billvon 2,396 #1 Posted July 30, 2021 I just don't get it. So there were two suborbital flights last week. Two tourist missions launched with fairly proven vehicles - one a single stage booster not much more advanced than the Redstone rocket that launched the first manned US flight, the other with a slightly more interesting two stage aerial launch system, with a hybrid rocket for the second stage. Again, one that has been proven out over several years. So what? I honestly don't get the hoopla in both directions. I mean, in terms of pollution/frivolous wastes of money/"not helping people here on Earth" the tourist launches were no worse than a trip on a billionaire's obscenely large yacht or a NASCAR race. Why get more irate about this? And the people replying showing a picture of the Wright Flyer, sarcastically saying "I bet you would have hated this too!" - those tourist flights were nothing like the first powered flight. They're not doing any pioneering work. They're not going to advance the cause of spaceflight, human or otherwise. They're just going to make some money off tourists, which is what a good 10% of the people on the Earth work at. I mean, there's plenty of interesting stuff going on in space. The Nakua module just docked. The Boeing Starliner is going to try again tomorrow to see if it can catch up to the Dragon. The Super Heavy fired its engines for the first time. Those are significant - especially the Super Heavy, which if successful will not only take us back to the Moon but opens up Mars and other planetary missions to exploration. But these two guys with their "groundbreaking missions?" Eh. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airdvr 197 #2 July 30, 2021 I felt the same. Big hoopla over doing stuff that was done 50 years ago. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GeorgiaDon 340 #3 July 30, 2021 I am vastly more impressed with Victor Vescovo, who funded the development of a submersible vehicle he then personally piloted to the deepest point in every ocean. During these dives a lot of real science was done, including the discovery of over 50 new species of deep-sea animals. For his ~$50 million investment we have a submersible capable of reaching and exploring every point in the world's oceans. Don 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sfzombie13 307 #4 July 30, 2021 let's not forget alan eustice (sp?) who financed his own record setting jump and was first to pay his own way into space, if i recall correctly. too early for looking shit up. no fanfare to speak of, no corporate sponsors, just a rich guy doing rich guy shit. or so i assume, i am not now, nor have i ever been, rich. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,053 #5 July 30, 2021 (edited) 8 hours ago, billvon said: But these two guys with their "groundbreaking missions?" Eh. Many moons ago, the military had a Joint Training Exercise at Ft. Bliss for special operations desert training which included SF, Rangers, Combat Controllers, Recon, et.al. At the local bar, one of their guys squared off with one of ours and our guy said, "WAIT! (and, everyone stopped to listen) He went on . . . "Instead of beating the shit out of each other; I challenge you to a REAL MAN's contest!!' "What say we go outside and rub penis heads and the first one to smile loses!" Billionaires rubbing penis heads. Edited July 30, 2021 by BIGUN Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,623 #6 July 30, 2021 Some moderately prosperous folks ride airplanes up and jump out of them for no better reason than they want to and can afford it. Those turbines produce a lot of greenhouse gases. I am not going to judge Bezos and Branson for doing what they can afford and what they want to do. We didn't need to send humans to the Moon. All the science they did could have been done by robotics. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil1111 910 #7 July 30, 2021 I'd agree allot of hoopla over not much. However it does generate more interest in "space". Personally if the flight doesn't reach orbit it isn't space and doesn't qualify you as being an astronaut. Just my opinion. SpaceX seems to be doing more than all the national space agencies put together. Perhaps they will have orbital flights for tourists soon. All in all, why not. It sees similar to a tandem student first jump. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sfzombie13 307 #8 July 30, 2021 32 minutes ago, BIGUN said: Many moons ago, the military had a Joint Training Exercise at Ft. Bliss for special operations desert training which included SF, Rangers, Combat Controllers, Recon, et.al. At the local bar, one of their guys squared off with one of ours and our guy said, "WAIT! (and, everyone stopped to listen) He went on . . . "Instead of beating the shit out of each other; I challenge you to a REAL MAN's contest!!' "What say we go outside and rub penis heads and the first one to smile loses!" Billionaires rubbing penis heads. who won? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,053 #9 July 30, 2021 1 hour ago, sfzombie13 said: who won? The bigger penis, of course. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gowlerk 1,911 #10 July 30, 2021 1 hour ago, BIGUN said: The bigger penis, of course. I thought it was about who could keep a straight face and who cracked a smile? Does size really matter???? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,053 #11 July 30, 2021 On a more serious note; I'm with Don on this. I don't understand why we're not exploring more of the Ocean planet we have, than going to turn over rocks on a planet that we know has Martians on it and they want to eat us. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JerryBaumchen 1,048 #12 July 30, 2021 13 hours ago, billvon said: I just don't get it. So there were two suborbital flights last week. Two tourist missions launched with fairly proven vehicles - one a single stage booster not much more advanced than the Redstone rocket that launched the first manned US flight, the other with a slightly more interesting two stage aerial launch system, with a hybrid rocket for the second stage. Again, one that has been proven out over several years. So what? I honestly don't get the hoopla in both directions. I mean, in terms of pollution/frivolous wastes of money/"not helping people here on Earth" the tourist launches were no worse than a trip on a billionaire's obscenely large yacht or a NASCAR race. Why get more irate about this? And the people replying showing a picture of the Wright Flyer, sarcastically saying "I bet you would have hated this too!" - those tourist flights were nothing like the first powered flight. They're not doing any pioneering work. They're not going to advance the cause of spaceflight, human or otherwise. They're just going to make some money off tourists, which is what a good 10% of the people on the Earth work at. I mean, there's plenty of interesting stuff going on in space. The Nakua module just docked. The Boeing Starliner is going to try again tomorrow to see if it can catch up to the Dragon. The Super Heavy fired its engines for the first time. Those are significant - especially the Super Heavy, which if successful will not only take us back to the Moon but opens up Mars and other planetary missions to exploration. But these two guys with their "groundbreaking missions?" Eh. Hi Bill, Re: I just don't get it. I bet that you do. It is just capitalism, self-promotion, etc. These things have been around for a long time. 