First Privately Ran Space Flight

TomtheMighty · Member Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 107

Well, the first privately owned space capable (hopefully) vehicle Space Ship 1 has just taken off (it is 9:50 a.m. EST) from the Mojave Desert and is about an hour from reaching the lower limits of outer space. I am wondering what you all think of it. Do you hope it will succeed? What do you think it means for the future.

I think it is a major step for space exploration. We need entrepenuars to come up with innovitave and inexpensive ways to get into space. Just think of it, in the next 100 years there may be commercial flights into space, the first people on Mars may not be from NASA but some average joes like us.

Lexar · Forum Stalker Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 1129

I think the people at nasa are more average people than those who summon enough money and effort to actually explore space without governmetn funding.

TomtheMighty · Member Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 107

I think you missed the point. These guys are ddi somehting for 20 million that cost NASA BILLIONS. THat means space flight may become an affordable reality in the upcoming years. How many years...I don't know, but I think commercial space flights we be a reality in the next 50 - 60 years.

Lexar · Forum Stalker Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 1129

Yeah 20 million thats nothing you're right.

KFelidae · Still very bored Joined: 19 May 2004 Posts: 295

Ah, but NASA spends billions and yet they're STILL lacking funds. See, the second you privatize something, you stop regulating it. How do you know that they're gonna keep up maintainance? Take all the safety precautions? I'd rather trust my life to NASA, who keeps highly trained people staffed BECUASE they're highly trained, not because they're out for a buck.

Now, it's great that people are doing this on their own. They can be a valuable source of data. But we can't replace NASA with these folks, even in our minds.

Sorry if I sound a little defensive, but I've got friends who work at JPL. They work there because they love doing it, not for money. I could never respect a space crew whose only drive is that they're gonna get a paycheck when they come back to Earth.

-KF

Lexar · Forum Stalker Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 1129

I think we shouldn't waste money on space exploration right now. Sattelites etc, that's good for something, but going to mars...? Sorry, but that money is needed somewhere else in the world.

(Now we have something to argue about... Razz

)

TomtheMighty · Member Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 107

True, the lack of regulation would be a problem at first....but I can see something like the FAA coming to being to ensure saftey. But hey, I agree the money could be better spent elsewhere at the present time. I am talking about the future. Maybe in the distant future there will be no wars, disease, hunger or strife. Maybe then we can focus more on space exploration...assuming we haven't been taken over by robots... Very Happy

n8comics · Has No Life Joined: 05 May 2004 Posts: 582

[quote="Lexar (Lexar)"] I think the people at nasa are more average people than those who summon enough money and effort to actually explore space without governmetn funding. [/quote]
Jesus... Are you serious dude? So I suppose all of the high tech staff of NASA who prepare all the calibrations, signals and other technical goodies are just normal average people. Oh, I forgot their Major in robokinetics, astrology, science, computer tech and all that other stuff means nothing. Yeah, NASA just picks people up off the street and from Whitecastle because they can't afford to hire any of the garage junkies to do their work for them. Sorry if I come across like an asshole, but what you just said was just pretty damn funny :)

But unless someone comes around and invents one of those Jetsons-mobiles, than I'll be damned before I step foot in one of those things... It's still not safe for astronauts to launch out into space and I doubt a "compact" spaceshuttle will be any safer. Oh, and traveling in space is a big waste of time if you're going to visit your 2nd cousin way out on the moon. It takes too damn long to get there... I'd need a hell of a lot of batteries for my gameboy if I was taking a road trip...

Lexar · Forum Stalker Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 1129

I don't think you understand what I mean. If you want to finance an operation like this you need lots of money. 20 milion I heard? That's even less regular than someone you would pick up from the street is it? I never said the nasa guys (and girls, but I have a hunch there aren't many of them) are average people, but they certainly aren't excentric milionairs who make spacecrafts for fun (or whatever reason they might have).