OT: Who needs NASA !

[Narrew]

This is exciting to see. I have been reading books about colonizing space. The largest obstacle is the lack of heavy boost ability. I see the X-prize as a great step in that direction, as long as the feds stay out of the way.

[EvilGenius4ABetterTomorro]

Exciting, but that ship looks a little floppy and fragile. I would request an ejection seat. As much as I admire Ruttan, I keep getting images of that really fragile airplane he went around the world in non stop a few years ago. What was that made of? Styrofoam?

[mottlee]

The only part that goes into space is the lower "Pod" the rest is just the launch platform, I think there was something about it on the Discovery Channel at one time

[Wardad]

Right, SS1 is tucked under the belly of White Knight. WN is not only a high altitude truck, it is a test platform for SS1 hardware. They do look similar.

http://www.scaled.com/projects/tiero...ace_one_p1.htm

http://www.scaled.com/projects/tiero...ace_one_p2.htm

[ May 15, 2004, 20:15: Message edited by: Wardad ]

[Magnum357]

Ya, the White Knight is suppose too look phlimsy like that because its suppose too designed too go VERY high Altitude, then lauch the pod too go into space. Personally, I think this is a safer way too get into space then NASA's Space Shuttle and I think its probably a lot less expensive. I have been an oppenent of the Space Shuttle just by the fact that NASA made the thing too damn big and its not even used for its original design anymore (if ever). It hardly ever docks with the international Space station (they usually use just conventional rockets too send supplies and contruct the Space station) and its too large in my opinoin too be practical or safe. A ship half the size of the shuttle could easily do much of the same stuff the Shuttle Fleet does at probably a cheaper cost and easier too maintian as it would be smaller then the Shuttle.

[Raging Deadstar]

I like it because it just looks nice

But thats just me

But seriously this is sounding good, Hopefully the company building this will also have learnt from the mistakes of the space shuttle, Avoiding any incidents like the "Columbia".

(I have a memory like a seive, It was the Columbia that burnt up in orbit a year or two ago didn't it?)

*Raging Deadstar, He who spares enemy races on the basis of how pretty their ships are "

[gregebowman]

Originally posted by Magnum357:
Ya, the White Knight is suppose too look phlimsy like that because its suppose too designed too go VERY high Altitude, then lauch the pod too go into space. Personally, I think this is a safer way too get into space then NASA's Space Shuttle and I think its probably a lot less expensive. I have been an oppenent of the Space Shuttle just by the fact that NASA made the thing too damn big and its not even used for its original design anymore (if ever). It hardly ever docks with the international Space station (they usually use just conventional rockets too send supplies and contruct the Space station) and its too large in my opinoin too be practical or safe. A ship half the size of the shuttle could easily do much of the same stuff the Shuttle Fleet does at probably a cheaper cost and easier too maintian as it would be smaller then the Shuttle.

The problem with NASA and the shuttles is that NASA only has so much of a budget, and they're being tasked to not only replace the shuttles, but plan a mission to Mars and still do the occassional rocket launch. Before Bush, NASA was the red-headed step-child of most presidencies. Now that Bush has declared his mandate, maybe NASA will get a bigger budget and whatever else they need to develop a safer and more practical shuttle or space plane or whatever it will turn out to be.

[ May 17, 2004, 17:30: Message edited by: gregebowman ]