New Space Race

[TimAPNY]

What about the new space race? I figured that it would come up but it hasn't so I'm going to throw it in. What do you think it means to space flight? Is it really going to go anywhere in the long term?

[Scott Rose]

I like this thread but since its not warbird related I will move it to Off-Topic Discussions.... and with that on with the response

I think in the next decade or two we will see this type of thing blossom. Now the Space Ship One has shown that you don't need to be a government to do it I'm sure some of the corporations will be looking into developing this technology for communication satellite deployment and such. I'm happy about this since I believe it will take the privatization of space to make the next big leap in space travel and development. I heard they are already talking about putting a starbucks on the International Space Station.

Last edited by Scott Rose on Wed Jun 23, 2004 9:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Don Martin]

HATS OFF to Mike Melvil and the future! I personally think this is the only way space travel will move ahead. The government keeps cutting NASA's budget(re: LETS GO TO MARS, so we have to kill the Hubble telescope and a few other worthless programs!) But, when the Big Corporations start to see the ability to have a profit margin AND NOT kill off all the prospective customer base in the first year. And I think Mr. Rutan is probably the one person(not that there are no other origonal thinking engineers out there.), due to the success he has already had with designing outside the box, that will make this work. These sub-orbital flights, I would think, will be followed soon enough by orbital trips and next thing you know you've got Howard Johnson's and Holiday Inns from here to Venus and back!

PS You buying, Scott?

[Scott Rose]

PS You buying, Scott?

Heh, when we have a WIX gathering in space I'll buy the Starbucks.

[Tulio]

Many yers ago, as part of an arms deal, the USA forced the Argentineans to stop their space program. They were developing missiles and air to air missiles. The potential for this to be married to a nuclear technology was real, so the program was forced to close.

Now, within the last two days, I have received news that there are plans in Argentina, to start working again on a space program. The details are very sketchy, but with the Rutan aircraft flight just three or four days old, looks like there will be more and more space-flights from locations other than those we consider "usual."

I believe that Brazil also has the potential to enter this promising and lucrative market; they have the technology, the brain and man power to achieve it.

Saludos,

Tulio

[Scott Rose]

Many yers ago, as part of an arms deal, the USA forced the Argentineans to stop their space program. They were developing missiles and air to air missiles. The potential for this to be married to a nuclear technology was real, so the program was forced to close.

Now, within the last two days, I have received news that there are plans in Argentina, to start working again on a space program. The details are very sketchy, but with the Rutan aircraft flight just three or four days old, looks like there will be more and more space-flights from locations other than those we consider "usual."

I believe that Brazil also has the potential to enter this promising and lucrative market; they have the technology, the brain and man power to achieve it.

Saludos,

Tulio

I can definately see that. Now that the concept has proven to be possible, and to have cost roughly $20,000,000US I can see wuite a few "up and coming" nations developing space programs. With that it could be that our grand kids "warbirds" will be aerospace fighters instead of strictly terrestrial ones. With more than one country in space means the potential for conflict and all it takes is one country to arm a space ship and we'll have a new arms race.

[Jeff]

depends what you mean by "armed" spacecraft Scott.

throw a rock off a high enough place and it'll mkake a decent dent in almost anything.

hard part might be hitting that tiny little ant like aircraft carrier way down there but well. big enough rock makes big enough splash to give it a really big long bath all over, inside and out.

[Scott Rose]

depends what you mean by "armed" spacecraft Scott.

throw a rock off a high enough place and it'll mkake a decent dent in almost anything.

hard part might be hitting that tiny little ant like aircraft carrier way down there but well. big enough rock makes big enough splash to give it a really big long bath all over, inside and out.

True, I read a story about Thor's Hammer about orbital weapons that were un-powered except for maneuvering jets and a guidance package. It would just drop out of orbit, and its mass (about the size of a bus) would cause the damage, no warhead.

Actually what I meant was spaceship to spaceship combat in defense of orbital instalations, moreso than space to ground engagements.

[bdk]

Now the Space Ship One has shown that you don't need to be a government to do it I'm sure some of the corporations will be looking into developing this technology for communication satellite deployment and such.

Like the sign said, "SpaceShipOne, GovernmentZero."

[Jeff]

yeah, read that and another similar device reasonably accurately described as flying crowbars in a book called footfall.

so you mean something more akin to the elektron space planes in dale brown's silver tower then?

[Scott Rose]

yeah, read that and another similar device reasonably accurately described as flying crowbars in a book called footfall.

so you mean something more akin to the elektron space planes in dale brown's silver tower then?

Read Footfall a long time ago, about time to read it again.

Actually I mean a type of aerospace fighter, essentially a aerodynamic fighter that can use manuevering jets in space to launch missiles of mount rail guns. A space superiority fighter. Sort of like the ASF's in Battletech game. Essentially F-22's with the ability to go into space and return.

[Jeff]

yep, sort of like I suggested in the bok by dale brown. a mini spacecraft fitted with rockets designed to destroy by impact or explosion another spacecraft.

in that case a tiny space shuttle like craft and a full size armed and armoured space station arguing with each other.

[RyanShort1]

Regardless of the future of the project... Here's a link to some nice pictures from the events. http://www.richard-seaman.com/Aircraft/ ... ipOne2004/

Ryan