First Privately-Funded Manned Mission to Space

[Mark]

SpaceShipOne Makes History: First Private Manned Mission to Space

http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/062104-2.htm

21 June 2004 - The world witnessed the dawn of a new space age today, as investor and philanthropist Paul G. Allen and Scaled Composites launched the first private manned vehicle beyond the Earth’s atmosphere. The successful launch demonstrated that the final frontier is now open to private enterprise.

(read more)

 

[rushlight]

SpaceShipOne Makes History: First Private Manned Mission to Space

http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/062104-2.htm

21 June 2004 - The world witnessed the dawn of a new space age today, as investor and philanthropist Paul G. Allen and Scaled Composites launched the first private manned vehicle beyond the Earth’s atmosphere. The successful launch demonstrated that the final frontier is now open to private enterprise.

(read more)

Soon we will be able to see what is really out there without government filtration.

Um, if you believe in that sort of thing of course.

*Looks around nervously*

Uh, but I'm sure that everything will be fine.... yeah...

 

[Piratecat]

Mark, you're slipping; wrong forum!

 

[Zappo]

But they have to demonstrate the ability to fly twice in two weeks before they can claim the prize.

 

[The_Universe]

It's a first step, and I for one am glad to be alive when its happening. Frontiers have only ceased to be so when taken out of the hands of governments, and placed in the hands of private citizens. This may be the final frontier for humanity, but it's a big one, and we have waited a dreadfully long time to try to begin taming it.

Until now, we have had no where else to go. No new places for us to call our own. So go West, young man. Make the stars our own.

********

Yes, I really feel this sappy about the whole thing.

 

[Steve Jung]

But they have to demonstrate the ability to fly twice in two weeks before they can claim the prize.

It was just a test flight. They are further along than the other prospectives. So that counts for something.

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

I always said the world was going towards a Cyberpunk/Shadowrun thing. Now we have suborbitals.

Seriously though, it's really cool. Should effect travel time, too, as without air to hold it back the jet should go faster. Unless I know no physics.

 

[Umbran]

Mark, you're really slipping. Not only didn't you get it in the right forum, but you didn't see there was already a thread on the topic.

 

[Zappo]

It was just a test flight. They are further along than the other prospectives. So that counts for something.

Yes. I think they have the best chances of winning. It will still be some time before a space flight becomes affordable, though; I recall reading on their website that the price for a few minutes in space would be comparable to a round-the-world trip.

 

[Mark]

Mark, you're really slipping. Not only didn't you get it in the right forum, but you didn't see there was already a thread on the topic.

Yeah. I know. I sent an email to PC asking him to fold my thread into yours but is hasn't happened yet, I guess.