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Notice comments are turned off. They get pummeled by people comparing their progress (as in lack of) to SpaceX who have been delivering astronauts to the International Space Station. .
This is a different type of program. Virgin is aiming to bring tourists to space so they can experience the view, and zero G for a few minutes. I remember when the Concorde was flying, they used to give rides out over the ocean and come right back for $1,000.00. It flew quite a bit higher than the average commercial flight, where the sky is much darker. Probably weighed a bit less as well.
ok, this is getting laughable. Space is hard, but not this hard. Even Blue Origin/NewShepard was able to give Captain James T. Kirk a 10 minute joy ride to 'space'. Meanwhile, SpaceX put 3 civilians into ORBIT for 3 days and carries on delivering cargo and crews to the ISS. Virgin Galactic to delay commercial space travel service till 4th qtr 2022 https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/virgin-galactic-delay-commercial-space-travel-service-2021-10-14/ .
I think i’d rather ride on the vomit comit and save a ton of money than ride on either Virgin or New Shepherd.
I have friends in SR-71s who have flown as fast as either of the sub-orbital commercial systems. Have not gone as high, but a bit longer than a 10 minute ride.
Yup, the SR-71 was a full Mach number faster than I have ever been (Mach 2.55) and not limited to 50,000'.
Time to pull the plug on this dog. To think what SpaceX has done in this time compared to others is crazy. Virgin Galactic again delays space tourism flights, to second quarter 2023 https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/04/virgin-galactic-again-delays-space-tourism-flights-to-second-quarter-2023.html .
Add it to the list of ingenious and successful Rutan experimental projects that failed attempts to commercialize them.
Kinda like racing. Branson made a fortune on record sales. he blew it on virgin airlines, somehow managed to claw his way back and sell some of the airline. He lives great, is not super rich if you had to add it all up. he gets bored easily and likes new projects, the spaceplane, pure branson.
so Virgin Orbit (satellite delivery) is in limbo/on life support/dead ...... but, Virgin Galactic is still kicking. .......... some day Glide Flight test (no rocket) of 'modified/improved' VSS Unity .
