Virgin Galactica

[Guest 10992]

Watched a peace of history being made today. Not as exciting as watching the Apollo space shots, especially the lunar landing, but still exciting.
But the coverage was so dire and the commentary was so hard to listen to, it was like Laurel and Hardy describing the first Atomic bomb. We have become so used to superb video pictures and narration it was quite a shock to see and hear something so dire for such an important occasion, I wonder what on earth (No pun intended) went wrong. Quite sad too as it detracted from the moment.
Although not everyone's cup of tea, I have always been a fan of Richard Branson. They say, never meet your hero, but I did meet him once and he was such a pleasant and genuinely unassuming bloke.
I'm delighted his project was successful today, but I look forward to the edited piece of history.

 

[Wozzaaah]

I was going to post something similar earlier.
As you say, not everyone's cup of tea but fair play to him and his team for pulling off such an ambitious project.

 

[roofman]

Watched a peace of history being made today. Not as exciting as watching the Apollo space shots, especially the lunar landing, but still exciting.
But the coverage was so dire and the commentary was so hard to listen to, it was like Laurel and Hardy describing the first Atomic bomb. We have become so used to superb video pictures and narration it was quite a shock to see and hear something so dire for such an important occasion, I wonder what on earth (No pun intended) went wrong. Quite sad too as it detracted from the moment.
Although not everyone's cup of tea, I have always been a fan of Richard Branson. They say, never meet your hero, but I did meet him once and he was such a pleasant and genuinely unassuming bloke.
I'm delighted his project was successful today, but I look forward to the edited piece of history.

I agree..spaceX made it look like a youtube vid from someones back yard with a home made rocket

 

[Chillitt]

Im pleased today went well for them, and hope one day they all get to actual space.

 

[Cobbler]

Although not everyone's cup of tea, I have always been a fan of Richard Branson. They say, never meet your hero, but I did meet him once and he was such a pleasant and genuinely unassuming bloke.
I'm delighted his project was successful today, but I look forward to the edited piece of history.

He & the company are very approachable, a good few years ago, one of the women in the drawing office where I worked saw Branson on the tele the night before & said “he had a lovely sweater on, I wonder where he got that from” one of the other women promptly rang Branson’s HQ, explained what she wanted to know & was put through to his PA. His PA said “I think his wife buys his clothes, hang on a minute & I’ll ask her” next minute ”I‘ve got her on the line, I’ll put you through & you can ask her” I can’t remember what was said in the end, but I recall it was expensive! That wouldn’t happen in many companies.

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Let’s not forget Burt rutan, the utter genius that designed the aircraft

 

[MattF]

Another disappointing title.

 

[eddie49]

The "hybrid" rocket motor burns rubber using nitrous oxide as an oxidiser. Bet that stinks!

 

[Barking Mat]

Far more interesting than the footie.

I go talked into watching the first 'Hunger Games' film, I won't be watching anymore...

Followed by a Jason Statham film.

It is a miserable Sunday out there.

Glad it went well and he beat Bezos and Musk.

 

[MattF]

I go talked into watching the first 'Hunger Games' film, I won't be watching anymore...

It's crap, isn't it.

 

[Barking Mat]

It's crap, isn't it.

Slow.... And crap. Yes.

And long, eughhh.

 

[optima21]

third time lucky for him, seems to look alot easier going to the edge of space than crossing the Atlantic by balloon or boat for him.

 

[Screwdriver]

The "hybrid" rocket motor burns rubber using nitrous oxide as an oxidiser. Bet that stinks!

Solid rocket fuel really stinks.

 

[Greeves246]

“I go talked into watching the first 'Hunger Games' film, I won't be watching anymore...”
You are lucky, I just watched John Wick 3.

 

[mike os]

Solid rocket fuel really stinks.

And most of that white stuff is HCl.....

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I have always been a fan of Richard Branson

Oddly enough, I'm the reverse. As Shakespeare wrote "A man may smile and smile and be a villain yet".

 

[Ross365]

Elon Musk at SpaceX has been sending people in to *orbit* and linking up to the Space-station for some time. The Virgin project is a joke in comparison.

Not sure why people think the hybrid rocket is stinky; it's not. Nor is there any HCl from it. HCl comes from the ammonium perchlorate which is in solid rocket propellant (a mixture of solid fuel and solid oxidiser) different to the hybrid system. In the Hybrid the liquid/gas oxidiser reacts with a solid fuel which which is not much more than the rubber on car tyres , and the separate oxidiser is nitrous oxide (stored in a separate tank) . That is why the hybrid is quite safe; turn off the oxidiser supply valve and it stops burning. In contrast, solid rocket motors, the solid propellant (to all intents) is impossible to shut down once started; such a huge risk to the Shuttle. So the hybrid is a safe rocket motor, but its performance is poor, and they have been around for at least 80-90 years, but they are not much used.

 

[reb78]

Elon Musk at SpaceX has been sending people in to *orbit* and linking up to the Space-station for some time. The Virgin project is a joke in comparison.

Yeah. Gotta agree with this. The Virgin thing is an aeroplane that just flies high, it doesn't really reach space....

 

[Popcorn]

The "hybrid" rocket motor burns rubber using nitrous oxide as an oxidiser. Bet that stinks!

Good for a laugh though

 

[Ross365]

Good for a laugh though

Not really; amateur rocket enthusiasts all over the world build and fire them; quite dull .You can probably buy them as kits.