I’m not going to name any names, but I actually know some people who don’t believe we sent a man up in space to walk on the moon.
Just sayin’…
And this week, when I read about this whole Virgin Galactic thing, I thought: “This can’t be real. This has to be some article from The Onion or something.”
Do you know about this? This whole commercial spaceship situation?!
I first saw it in a tweet, linking to this post explaining that they JUST did a test “captive carry” flight with the commercial spaceship attached to the mothership, taking off and landing at the Mojave Air and Spaceport… And they are using words like this – like it’s normal everyday language, when right now my spellcheck doesn’t even recognize words like “mothership” and “spaceflight.” Go ahead, type them. They will be underlined in red.
Trying to prove that this is a joke, I hopped on to Virgin Galactic’s website and watched:
ARE YOU KIDDING?!
So I clicked the “Booking” page. (Eh, why not?) It’ll cost me $200,000 to make a spaceflight reservation on “the sexiest spaceship ever.” Don’t you think that’s a little low?
Seriously. I do think it’s a little low.
Before I picked up the phone to call one of their Accredited Space Agents (conveniently marked on every inhabited continent, with three in the state of Georgia. Three?!), my mind returned to the idea that this had to be a farce.
Of course, I’m reading this on the internet. And the number one rule states that we can’t believe everything we read on the internet.
And with today’s graphic illustration capabilities, we can’t even believe our own eyes.
But, you know what? This is America – where anything’s possible.
I guess the sky is no longer the limit.
And I guess my Mac spellchecker needs to get with the times.
I was made aware of these kind of “spacey” happenings after I happened to read Buzz Aldrin’s (2nd man on the moon) autobiography last year. Even wrote a small blog about it. (Excuse the link, but I think you’ll like the quote about who he’d like to see in space)
http://steveprobstmusic.blogspot.com/2009/08/rocket-man.html
As for “But, you know what? This is America – where anything’s possible.”
So true and I chuckled when this same Buzz Aldrin was announced to be and is on “Dancing With The Stars” !
Thanks for breaking social media rules by posting that link!
it was a great read – the quote is dead on.
I love The Onion.
I also love the Onion which could not make up some of the space tourism planned.
If I had the money I would sign up for a flight to the moon in a heat beat. Of course Alice Kramden may have already beaten us there.
I have checked out some of these companies before, and here is some more info from Wikipedia:
“Under current US law, any company proposing to launch paying passengers from American soil on a suborbital rocket must receive a license from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation (FAA/AST). ”
EADS Astrium, a subsidiary of European aerospace giant EADS, announced its space tourism project on June 13, 2007.
SpaceX is a private space company which is developing their own rocket family called Falcon and a capsule named Dragon, capable of sending up to 7 people to any space station, either ISS or a possible station by Bigelow Aerospace. Falcon 1 has already undertaken testflights and successfully completed its first commercial flight on July 14, 2009, deploying the Malaysian RazakSAT into orbit. Falcon 9 (which will be the rocket for the
Dragon capsule) is currently in vertical position at Space Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral, and will make its first testflight in late 2009.[the test flight has been pushed back to late April 2010] An initial prototype of the Dragon capsule is expected to be used on this test flight; SpaceX anticipates that Dragon could be qualified for human spaceflight within 3 years of the receipt of NASA CCDV funding.
Space Adventures Ltd. have also announced that they are working on circumlunar missions to the moon, with the price per passenger being $100,000,000. They are currently developing spaceports at the United Arab Emirates (Ras al-Khaimah) and in Singapore.
Orbital space tourist flights are also being planned by Excalibur Almaz, using modernized TKS space capsules
This reads like something straight outta Star Trek, doesn’t it! So you say you’d be on a flight in a heart beat – but what do you think about it, Ed? What do you think about people being able to joy-ride into space? Good idea? Bad idea? Crazy idea?
I think giving people the opportunity to fly, vacation in space, or on the moon, is a great idea for two reasons.
I am confident that at some point people will be living in space, where we have no choice but to forget about the things that divide us on earth. In space we are all just earthlings. If we don’t work together when in a spaceship we die.
Also having people being able to look down on earth from space should give us a greater sense of wonder at the plant we all call home. This can help bring us together. Or, for people of religious faith, increase your awe at God’s handiwork.
One day our planet will be gone, by an act of nature, or human stupidity. Living in Space would be a chance to start our civilization over. Perhaps become civilized (no war or poverty) for the first time.
I need to learn to do the moonwalk… *adds to check-list*
I’ve heard Virgin was doing this. You’re right $200K does seem a bit low. My house is worth about that. And even though going to space might be the next big, frivolous expenditure it only lasts a short while in comparison to how long I’ve had/will have my house.
Plus I don’t think I’d like space. Except for the instant not weighing anything. That’d be nice.
I’m thinking there are women out there who have spent way more than $200k to drop just a few pounds. Hmm…. may propose this as a marketing campaign for Virgin. 50% of my commission goes to you, of course.
I think that’s gonna be my next trip.
I wonder what it’d be like to sing in space….?
Mandy,
The story of this venture is so cool. The actual designer is Burt Rutan, that’s why this is all based in the Mojave Desert. That’s where Burt has had his own company there for years. He’s been an inspiration to me for years now and his aeronautical designs have been cutting edge for as long as I can remember. If anyone can bring private space flight into reality, Burt Rutan is the one to do it. One of his planes sits in the Air and Space Museum already. It’s the only plane to fly non-stop around the world without refueling. He is so cool!