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July 25, 2009 06:24 PM
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The writing is on the wall. The contribution will be enormous. With the Apollo program we went to the Moon 40 years ago and never went back. At almost the same time we produced the fastest supersonic commercial aircraft, the Anglo-French Concorde which flew at Mach 2 for 35 years and also became extinct. The last two decades we were facing a huge retreat in terms of aeronautical achievements and little advance in terms of aeronautical innovation. Nowadays things are changing.
Like aircraft designers and aeronautical visionaries like to say: "We let the bureaucrats in government took the strings of aerospace exploration. They constrained the dreams of entrepreneurs and monopolized the space race for themselves."
Now, for the first time in 40 years, space exploration is moving in the right direction, at a pace set by private investors. The contribution made by Burt Rutan with the Space Ship One paved the road for aerospace entrepreneurs like Sir Richard Brandson and his Virgin Group, eager to gamble and sponsor the next step of viable commercial space travel with the Space Ship Two and White Knight Two carrier to conform the first commercial spaceline, Virgin Galactic.
Of course the ride offered to rich customers will be just the beginning of the enterprise that will eventually turn the business into a viable proposal, thus preparing the ground to spark more interest on the independent space exploration. Among the alternative ideas coming out of the sightseeing passenger ride will be satellite launch, zero gravity test, medical research or metallurgical development.
You should consider the US $200.000 travel fee the rich Americans will be able to pay with Virgin Galactic in contrast to the prohibitive US 20.000.000 million fee the rich billionaires of the world are paying now to the Russian government to grab a seat in the Soyuz capsule.
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However, its partner, Scaled Composites, is doing some serious engineering. They're focused on providing manned orbital flights. Virgin Galactic will be their first customers with those joyrides, but once Scaled has the ability to reliably place things in orbit, they may be able to get things to the International Space Station. From there, further space exploration is a lot easier.
Even if Scaled isn't doing the work, their research in composite materials and aircraft design will be licensed to other companies that will.
One rosy scenario calls for Virgin Galactic to purchase the International Space Station and use it as a kind of space hotel, using Scaled Composites aircraft to shuttle people back and forth. Virgin Galactic itself would not be doing serious science, but it would enable real research to be done.
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Can Virgin Galactic make an important contribution to space exploration?
What will Virgin Galactic's contribution to space exploration?
Will it simply end up providing joy rides to a few rich people, or will it make a serious contribution, for example by providing satellite launch capabilites?
Will it simply end up providing joy rides to a few rich people, or will it make a serious contribution, for example by providing satellite launch capabilites?
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| July 26, 2009 05:47 AM |
The writing is on the wall. The contribution will be enormous. With the Apollo program we went to the Moon 40 years ago and never went back. At almost the same time we produced the fastest supersonic commercial aircraft, the Anglo-French Concorde which flew at Mach 2 for 35 years and also became extinct. The last two decades we were facing a huge retreat in terms of aeronautical achievements and little advance in terms of aeronautical innovation. Nowadays things are changing.
Like aircraft designers and aeronautical visionaries like to say: "We let the bureaucrats in government took the strings of aerospace exploration. They constrained the dreams of entrepreneurs and monopolized the space race for themselves."
Now, for the first time in 40 years, space exploration is moving in the right direction, at a pace set by private investors. The contribution made by Burt Rutan with the Space Ship One paved the road for aerospace entrepreneurs like Sir Richard Brandson and his Virgin Group, eager to gamble and sponsor the next step of viable commercial space travel with the Space Ship Two and White Knight Two carrier to conform the first commercial spaceline, Virgin Galactic.
Of course the ride offered to rich customers will be just the beginning of the enterprise that will eventually turn the business into a viable proposal, thus preparing the ground to spark more interest on the independent space exploration. Among the alternative ideas coming out of the sightseeing passenger ride will be satellite launch, zero gravity test, medical research or metallurgical development.
You should consider the US $200.000 travel fee the rich Americans will be able to pay with Virgin Galactic in contrast to the prohibitive US 20.000.000 million fee the rich billionaires of the world are paying now to the Russian government to grab a seat in the Soyuz capsule.
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• Two decent answers, this one had a little more depth to it.
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Other Answers (1)
July 28, 2009 04:28 PM
Virgin Galactic is itself primarily about providing joy rides to rich people. However, its partner, Scaled Composites, is doing some serious engineering. They're focused on providing manned orbital flights. Virgin Galactic will be their first customers with those joyrides, but once Scaled has the ability to reliably place things in orbit, they may be able to get things to the International Space Station. From there, further space exploration is a lot easier.
Even if Scaled isn't doing the work, their research in composite materials and aircraft design will be licensed to other companies that will.
One rosy scenario calls for Virgin Galactic to purchase the International Space Station and use it as a kind of space hotel, using Scaled Composites aircraft to shuttle people back and forth. Virgin Galactic itself would not be doing serious science, but it would enable real research to be done.
Source(s):
http://scaled.com/
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July 28, 2009 05:47 PM
Actually the CEO of Virgin Galactic says their longer term aim is to provide serious space capability. The question is whether that is credible.
As for buying the ISS, it's cost a $100bn to build so far. I don't think Virgin Galactic or anyone else from the private sector will be buying it.
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As for buying the ISS, it's cost a $100bn to build so far. I don't think Virgin Galactic or anyone else from the private sector will be buying it.
July 29, 2009 10:12 PM
Well, I think Scale Composite real business is, and has always been the design and construction of aircraft for specific duties to special customers, not to engage in manning orbital flights. It’s a misconception. Burt Rutan is an aviation genius. Perhaps the greatest aircraft designer of the XX century (along with Lockheed’s Clarence "Kelly" Johnson).
The first Space Ship One was built just to break a mark, to win the Ansari X Prize for the first independent rocket to reach orbit (in this case sub-orbital) taking a crew of 3 and back, twice in a 15 day span. At the moment the prize of US $10 million was nothing short than tips considering that the whole project took something between US $40 to $50 million all with the patronage of Microsoft´s Paul Allen, aviation entrepreneur.
Now with the success came the next step, to build the Space Ship Two, bigger and more powerful, this time the costumer order came from Richard Brandson owner of Virgin airline. In both cases Scale Composites was the main design firm and although deeply involve with test and flights their main concern has always been the design and construction not the final business enterprise.
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The first Space Ship One was built just to break a mark, to win the Ansari X Prize for the first independent rocket to reach orbit (in this case sub-orbital) taking a crew of 3 and back, twice in a 15 day span. At the moment the prize of US $10 million was nothing short than tips considering that the whole project took something between US $40 to $50 million all with the patronage of Microsoft´s Paul Allen, aviation entrepreneur.
Now with the success came the next step, to build the Space Ship Two, bigger and more powerful, this time the costumer order came from Richard Brandson owner of Virgin airline. In both cases Scale Composites was the main design firm and although deeply involve with test and flights their main concern has always been the design and construction not the final business enterprise.
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If I had $200k or $10m to spare I would certainly consider both of those. :)
Btw, supesonic jet travel was never further developed because there was little economic case for it. The Concorde cost a ton of money to develop and the possible market for it was very limited. Because of sonic booms it couldn't get permission to fly supersonic over populated areas which limits the routes it can fly. And the number of people who're willing to pay the extra to save a couple of hours of flight time are fairly small.