New spaceship in the works?

Mike Munro Bradenton, Florida — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 18:19:02 GMT

I'm all for the idea of space tourism, even though I would probably think it would be for clients with very deep pockets. Some scietific good will come of it, but I can't help wonder about the international security behind it. The possibilities of extreme terrorism are endless with this new source of adventure. If I thought of it, would the wrong sort of indivuals think the same? Just a thought.

New spaceship in the works?

Brian, Arlington, Texas — Sun, 04 Jun 2006 03:51:09 GMT

I'de doubt terrorist would use it for their evil deeds. If I were a terrorist, I'de hijack the International Space Station and either use it to launch a bio/chem attack anywhere I'de like or drive it right smack into a vital location. Besides, they also got other shuttles and rockets they could use to launch a terrorist attack from space heh, why use this type of shuttle when you got others that could do the same. See my point?

New spaceship in the works?

Adam, Brisbane, Australia — Sun, 04 Jun 2006 21:22:31 GMT

Hi Alan

Nice face-lift for the blog. As for space tourism... has anyone wondered if there's a serious glut of potential operators?

New spaceship in the works?

Steve, Omaha, Nebraska — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 15:24:59 GMT

space terrorism/space tourism. I am just thankful we are no longer leaving the space race to the governments of the world. Praise be to capitalism.

New spaceship in the works?

Adam, Wichita, KS — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 16:27:53 GMT

Terrorism is the first thing you think about when you here that space might be fully open to the public? How depressing.

New spaceship in the works?

Kevin Nascimento, South Salem, NY — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 16:37:26 GMT

I'm all for the new space tourism. As some of the previous comments said, a lot of scientific good will come out of this new age of exploration. I glanced over this article and I was wondering if any could tell me if there was any connection between the "Space Launch" designs and the SpaceShipOne prototype.
I'm surprised that someone would talk about the chances of acts of terrorism with this new spaceship. Extensive measures of security and training would more than likely be placed upon the passengers of the new spaceshuttle.

New spaceship in the works?

Andy McMurray, DeKalb, IL — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 17:29:43 GMT

Why is it that everyone thinks terrorists are going to attack everything? Fear has been instilled in the masses. Nevermind the fact that the countless targets that exist in this country haven't been hit.

Does anyone really believe that is because Bush has done such a good job stopping terrorists? That's nonsense.

Space tourism has great potential and, yes, would require very deep pockets, at first. Remember how expensive VCRs, DVD players and color TVs were at their onset? The rich have always paid for the R&D of new technologies, the price will eventually come down and it will be feasible for many more people.

Don't believe the terrorist hype. We are no more at risk today than we were on 9-11 or any day before that.

New spaceship in the works?

Frank Glover, Rochester, NY — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 18:19:34 GMT

What threat? Suborbital spacecraft are made of composites and other lightweight materials, they can't come down very far from the launch point (which is already likely to be in a remote ares), and do so essentially empty of fuel, like the shuttle. They'd do little damage against any ground structures. And if you have the means to get into orbit to reach ISS, it's much easier to just send weapons down from your own ship, than to somehow re-engineer someone else's station into a weapons platform, and one in a very predictable orbit, at that.

There are just far easier ways for terrorists to do harm.

Also, spaceship pilot training isn't yet something you can easily find schools for...

New spaceship in the works?

Len Rowe, Castle Rock, CO — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 20:16:37 GMT

Hi Alan,
There is nothing to tour in space. There is no destination. You go on the plane. You float and play hackysack. You get off the plane at the same place you left. What's to tour? The cockpit?

New spaceship in the works?

Mazhavn — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 23:21:08 GMT

Somebody should build a hotel on the moon. That would be worth the large amount of money it would take at first to travel to space. Just watch out for the Mynocks!!!
Mazhavn

New spaceship in the works?

Frank Glover — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 00:34:13 GMT

For Len Rowe: Why do tourists/sightseers get on aircraft and helicopters 'just' to fly around a given area (NYC, Grand Canyon, parts of Hawaii, etc.) and come back to their takeoff point without landing elsewhere?

They want an aerial view of the place they came to see. For space tourism, that place is...Earth (and eventually beyond, as the technology develops). And seen from the ultimate aerial viewpoint. Plus, the ezperience of zero gravity for more than the minute or less than can be done in an aircraft (a newly available tourist option in itself).

Even on cruise ships, the ship itself is half the fun...

New spaceship in the works?

Kevin Nascimento — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 13:53:16 GMT

I second what Frank Glover on his previous comment stating, "They want an aerial view of the place they came to see. For space tourism, that place is...Earth (and eventually beyond, as the technology develops). And seen from the ultimate aerial viewpoint. Plus, the ezperience of zero gravity for more than the minute or less than can be done in an aircraft (a newly available tourist option in itself)."

For someone to have to opportunity to view the very ground upon which they live on in from a suborbital viewpoint, nothing can even match the amazement one would encounter from such an experience.

Plus you can't play a good game of hackysack in zero gravity conditions.

New spaceship in the works?

reagan nicole st.julian — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 15:40:21 GMT

I really think that you should have aplace where you could go in and eat space food and have a hotel where you could go to the gift shop and also they would have some neat shows to show how the gravity works on the moon.