'Nothing to see here, folks.' Jerry Baumchen PS) Regarding a non-orbital flight: Military pilots who flew their X-15 aircraft higher than 50 miles were awarded astronaut wings. The X-15 Astronauts | Spaceline Back in 60-61, when I was stationed at Edwards AFB, I was fortunate to actually see the X-15 fly; I was just on the ground looking up. Sort of like watching skydivers. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyDekker 1,122 #13 July 30, 2021 16 hours ago, billvon said: I just don't get it. So there were two suborbital flights last week. Two tourist missions launched with fairly proven vehicles - one a single stage booster not much more advanced than the Redstone rocket that launched the first manned US flight, the other with a slightly more interesting two stage aerial launch system, with a hybrid rocket for the second stage. Again, one that has been proven out over several years. So what? I honestly don't get the hoopla in both directions. I mean, in terms of pollution/frivolous wastes of money/"not helping people here on Earth" the tourist launches were no worse than a trip on a billionaire's obscenely large yacht or a NASCAR race. Why get more irate about this? And the people replying showing a picture of the Wright Flyer, sarcastically saying "I bet you would have hated this too!" - those tourist flights were nothing like the first powered flight. They're not doing any pioneering work. They're not going to advance the cause of spaceflight, human or otherwise. They're just going to make some money off tourists, which is what a good 10% of the people on the Earth work at. I mean, there's plenty of interesting stuff going on in space. The Nakua module just docked. The Boeing Starliner is going to try again tomorrow to see if it can catch up to the Dragon. The Super Heavy fired its engines for the first time. Those are significant - especially the Super Heavy, which if successful will not only take us back to the Moon but opens up Mars and other planetary missions to exploration. But these two guys with their "groundbreaking missions?" Eh. Good way to have "tourism" pay for the development of a private exploration company. Lot's of money to be made. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
timski 80 #16 August 3, 2021 https://www.thirteen.org/programs/nova/rise-of-the-rockets-l6f1cj/ I've spoke these very words before, "No one is taking into consideration all of these holes the "space community" continues to keep punching through the atmosphere. Think https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SethInMI 145 #17 August 5, 2021 I think some people see the headline and think that Branson and Bezos funded an entire rocket program just to get themselves into space. In reality, as others here noted, they are building a tourist business, and certainly in Bezos's mind, he is just using that tourist business as a way to finance his further space goals. I doubt any news would have been made had they just sent the crew of paying passengers without themselves on board for the first passenger-ed flight. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stumpy 256 #18 August 6, 2021 I think "tourist business" is probably overselling it. At half a million dollars a ticket, it's more a rich people's mutual masturbation scheme. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
murps2000 86 #19 August 6, 2021 3 hours ago, Stumpy said: I think "tourist business" is probably overselling it. At half a million dollars a ticket, it's more a rich people's mutual masturbation scheme. I can poke fun all I want but if I had the dough, I’d go. I’d probably pick Bezos’ penis for the extra altitude even though I think Branson’s bird is a lot prettier. If a king air had a rocket instead of engines that’s what it should look like. Imagine pressure suit tech maturing to the point where you could one day be on jump run at 270k. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SethInMI 145 #20 August 6, 2021 12 hours ago, Stumpy said: I think "tourist business" is probably overselling it. At half a million dollars a ticket It's a start though. Every once in a while something happens that makes me feel I am actually living in the future, and turning space into a tourist destination is one of them. Maybe the cost will come down enough that I could ride one day, I got about 20-30 years or so to wait. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,623 #21 August 6, 2021 12 hours ago, Stumpy said: I think "tourist business" is probably overselling it. At half a million dollars a ticket, it's more a rich people's mutual masturbation scheme. Disagree. It's just a matter of where you draw the line. If I were a multi-billionaire I would do things I can't afford to now. Similarly I do things (scuba, skydiving, aviation) that a lot of people can't afford to and maybe they think I'm a wanker the same way you think Bezos and Branson are. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,053 #22 August 6, 2021 29 minutes ago, kallend said: maybe they think I'm a wanker the same way you think Bezos and Branson are. Nope. I'm thinking they got a myriad of other reasons. Bwaaa haaa haa. Sometimes, I crack meself up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stumpy 256 #23 August 6, 2021 1 hour ago, BIGUN said: Nope. I'm thinking they got a myriad of other reasons. Bwaaa haaa haa. Sometimes, I crack meself up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,623 #24 August 6, 2021 17 minutes ago, Stumpy said: Some people are easily amused. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stumpy 256 #25 August 6, 2021 22 minutes ago, kallend said: Some people are easily amused. Cannot deny that! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites