White Knight 2 plane has landing gear malfunction....

Looks like no one was hurt, damage minimal...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38778590...ace/?gt1=43001

David E. Powell wrote:
Looks like no one was hurt, damage minimal...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38778590...ace/?gt1=43001


To get the naysaying out of the way:

OMG, commercial space is doomed. We have to go back to government sponsored
capsules.


Seriously, they sucks, but that's why they have test flight programs.

--
Greg Moore
Ask me about lily, an RPI based CMC.

The problem with any commercial system is of course that they will lose
money at the start, and the start can last a long time. also if the banks,
who presumably fund these companies, decide they need their money it will
all stop overnight.

Unfortunately as we have seen here, the public/private partnership model
only works for a while, until the private part gets a contract, then the
charges go up and they try to make some profit.

Brian

--
Brian Gaff -
Note:- In order to reduce spam, any email without 'Brian Gaff'
in the display name may be lost.
Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Greg D. Moore (Strider)" wrote in message
m...
David E. Powell wrote:
Looks like no one was hurt, damage minimal...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38778590...ace/?gt1=43001


To get the naysaying out of the way:

OMG, commercial space is doomed. We have to go back to government
sponsored capsules.


Seriously, they sucks, but that's why they have test flight programs.

--
Greg Moore
Ask me about lily, an RPI based CMC.

Greg D. Moore (Strider) wrote:
David E. Powell wrote:
Looks like no one was hurt, damage minimal...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38778590...ace/?gt1=43001


To get the naysaying out of the way:

OMG, commercial space is doomed. We have to go back to government sponsored
capsules.


Seriously, they sucks, but that's why they have test flight programs.


Greg,

You're pulling the trigger too soon.

Wait until some fatcat Hollywood type get killed on SpaceShipTwo.
Then you'll hear it. Esp. if anyone on the ground gets hurt.
It may be a sad fact that the fate of commercial space in the US actually lays
in the hands of a yet to be named federal district judge in a yet to be tried
tort case brought on the behest of a bereaved family member of a fatcat with
the deep pockets to pursue damages, liability waiver signed by the deceased be
damned.

This is where the FAA needs to step up to the plate. We need a certification
plan in place that will give the courts a mechanism to indemnify commercial
spaceflight operators. While this industry is in its infancy it will need more
legal protection than the airlines. Over time and if as successful as the
airlines it can probably be treated the same. But until this happens....

It's one thing to design & build commercial space systems in the US and
totally another thing to operate them within the US. It is the latter part of
that equation that has me scared. Virgin Galactic could have done commercial
space a big favor by choosing another country to operate from.

I'm wondering if a more sustainable pace would have been more COTS both from
NASA and the military. Sure you and I couldn't purchase a ticket, but nobody
is going to shut down a program if a serviceman or servicewoman gets killed.
Eventually the program gets expanded and more and more inclusive.

Tort law as practiced in the US reminds me of that all time adage from the
Wicked Witch of the West from the movie Wizard of Oz (1939):

http://www.subzin.com/s/Delicately

"But that's not what's worrying me.
It's how to do it.
These things must be done delicately...
or you'll hurt the spell!"

Dave

On Aug 23, 5:20*pm, "Greg D. Moore \(Strider\)"
wrote:
David E. Powell wrote:
Looks like no one was hurt, damage minimal...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38778590...science-space/...

To get the naysaying out of the way:

OMG, commercial space is doomed. *We have to go back to government sponsored
capsules.

Seriously, they sucks, but that's why they have test flight programs.

--
Greg Moore
Ask me about lily, an RPI based CMC.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ight_companies

On 25/08/2010 15:00, David Spain wrote:
{snip}


Wait until some fatcat Hollywood type get killed on SpaceShipTwo.
Then you'll hear it. Esp. if anyone on the ground gets hurt.
It may be a sad fact that the fate of commercial space in the US
actually lays in the hands of a yet to be named federal district judge
in a yet to be tried tort case brought on the behest of a bereaved
family member of a fatcat with the deep pockets to pursue damages,
liability waiver signed by the deceased be damned.

Make it a fixed liability. For second party insurance (passengers) set
the amount to the average man's salary times 50 years, inflate using the
price of gold. Set the legal fees at 1 years pay. Include a clause
that rich people should cover their higher income by taking out life
insurance. If dome as part of the next space law act it will make it
very hard for the tort lawyers to win whilst applying heavy pressure on
the companies to prevent accidents.

Andrew Swallow