LIVE ROCKET LAUNCH COVERAGE - Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity Rocket Plane

originally posted by: RMFX1

originally posted by: Moohide
Lets be brutally honest.

The most pathetic live coverage ever, had to chase round different sites to get some sort of 'live' viewing.

That was much shorter than i expected. $250,000? A waste of money in my eyes.



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Also, is it really really space? I'm not so sure.

To be strictly anal retentive about it, the most staunch nerds will tell you that unless he went way further up & exited the exosphere, then no, no human's floating around actual space, just very high atmosphere.

But he was the one up there and not you, so either way, his day is still more fun than yours is. /shrug

a reply to: gortex

I'm sure it's humbling, but can they call themselves astronauts now? I don't think so.

a reply to: Nyiah

Holy sh*t that's hostile. I'm questioning wether it's really space or not. It's not. I'm not #ting on the experience. Settle down Karen.

originally posted by: RMFX1
a reply to: Nyiah

Holy sh*t that's hostile. I'm questioning wether it's really space or not. It's not. I'm not #ting on the experience. Settle down Karen.

Stuff it, Kevin, you worded it down-low P/A to swipe the accomplishment and you know it.

Not really space? So where's everything in orbit at, a certain other planet with a punny name? It's the thermosphere, it's the same atmospheric layer the space station is in. You saying that doesn't count, either?


Edit: The point is, it's low gravity high orbit, but absolutely counts as space as a transitional threshold IMO. That makes Branson more astronaut than you, OR me.

a reply to: Nyiah

What are you talking about? I didn't word anything down for any reason and I certainly didn't claim to be an astronaut. It was a legitimate point whether you like it or not. He's not an astronaut.

Is it cool? Yes it it, but it's definitely not a spaceship and there was no space flight involved, only boost and then freefall.

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: RMFX1

That was much shorter than i expected. $250,000? A waste of money in my eyes.

It lets you see the curvature of the Earth and experience weightlessness so all in all it is space , or at least the edge of it.

I would imagine it would be a pretty humbling experience regardless of the technicalities of "is it or isn't it".

I understand what you are saying, but if you were selling the 'experience of a lifetime' you would want to show it off in all its glory. The passengers excitement, the comfort, the ride, the rocket kicking in, and great views. Even the shot of them in weightlessness was pixelated, a signal problem maybe, but things like that should have been ironed out before launch.

What is shown is just Branson saying 'I did it first'.

This is now Bezos' time to show an amazing experience, and rake in the rich people's money.




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originally posted by: RMFX1
...is it really really space? I'm not so sure.

Jeff! Is that you?

LOL

originally posted by: RMFX1
a reply to: gortex

I'm sure it's humbling, but can they call themselves astronauts now? I don't think so.

What altitude and what flight duration defines an astronaut?

I agree though, they can't call themselves astronauts, maybe 'high altitude tourists' or 'high altitude sightseers', but not much else.



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a reply to: Moohide

This is now Bezos' time to show an amazing experience, and rake in the rich people's money.

Air travel was a way to rake in rich people's money in it's early days as space travel is today , as competition grows prices will fall , it will still be expensive but it will be within reach.

I've never felt so uninspired by anything that has to with space travel or exploration.

originally posted by: wheresthebody
I've never felt so uninspired by anything that has to with space travel or exploration.

You're just jelous because you aren't an Astronaut like Branson is.

originally posted by: wheresthebody
I've never felt so uninspired by anything that has to with space travel or exploration.

It still cool..

I've always like Branson even when he cracked his bum rappelling down the side of his hotel in Vegas, but yea are there any practical applications of this, or is it just a sub-orbital joy ride?

a reply to: Nyiah

By that definition only those who went to the moon, Apollo 8, and 10 thru 17 are the only 'true' astronauts. However some of Gemini and Shuttke missions went exceptionally higher than the average LEO.

The Karman line is an imaginary line that essentially marks where aircraft can not fly anymore because the atmosphere is too thin and their control surfaces become useless.

Many X-15 pilots have been awarded their astronaut wings as their flights went past the Karman line including Michael Adams who died in an X-15 accident in November of 1967, he was posthumously awarded his astronaut wings.

a reply to: putnam6

The idea of the entire project is "sub-orbital joyrides".

He gets no cheers from me.
I used to like Branson up to a few years ago.
So here's the man, the multi-millionaire/billionaire, who last year asked the UK Government to bail out his Virgin Atlantic airline because of....well you know what. In other words the public through taxation would be bailing him out. Oh, and yes he did offer to put up his own desert island of Nekker up as collateral.
So here he is, the man has always had an obsession with flying.
Meh

Rainbows
Jane

Buhhh he did not land on Mars... they promised me that 10 years ago
*broken dreams*

a reply to: gortex

It lets you see the curvature of the Earth.....

I sincerely hope Turbo was watching it.

Not gonna lie, I am jealous because even with the short duration that looked fun. Considering the first commercial flight ticket was $400 in 1914 or $10,767 today the 250k price tag doesn't sting as much due to the level of effort. Out of the reach of most of us but much like that first plane ticket it'll get better eventually.

a reply to: Trueman

This flight was really a big deal! Led the Network and Chicago local news today.

First human to go into space aboard his own spacecraft!

During "slower" times, this Branson Virgin Galactic milestone would have been hyped up in advance, and carried live by all the networks today.

But I guess space accomplishments are getting to be routine.

Maybe when humankind can fly at the speed of light (Warp 1), the excitement of space flight will return.

Does the beginning of "Outer Space" need to be re-defined. The passengers on Branson's flight were floating, but according to NASA, they weren't high enough to be in Outer Space.

NASA - Outerspace Begins at 76 miles up: twitter.com...