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Here is an article and a short video of Amazon.com launching a private test spacecraft 300 ft into the air. It also talks about other companies researching private space ventures. Posts: 684 | Registered: Aug 2001
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Thank GOD someone is doing something to get commercial spaceflight a reality. If I was a billionaire, that's what I'd be spending my money on.
I live near an airport, a smaller commercial one. Last summer, for some reason we had blimps hanging around the airport for a couple weeks. One night I was outside after dark and here comes this big "Sanyo" sign floating through the air overhead. Of course it was a blimp flying at night, but it reminded me of Blade Runner with the floating billboards. I've heard rumors of people putting satelites in orbit with giant bill boards, or people trying to bounce images off the moon of advertising. That is something we DON'T need from commercial spaceflight. Although the "Sanyo" sign was kinda cool floating in midair.
Posts: 1042 | Registered: Jan 2001
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The only way to stop them from doing it is to not buy the products of the people who do it.
Once they realize it does the opposite of what they want, they'll stop doing it. Otherwise, they'll continue doing what works.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson: What kind of useful test can you do at 300 feet?
Well...you've tested that it can survive take-off and landing.
Take off, yes, and somewhat of a landing. But landing after coming from space is an entirely different matter. How are they going to slow that thing down, or are they just going to use a giant parachute and land it in the ocean?
Posts: 684 | Registered: Aug 2001
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Not really. Accelerations in both cases are likely to be enormously different. They've demonstrated that it can survive a thrust sufficient to lift it 300 feet into the air -- and the fall back to Earth from that height. But that's not (if you'll forgive the pun) exactly rocket science. I'd imagine any college campus in this country could accelerate a car-sized object 300 feet into the air and get it to land without smooshing it too badly.
This isn't even really a proof of concept.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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quote:Originally posted by Marlozhan: Here is an article and a short video of Amazon.com launching a private test spacecraft 300 ft into the air. It also talks about other companies researching private space ventures.
Amazon.com didn't launch it. The same guy who started Amazon.com started a space company. That's not the same thing.
Posts: 12266 | Registered: Jul 2005
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