Suborbital MiG for the many...

Passenger module for ballistic MiG-31:

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/storie...07/22/042.html

http://www.e-tourmagazine.com/news/2...&pais=Alemania

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/co...name_page.html

Joann Evans wrote:
Passenger module for ballistic MiG-31:

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/storie...07/22/042.html

http://www.e-tourmagazine.com/news/2...&pais=Alemania

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/co...name_page.html

Wow. Maybe Rand et al's visions of a space tourism industry has more
subtance than I'd thought.

If John Carmack or other X-prize contestants eventually charge for rides
I wonder what the price would be. Somewhere between $10,000 and
$20,000,000 I'd guess.

In addition to an amazing experience, Tito and Shuttleworth may've
earned a mention in future history texts.

Hop
http://clowder.net/hop/index.html

Joann Evans writes:


Passenger module for ballistic MiG-31:

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/storie...07/22/042.html

http://www.e-tourmagazine.com/news/2...&pais=Alemania

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/co...name_page.html

Anyone here actually think such a contraption would work?

--
Phil Fraering
home page: http://thenostromo.com/pgf/weblog/

"Joann Evans" wrote in message
...

Passenger module for ballistic MiG-31:

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/storie...07/22/042.html

http://www.e-tourmagazine.com/news/2...&pais=Alemania


http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/co...name_page.html

It's safer than a ride on a rocket up to 100km into 'real' space but if I
could afford it I would fly the rocket.

Joann Evans wrote in message ...
Tom Merkle wrote:

"Ultimate Buu" wrote in message .. .
"Joann Evans" wrote in message
...

Passenger module for ballistic MiG-31:

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/storie...07/22/042.html

http://www.e-tourmagazine.com/news/2...&pais=Alemania


http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/co...name_page.html

It's safer than a ride on a rocket up to 100km into 'real' space but if I
could afford it I would fly the rocket.

It'd probably be more fun than a ride on a rocket, and it'd last a lot longer.

Tom Merkle

Why, necessairily? If the idea is to experience a higher view if
Earth, and longer period of zero-g, the +100km ship (wether or not
purely a rocket) is a clear winner.

If the idea of a roller coaster were to feel a falling sensation, the
longest lines at the theme park would be for mass bungie jumping. But
coasters rule the roost. There are some people for whom three minutes
of weightlessness and a 10-15 minute ballistic ride are worth tens of
thousands. I'm not one of them. I'd much prefer a hour and half ride
with good views and some gut-twisting acrobatics, and 10 seconds of
weightlessness at a time or whatever.


The importance of a passenger pod on a MiG-31, if safe and practical,
is that you get more profit per flight, compared to the single
'passenger' seat (I assume there are two-seat MiG-31s.) you'd otherwise
have on the same ride. And that it would show that there's a meaningful
market for something higher and faster.

agreed, It's a clear winner for expanding the tourism envelope.

Tom Merkle

"Tom Merkle" wrote in message
om...
Joann Evans wrote in message
...
Tom Merkle wrote:

"Ultimate Buu" wrote in message
.. .
"Joann Evans" wrote in message
...

Passenger module for ballistic MiG-31:

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/storie...07/22/042.html

http://www.e-tourmagazine.com/news/2...&pais=Alemania



http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/co...name_page.html

It's safer than a ride on a rocket up to 100km into 'real' space but
if I
could afford it I would fly the rocket.

It'd probably be more fun than a ride on a rocket, and it'd last a lot
longer.

Tom Merkle

Why, necessairily? If the idea is to experience a higher view if
Earth, and longer period of zero-g, the +100km ship (wether or not
purely a rocket) is a clear winner.

If the idea of a roller coaster were to feel a falling sensation, the
longest lines at the theme park would be for mass bungie jumping. But
coasters rule the roost. There are some people for whom three minutes
of weightlessness and a 10-15 minute ballistic ride are worth tens of
thousands. I'm not one of them. I'd much prefer a hour and half ride
with good views and some gut-twisting acrobatics, and 10 seconds of
weightlessness at a time or whatever.


A rocket ride up to 100km into 'true' space will last a lot longer than 10
seconds, that's for sure. The ride down will probably be at least 5-10
minutes with up to 5 minutes weightlessness in space itself. A Mig-31 can't
climb up into space so it's just not comparable, even though it lasts a lot
longer.

Too bad its range stinks. Would make an interesting mini-SST.

I was thinking the same thing... If you cut the passenger load to six, would
you get useable range, say, from the West Coast to the Orient? or East Coast to
Europe?