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SpaceX and other space stuff
- Thread starter bholder
- Start date
I think all leaders in the new Space Frontier suffer from OOT - Overly-Optimistic-Timeline - disease. 
Branson says they want to be commercially operating "next year." If that is the case, how many of these space plans have already been manufactured? Wouldn't there be news items about the serial numbers of the different planes, and manufacturing and testing progress of each?
Also, anyone know what the inspection/refurb time will be for this plane between flights?
Branson says they want to be commercially operating "next year." If that is the case, how many of these space plans have already been manufactured? Wouldn't there be news items about the serial numbers of the different planes, and manufacturing and testing progress of each?
Also, anyone know what the inspection/refurb time will be for this plane between flights?
This is all so cool watching Virgin. But comparing to a launch of a rocket from the ground it’s kind of boring.
... not to mention NBC's "Kumbaya... oh, space exploration is going to bring human beings together" puke is tough to take.
Give me more science and less social commentary.
Give me more science and less social commentary.
Me and a coffee just mustered. Ain't nuthin' like geekin' when you're wakin' LOL.
I think Branson & Co just signed in, using those Fender pens.
am excited to see this, i'll take any space love i can find, lol
If I found out I had a year to live, first thing I'd do is sign up and pay the $250K for a ride.... (1/4 of my life savings, yeah, but if I won't be needing it....)
As a live streaming event, that was the equivalent of abseiling down a building, and getting your nuts caught in the harness.
Now, let's all listen to that new single, but that tiktok personality we're all supposed to be excited about.
Now, let's all listen to that new single, but that tiktok personality we're all supposed to be excited about.
Well done! So many space boundaries being pushed these days. Cool times.
Must've been a fake flight. Perfect hair only happens in movies.
...and Warren Zevon songs!Must've been a fake flight. Perfect hair only happens in movies.
Apparently it's a trend to take the most attractive female engineer you can find in your organization, and give her a mic to host your live stream. At least Jessie Anderson of SpaceX, as the manufacturing lead, discusses plenty of technical details, and knows more than one adjective to describe what's going on. (We were on the verge of declaring a drinking game every time the fawning hostess said "exciting" and "comfortable.") The lack of mission control & radio traffic, while said hostess simply parroted what was in her earpiece, was a huge snore.
Compared to SpaceX launches (made by nerds, for nerds), this played as little more than a self-aggrandizing infomercial aimed at people with the money to go on a "technically-in-space" joyride, and be offered the chance to buy a commemorative SUV to go with their souvenir pens and flight suits. That it served as a less-than-subtle middle finger in the general direction of Bezos was probably some icing on Sir Richard's cake.
In the end, that was a lot to sit through, for very little in the way of substance.
Compared to SpaceX launches (made by nerds, for nerds), this played as little more than a self-aggrandizing infomercial aimed at people with the money to go on a "technically-in-space" joyride, and be offered the chance to buy a commemorative SUV to go with their souvenir pens and flight suits. That it served as a less-than-subtle middle finger in the general direction of Bezos was probably some icing on Sir Richard's cake.
In the end, that was a lot to sit through, for very little in the way of substance.
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I enjoyed it. But - that was the most unscientific "space" adventure I have ever witnessed.
It played out like a long infomercial for Virgin Galactic.
It actually, in the beginning, had the feel of being Faked. I mean, really - you don't air the take off? Instead, you air those stoopid Colbert bits? Wow.
I'm glad it went well, I'm glad everyone is safe, but, that was on the - Lame side.
It played out like a long infomercial for Virgin Galactic.
It actually, in the beginning, had the feel of being Faked. I mean, really - you don't air the take off? Instead, you air those stoopid Colbert bits? Wow.
I'm glad it went well, I'm glad everyone is safe, but, that was on the - Lame side.
I bet, just like you had to pay extra for the still photo of your rollercoaster car going through the water feature, you have to pay extra for the onboard video footage of your ride into "Space".
We did notice the little bump-outs in all the window frames for every passenger's personal camera.
And let me clarify before anything gets derailed: I don't begrudge anyone the enjoyment of their resources. If one has the money to pay for this kind of ride, by all means, go for it, and enjoy. Cruise around in your souvenir SUV, have the complimentary chapagne, and show your shiny flight suit selfie to all your friends.
But do not try to convince me that a three-hour air-conditioned plane ride, culminating in a single, rocket-powered parabolic hump for 60 seconds of weightlessness (before scrambling back into your seatbelts) puts you anywhere near the same category as Neil Armstrong, et al.
For the last 50 years, people have had to work incredibly hard, master a host of complex skills and knowledge, and sacrifice far more than their time, to earn the title of "astronaut." Now we're apparently in the brave new era of people simply purchasing it like a fashion accessory.
And that's where I call bulls[pace].
