Let'sgoflying!
Touchdown! Greaser!
Friday last week:
If there is a lack of interest in this topic, I will happily shut up about it.
Well... it *is* deliberate, they purposely minimize the publicity. They're actually based only a block or so from where I work, but there's no big signs or anything. They hadn't let the press into their facility until just recently. Several former co-workers work for them now.I think the real lack of interest is in how they market themselves. They're very isolated in west texas, don't really want people to know what's going on and only release the video they want. SpaceX is very open about things and has been able to get the public interested in that way.
Orbital would certainly get one the better views, but neither SpaceShipTwo nor the Blue Origin capsule can handle re-entry heat from orbit. Blue, again, has a better chance in that adding shielding to the capsule...that would be easier than covering the whole SS2 belly and sides.I am definitely interested and keep tabs on all paths that might get me to space one day.. affordably. Orbital would be the goal at least once around if that happens in time for me.
Well that's an unfortunate looking rocket.
So cool to see NASA doing cool new things.
Going orbital is from here is much easier than figuring out the base rotation maneuver and ground handling logistics. The key is....they are learning and will grow into orbital missions.
Plus they are learning how to develop reusable launch vehicles....and that's huge for low cost access to space.
We did this back in the 90's....it's about time this commercial activity continues.(btw...NASA didn't do that either, it was an AF project given to NASA to crash)