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We haven’t heard much out of Richard Branson’s intergalactic airline for a while, but apparently we should soon see some actual, edge-of-space Virgin Galactic commercial flights, with paying punters and all.
Not that you or I are likely to be able to afford a trip to the edge of space, but hell, it’s good to see. One day this might make it cheap enough, and common enough that we’ll all be flying to orbital space stations. A hotel in space would have one hell of a view, that’s for sure.
Anyway, exact flight details have yet to be finalised, but we will see Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo taking to the Kármán line (100km above sea level) this year. That’s technically the edge of space. Apparently the craft doesn’t have to be cleared for flight by the US FAA (it’s taking off from Spaceport America) — it’ll simply be a case of the passengers signing waivers and taking their lives into their own informed hands.
Still, it’s not like Virgin’s been skimping on safety; all the flight delays have been caused by testing and assurance of safety. I don’t think anyone would fork up £125,000 per seat after witnessing its maiden voyage blow-up mid-air. [IEEE via Wired]
Virgin Galactic Nearing First Rocket-Powered Test Flight
Virgin Galactic Firing its Rockets in 2012
Virgin Galactic's Gateway to Space Is Now Open For Business
Apparently Al Qaeda are going to hijack it using a pocket knife and then fly it into the twin moons of Jupiter.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jvb_zWfEPsg/TD2dZ_Fgh9I/AAAAAAAAA7w/_fHfvKIcsh8/s1600/tumbleweed1.jpg
LOL! That, my friends is the best thing I heard today, no really.
friend*
bloody missing edit button!
How do you know their plans? (Raises eyebrow)
Ah ha, looks like resident hawk Julian is calling for my extraordinary rendition based on mere tittle tattle!
Come at me, MI6!
Actually it will be MI5 as they deal with internal security and according to the satellite I can see you’re in London at the moment
It cannot do space travel, basically just a high flying plane.
Remember this?
http://thesuperslice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Felix-Baumgartner-x-Red-Bull-Stratos-021.jpg
That was 39km. This flight goes to 100km. Sure feels like “space ” to me. Depends on how you define space of course. The Karman line is a well accepted boundary (albeit not the only one). As well, the US actually defines anyone that has gone above 80km as an astronaut (according to wikipedia).
I take your point about a high flying plane though, in the sense that the “ship” uses standard aircraft physics to fly (i.e. based on lift derived from the surrounding air). It doesn’t actually use thrusters, which would be required if it were to fly above approx 120km.
Exactly. But calling themselves Virgin Galactic is a bit rich. Should be Virgin SubOrbital.