Is this the beginning of a new era?

[denishc]

 Now that Space Ship 1 has made a successful maiden flight can we be looking at a new space race, commercial versus goverment backed manned flights?

[SilverFox441]

It very well could be the start of a new era...the beginning of the opening of space to the common man. Like most new eras we have no way of knowing what the long term effects might be.

Over at Sim-Outhouse, Ken Stallings suggested that we might be looking at the birth of General Aerospace as opposed to General Aviation. Just imagine, Flight Simulator 2010 might include sub-orbital parabolas as a regular flight mode.

[ozzy72]

Well as Paul Allen was closely involved with Mr. Rutan on this one I think we can expect to see some changes in the next version of FS or the one after

[Craig.]

Simple answer. No it isnt.
This craft made it because of its size, anything big enough to carry passengers for a long stay wouldnt stand a hope in hell. We are still a long way from every day tourism in space, i also ask whats the point of sending people on a rocket into space for the fun of it right now? untill visits to the moon or even trips out of the solar system are avaliable then its still not an option as such

[gaztop]

How would one determin who goes and who stays?
Can a person of say, 50 and over travel into space without being super fit?
What qualifiations would one need to be a passenger?
Will it be for the rich and famous only?
I can not see a time when the ordinary man/woman in the street can afford to travel into space.
The only way it is going to happen is if one is part of the labour force.
Does anyone have a more definate answer?

[Stormtropper]

Simple answer. No it isnt.
This craft made it because of its size, anything big enough to carry passengers for a long stay wouldnt stand a hope in hell. We are still a long way from every day tourism in space, i also ask whats the point of sending people on a rocket into space for the fun of it right now? untill visits to the moon or even trips out of the solar system are avaliable then its still not an option as such

Sounds like the Wright Flyer in space to me

[ozzy72]

Sounds like the Wright Flyer in space to me

Beautifully put Storm That is EXACTLY what it is. The first step

[Craig.]

affordable space travel as it stands will not be here in any of our lifetimes at the current speed of development. I for one pray it will you all know my love of space. but thinking realisticly it prob wont

[SilverFox441]

The speed of development just vastly accelerated...SS1, Canadian Arrow and Da Vinci are all at or very near flight capability.

3 technolgies not yet mixed...but when they do.

Point?

Why does it have to have a point? People will want to go...for however short a time, simply because it is there (or not there...it is a vacuum after all).

The current estimate if for a trip to cost 10-20 thousand $US. Lots of people can afford that...and as soon as a market opens up, people will be looking for more cost-effective methods of fulfilling the market or to make a better trip...

25 years from now an enlarged SS1 might be taking people on large scale trips 50-60 at a time.

Remember, in 1903 many thought the aeroplane was a neat toy...but would never be a practical transportation means.

We know how that worked out.

[denishc]

People will want to go...for however short a time, simply because it is there......

 I have to agree with SilverFox and disagree with CraigL.  I too believe that people will be standing in line for even a short trip into space.....atleast those who can afford it, for now.  In the future sub-orbital flights may become common place in long distance trips to cross oceans and continents.
 But I have to admit Gaztop has a point too, should only the fit be allowed to undertake these trips, atleast for now.
 And who will decide who's fit?  For that matter, who will over look the licensing of "space" pilots, the regulation and upkeep of spacecraft and flight plans of such sub-obital trips?  We're entering a new era here boys, and the world we now live in, with the technology its brought, certainly brings up more questions than it answers.  But I'm sure this was also true in the time of the Wright brothers.

P.S.:  Does anyone out there have any photos of the Da Vinci or Canadian Arrow so we can see how they match up to Space Ship One.

[Craig.]

Yes they may want to go for however short a time, but once again it comes back to the rich and elite. I am not going to bankrupt myself to satisfy a childish fantasy of spending a few hours in space. My main goal for taking physics and hopefully astrophysics is to make these things a viable option in my life time, i do not see this as being the begining of a new era not just yet. This flight had some bugs, some of which could have been serious. Untill a few more flights have gone up with 2 or more passengers and bug free dont get your hopes up. Without trying to piss anyone off, by some peoples reasoning here, essentially the first few civilians into space were the begining of a new era. Not one guy spending millions on a tiny craft. And until craft can get into space without the forces required very few people would even be considered healthy or fit enough. I am not trying to say it wont happen, one day it will but i dont see this as any significant step to everyday space travel. Maybe some of Doug's cynicism(is that the word?) is wearing off onto me:)

[SilverFox441]

You can find out about all the X-Prize teams at the X-Prize website:

http://www.xprize.org

[gaztop]

Assuming we could fly to the moon and back as a commercial venture. Would there then be a race to colonise planets, and start the cold war senario again?

If my country was overcrowded, and I could colonise another planet, I of course, would. Wouldn't you??

gaz

[SilverFox441]

At some point there will come a massive push to colonize other bodies in the Solar System...for economic reasons if nothing else. There are believed to be asteroid bodies that contain huge amounts of almost pure metals, transuranic elements and other valuable commodities. We can't exploit those resources today, but at some point we will be able to...then the race is on.

In the meantime there is money to be made closer to home. The one thing we know to be true is that wherever money can be made somebody will try.

[gaztop]

That is for sure!