The idea that a Branson passenger is an astronaut is insulting. Astronaut Reisman says; If I take a Carnival Cruise, I don't get epaulets and get called a sailer. The key is what is your role? Are you trained to do a job in space? Poke your head above some altitude and la dee da, you're an astronaut? It's like driving up Pike's Peak and getting a medal that says you've climbed one of Colorado's fourteeners... Astronauts are not about joy rides. Even Christa McAuliffe, Teacher In Space, had serious assignments had that crew lived to fly their mission. Rides are a legitimate thing to do. It will become more and more common and cheaper. But it is a joy ride. Or maybe eventually really fast trans-continental flying. That's fine. But you're not an astronaut. You're a Disney, er, uh, Virgin park guest. Maybe the title should be something like astropassenger.

(Written on 2021年07月30日)(Permalink)

I can drive Pike's Peak and claim I summited a Colorado fourteener. La dee da. Branson is a barnstormer.

(Written on 2021年07月16日)(Permalink)

Yup Suborbital flight requires 4000 mph. Orbital flight requires 17,500 mph Energy needed is proportional to velocity squared ( 1/2*mass*velocity*velocity) And to go that fast requires a lot more fuel, and you have to lift that and take it with you, too... so the "mass" value in the power equation also goes up by a *lot*. That’s why the Saturn V moon rocket was so big. It was almost all fuel.

(Written on 2021年07月16日)(Permalink)

The idea that a Branson passenger is an astronaut is insulting. Astronaut Reisman says; If I take a Carnival Cruise, I don't get epaulets and get called a sailer. The key is what is your role? Are you trained to do a job in space? It's a ride. Branson might as well hire a mouse. Poke your head above 50 miles and la dee da, you're an astronaut? It's like driving up Pike's Peak and getting a medal that says you've climbed one of Colorado's fourteeners... As someone whose Dad was one of the first 13 engineers to move to Houston to build the Mission Control Center, and growing up down the street from Neil Armstrong, Ed White, and Fred Haise, and down the block from Donn Eislie, Tom Stafford, Elliot See, and Bill Anders, I am highly offended by this. Astronauts are about discovery, not joy rides. Even Christa McAuliffe, Teacher In Space, had serious assignments had that crew lived to fly their mission. Rides are a legitimate thing to do. It will become more and more common and c

(Written on 2021年07月16日)(Permalink)

https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/world/welcome-to-perth-sydney-airport-sign-confusing-air-travellers/ar-AAKVCls

(Written on 2021年06月11日)(Permalink)

Found the Russian!

(Written on 2021年05月07日)(Permalink)

That's the wokiest comment so far! heh.

(Written on 2021年04月10日)(Permalink)

There was also something that the aircraft required a copilot to be properly flown by IFR.

(Written on 2021年02月14日)(Permalink)

Yeah, well... Famous people are famous. Ashley Judd trips on a log in the jungle while looking for monkeys, breaks her leg badly, almost loses the leg, and almost dies... It makes the news. I'm sure she wasn't the first.

(Written on 2021年02月14日)(Permalink)

"Wait! You're gonna try to hit this thing down on a strip of concrete? No thanks, buddy! I'll just get out here!"

(Written on 2021年02月14日)(Permalink)