side. Are they supposed to disconnect or something? :S

Yeah, watch the video on the site and you can see it detaching. It runs like a normal plane until it gets to a specific altitude, then accelerates into space using a hybrid rocket motor (which apparently releases no toxic chemicals) at three times the speed of sound.

The video says you experience weightlessness on the flight and that the detatchable shuttle is "almost completely re-useable" Branson also added that it's thousands of times greener than spacecraft previously. You see Earth from space.

In my opinion, this is the future and a showcase of man's greatest achievement in a nutshell. With Concorde being scrapped I thought progression in the airline industry was turning to regression but this is truly amazing. Even the safety of the aircraft has been so well designed, comparing it to a shuttlecock.

Tickets cost $200,000 with deposits starting from $20,000.

My Uncle was talking about this years ago and it's something he'll probably consider. There was talk of getting a free flight if you had a million air-miles with Virgin (I think my Uncle is about half way there ). This has just got to be something to do before you die!

[Misawa]

I wonder what the reaction will be upon the inevitable disaster.

[Stephen]

The people who booked tickets for it are the people who won't be missed anyway. Rich money wasters

[AgnesIO]

The people who booked tickets for it are the people who won't be missed anyway. Rich money wasters

If I had the money I wouldn't turn down the chance - and I bet most the haters would take the chance too.

[Mathew]

The people who booked tickets for it are the people who won't be missed anyway. Rich money wasters

Seeing the Earth from space, which only a handful of people have done, is a waste of money? In that case, I think you're rather hard to please!

Sadly, I do think a disaster will stem from it sooner or later down the line but I wouldn't phrase it like it's something to look forward to. I find it quite odd a few people actually want the "rich money wasters" to die in an accident. Obviously lives will be lost, but arguably the next biggest problem is that it will significantly hinder progress in space travel. Why would you want to do that?


On another note, anyone know what this is supposed to mean?

Book your place in space

and join over 340 Virgin Galactic astronauts who will venture into space

Is there a certain amount of flights going out?..

[Stephen]

Of course it's a waste of money. The people who booked tickets have more money than senses. They could go up, roll about in no gravity for 5 minutes and then go back down and that's really worth $200,000? I could go in a no grav simulator and go 50,000 ft in a plane for less than 3k. I can then buy the most expensive telescope and see all the planets still for less than $200k. I can then go in a sim again about 10 times and then go in a plane another 10 times still for under 200k

[Wig44.]

Of course it's a waste of money. The people who booked tickets have more money than senses. They could go up, roll about in no gravity for 5 minutes and then go back down and that's really worth $200,000? I could go in a no grav simulator and go 50,000 ft in a plane for less than 3k. I can then buy the most expensive telescope and see all the planets still for less than $200k. I can then go in a sim again about 10 times and then go in a plane another 10 times still for under 200k

Oh waa waa, $200000 is trivial to some people. I'd do it if I had the money.

[Stephen]

Sorry for posting an opinion. Almost as bad as adam stephen kelly!