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#21
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VSS Enterprise completes first flight under its carrier aircraft
In sci.space.policy Jeff Findley wrote:
The fueselage design for SS2 and WK2 are shared, so they both have lots of windows. The nose art is interesting too. ;-) Indeed. Given the origins of the name for the mother ship, the nose art would do Oedipus proud Well that tears it I suspect I'll be on the Virgin Galactic no-fly list for that one From there being only the one windshield wiper on the far starboard window I guess they don't expect a co-pilot to have to fly the WK2 in bad weather. rick jones -- I don't interest myself in "why." I think more often in terms of "when," sometimes "where;" always "how much." - Joubert these opinions are mine, all mine; HP might not want them anyway... feel free to post, OR email to rick.jones2 in hp.com but NOT BOTH... |
#22
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VSS Enterprise completes first flight under its carrier aircraft
Rick Jones writes:
From there being only the one windshield wiper on the far starboard window I guess they don't expect a co-pilot to have to fly the WK2 in bad weather. Um, I think the lighting is playing games here. If I look carefully enough I think I can see a wiper on the 'close' starboard window as well. For the WK2 is there only one 'pilot' position per 'pod'? So does that mean the pilot and co-pilot are physically separate? I don't believe the WK1 even *had* a co-pilot... ? Dave |
#23
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VSS Enterprise completes first flight under its carrier aircraft
In sci.space.policy David Spain wrote:
Rick Jones writes: From there being only the one windshield wiper on the far starboard window I guess they don't expect a co-pilot to have to fly the WK2 in bad weather. Um, I think the lighting is playing games here. If I look carefully enough I think I can see a wiper on the 'close' starboard window as well. Hmm, looking at the full resolution shot, I think I see what you are talking about, but to me it looks like reflection, nothing more. Of course, my eyes ain't exactly 20/20. Still, there are similarly long and thin bright streaks following that line forward towards the nose. I found another image at: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...26tbs%3Disch:1 which, unless it got reversed somewhere, shows no wipers on the inboard port side where we see the bright streak in the wikipedia image. (looking at the second picture, towing must be fun - looks like it is going to use a pair of tugs so I guess that means two tug drivers) rick jones -- the road to hell is paved with business decisions... these opinions are mine, all mine; HP might not want them anyway... feel free to post, OR email to rick.jones2 in hp.com but NOT BOTH... |
#24
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VSS Enterprise completes first flight under its carrier aircraft
On 3/25/2010 6:44 AM, Jeff Findley wrote:
They aren't selling trips to the middle class (i.e. this isn't marketed to the same people who are looking for "deals" on cruise liners). Instead, it's going to be a joy ride for the rich and famous. These are the same sort of people who would book flights on the Concorde when it was still flying and who think nothing of dropping $100k plus for yet another car in their stable. Why? Because they can! This is similar to early airlines. They were only affordable by the rich an famous. When the rich were traveling long distances by airplanes, the middle class was still stuck traveling by slow, smoke belching coal fired trains and ships. Note that the Concorde is now out of service, and no one is scrambling to replicate its abilities in a new SST to appeal to the clientele who used it, including one that its designers probably never anticipated: supermodels crossing the Atlantic as fast as possible to keep their skin from drying out in the low pressure dry air of an airliner's cabin. The Concorde also had the advantage of taking you from one place to another...as currently planned, SS2 will take off and land at the same airport, which means it really is basically a hyper-expensive amusement park ride. For that matter, they can't even get a supersonic business jet project off of the ground. Once SpaceShip 2 comes on line its first flights will be full due to the bragging rights of saying you've been in space. Those bragging rights are going to be considerably less impressive once several dozen people have done it, and I think that it's going to be hard to keep the operation profitable after the first couple of years. For starters, it really doesn't have the cachet of having flown on a orbital flight, and who of the rich and famous wants to settle for second best? Sure, owning a Ferrari Testarossa is impressive...until the guy shows up in the Bugatti Veyron at 250 mph, and your trophy wife attaches herself to his crotch like a lamprey. :-) Pat |
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VSS Enterprise completes first flight under its carrier aircraft
On 3/25/2010 7:50 AM, David Spain wrote:
There's no friendships formed like those formed when sharing a life threatning risk together That's just what Jesse James used to think when he was banging away on those sluts in his office while poor Sandra Bullock just trustingly waited out in the Monster Garage. But those tattooed bitches turned on him the first chance they got, and now "Razzie"'s life is in ruins. Now picture that happening on a tourist spaceship, and you have the plot for Lifetime Movie Channel's new movie: "Star-Cursed Lovers". Pat |
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VSS Enterprise completes first flight under its carrier aircraft
On 3/25/2010 9:05 AM, Rick Jones wrote:
I wonder if WK2 has windows in the roof, Yes, it does: http://www.liftingfaces.com/2008/07/...hite-knight-2/ Pat |
#27
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VSS Enterprise completes first flight under its carrier aircraft
On 3/25/2010 9:51 AM, Jeff Findley wrote:
The fueselage design for SS2 and WK2 are shared, so they both have lots of windows. The nose art is interesting too. ;-) That's "Galactic Girl"... based on a old photo of Branson's mom, Eve: http://www.lemonodor.com/archives/im...actic-girl.jpg Pat |
#28
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VSS Enterprise completes first flight under its carrier aircraft
On 3/25/2010 10:32 AM, David Spain wrote:
For the WK2 is there only one 'pilot' position per 'pod'? So does that mean the pilot and co-pilot are physically separate? I don't believe the WK1 even *had* a co-pilot... Both pilot and copilot are in the left fuselage; the right fuselage doesn't have a flight deck: http://www.eaa.org/news/2008/2008-01-24_ss2.asp Pat |
#29
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VSS Enterprise completes first flight under its carrieraircraft
On Wed, 24 Mar 2010 09:28:31 -0800, Pat Flannery wrote:
virgin Why does that crap fascinate so many people? It's a lousy sounding rocket. It is orders of magnitude away from LEO. I think people just don't understand. It plays on their ignorance. |
#30
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VSS Enterprise completes first flight under its carrieraircraft
On Wed, 24 Mar 2010 16:26:09 -0400, David Spain wrote:
At $1,000 with or without a Zero-G experience, it'd be my highest ride to date, on an aircraft with incredible views, comfortable seats and a suborbital launch viewing stand that couldn't be beat! This vehicle will have longer lines for paying customers than SS2 will.... Dave Well shoot. I'll make you barf for $100. Why do you want to pay so much? |
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