To the Moon Alice!

[Foofoogal]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004142025_tour24.html


See ya! Bye bye. Not me for a million dollars.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

whooooaaaaaa-ho-ho-ho, count me OUT...watch that sucker snap in half on the test flight...

 

[dhermann1]

I've been a Burt Rhutan fan for 25 years. If I had the moolah I'd go in a heart beat! The man knows what he's doing!

 

[DblCoronaMS]

If Burt Rutan built a space plane out of apple crates I would trust it.

 

["Doc" Devereux]

If Burt Rutan built a space plane out of apple crates I would trust it.

I wouldn't be enormously surprised if he managed to do just that, either. Rutan is the Barnes Wallis of our age.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

whooooaaaaaa-ho-ho-ho, count me OUT...watch that sucker snap in half on the test flight...

Since our government's first attempts to chase Sputnik into space, I've seen any number of our space vehicles "snap in half", costing us trillions of dollars since 1958.

Burt Rutan has been successful since his first attempts, having won the Ansari X prize and the Collier Trophy for his efforts. Now with private backing from one of the world's most successful entrepreneurs he's fulfilling the dream of commercial space flight that NASA could never accomplish. The failure of the Shuttle to meet it's original goals and be a profitable enterprise as example.

Burt Rutan's aircraft and spacecraft hang in the National Air and Space Museum alongside the Wright Flyer, and the Spirit of Saint Louis - other successful private ventures that set milestones for aviation.

Indeed Burt Rutan is the Robert Goddard of our age and if left in his hands and private capital, who knows what great accomplishments may have been achieved by now.

As was stated in an earlier post, Burt Rutan and Richard Branson have proven themselves over and over again - I'd ride with either of them "in an apple crate" if given the chance.

This venture has had my support since it's inception (I actually was brought to tears when 'SpaceShip One' succeeded! I claim Mike Melvill as a national hero!) and can't wait for the 'Vigin Galactic' inaugural flight next year.

At a time in our history when we really need real heros, these guys are it. If not usurped by government intervention, the efforts of these gentlemen would be on par with Wilbur and Orville, Charles Lindbergh and Howard Hughes. They deserve ticker-tapes in every city in this country in my opinion.

God-Speed, Virgin Galactic!

-dixon cannon

 

[SamMarlowPI]

ok Dixon, you hooked me

 

[DblCoronaMS]

What if...

What if Burt Rutan had been born 60 years earlier...

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Hey SamMarlowPI...

ok Dixon, you hooked me

What comes after 75?

(answer: 76)

That's the Spirit!!!

All hail private enterprise and free and enterprising people!!


-dixon canon

 

[Brinybay]

Here I thought this was something about Ralph's vintage bus driver uniform:

 

[SamMarlowPI]

Me too, Brinybay lol

 

[Foofoogal]

Did get your attention didn't it. Since this is supposed to be a vintage bar it was either that or the Jetsons came to mind. Sorry. lol

I just wish instead of wealthy people flying to space for entertainment purposes they would use the money for the people hooked on drugs I see everyday around me in the USA and laying on the street with cups in Scotland. Young people also and I guess it is too fresh in my mind. Now I am off topic. fftopic:

Though I do love people with adventurous ways and ideas.

 

[Diamondback]

The other thing is the "technology incubator" effect--doing this will require development of new technologies in other fields, which will in turn require new developments in others...

It may not be able to do much for addicts, but if we can get to the point where we begin manufacturing in orbit, that may open up new possibilities in everything from pharmaceuticals to metallurgy. Consider that if it weren't for the Space Race, we wouldn't have this kind of communications technology, and this discussion wouldn't be possible. Just something to consider...

 

[SamMarlowPI]

spootneek!

 

[Mr. Lucky]

What if Burt Rutan had been born 60 years earlier...

Well, hell! That's pretty damn cool! Ain't Photoshop a wonderful thing!

 

[Foofoogal]

Thank you for that perspective Diamondback. Every day as long as people are being born new ideas come forth.
We will always have the poor with us. I did run across one very innovative thing in Scotland that someone needs to start here in the USA.
It is a magazine called "The Big Issue"
It was started in 1991 to help the homeless. I bought it from a man on the street and thought at first he was selling a magazine to tell about the area. Evidently vendors buy it for 70p and sell it for a pound and 50p.
www.bigissuescotland.com
Now maybe some people who live there don't appreciate it and I am totally not knowing about it but after working in a food pantry for 4 years found it fascinating and useful IMHO.
Knowledge is power and lack of knowledge leaves one powerless.
I pray for those caught in addiction.

 

[Twitch]

I'd go. As one gets older risks of this sort seem so much less than when you were like 30.

And besides these designs the Germans had too many to show in WW II

Lockheed 133

Kyushu J7W1 Shinden

Curtiss XP-55 Ascender

 

[LizzieMaine]

Around here where I live, I think you'd find quite a lot of support for the idea of shooting rich tourists into space. Especially during the summer.

 

[Feraud]

Around here where I live, I think you'd find quite a lot of support for the idea of shooting rich tourists into space. Especially during the summer.

lol lol