SpaceShip Two first glide test and landing.

[saggs]

Kind of surprised nobody in here is talking about this yet.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/news/item/vss-enterprise-completes-first-manned-glide-flight/

Nice video of the landing, smooooth.  Neat stuff, hoping this is a spark to start the next space race, especially since NASA basically has one foot in the grave now.

Also, that might be the worlds bulkiest towbar.  





And Burt Rutan has SWEEEEEEET sideburns. 

[phatzo]

At $200,000 a ticket its hard to imagine it turning a profit

[saggs]

At $200,000 a ticket its hard to imagine it turning a profit

I don't know.  But Richard Branson already has so much money maybe he's not concerned with turning a profit.  I think mostly he's bankrolling this more out of his love of aviation/space and exploration than for any fiscal reason.  He makes plenty of money from all his other business.

[Tr1gg22]

 

[xNOVAx]

Regardless of the initial business viability, I give all these guys a 

Innovation and technology advancement is often times extreemly expensive (especially in aviation/space), but in the long run things always become cheaper. I think if anything Richard Branson is 'investing' in all this technology and only charging 200k per ticket to help cover his expenses up front. As the technology becomes cheaper the viable/profitable business will emerge.

[saggs]

I wonder how long before they stick the rocket in that sucker and light it up. 

[trax1]

I wonder how long before they stick the rocket in that sucker and light it up. 

I think I heard sometime late 2011 early 2012.

Even at 200k a ticket a bet he still sells a ton of rides, there's a lot of rich people out there in the world with that type of money and would be willing to pay it for a ride into space, I just hope it gets cheap enough in my life time to ride.

[CAP1]

if you guys google it, you'll find videos of spaceship one flying under power....and there used to be some in cockpit footage too.

rutan is a genius with his designs. 

[xNOVAx]

if you guys google it, you'll find videos of spaceship one flying under power....and there used to be some in cockpit footage too.

rutan is a genius with his designs. 

Rutan is the man there's no doubt, but I'll reserve calling him a genius quite yet and save that title for when he builds an orbital vehicle.. 

[Cougar68]

Rutan is the man there's no doubt, but I'll reserve calling him a genius quite yet and save that title for when he builds an orbital vehicle.. 

I'll call him a genius for the things he's done for the homebuilt world of aircraft alone.   Anything else is gravy IMO!

[CAP1]

I'll call him a genius for the things he's done for the homebuilt world of aircraft alone.   Anything else is gravy IMO!

that's part of what i was referencing. on top of that, the first rocket powered airplane to fly since ww2 is based on one of his designs.

[saggs]

I'll call him a genius for the things he's done for the homebuilt world of aircraft alone.   Anything else is gravy IMO!

Anybody with sideburns like that, HAS to be a genius.