Boing Boing: Man, if there's one thing Richard Branson knows better than anyone, it's how to put on an amazing launch event. Above, video from the Virgin Galactic kickoff for the world's first commercial spaceport, Spaceport America (alternate link), today in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Project Bandaloop did an aerial choreography performance from the side of the structure. Looked kind of like a really classy strip club in the sky. Branson himself joined the fun, and rappelled off the building during the ceremonies. The man knows how to have a good time.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Virgin Galactic launches commercial spaceport with performance by gravity-defying Project Bandaloop
Boing Boing: Man, if there's one thing Richard Branson knows better than anyone, it's how to put on an amazing launch event. Above, video from the Virgin Galactic kickoff for the world's first commercial spaceport, Spaceport America (alternate link), today in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Project Bandaloop did an aerial choreography performance from the side of the structure. Looked kind of like a really classy strip club in the sky. Branson himself joined the fun, and rappelled off the building during the ceremonies. The man knows how to have a good time.
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4 comments:
This is incredibly exciting and truly a step into the future. I have been following Virgin Galactic ever since it was first announced several years ago. Back in 2005 or so it felt like such a pipe dream that would never actually get realized and yet here we are. We are about to start commercially sending ordinary people into space. INCREDIBLE! The mind of Sir Richard Branson is truly remarkable and he is truly a visionary.
I watch this video and cannot help but flash back to FUERZA BRUTA - the wallside dance moves, that is.
The X Prize (award to the first successful independent spacecraft) seems like such a long time ago, now that this spaceport is a reality. Branson has an interesting proposition here - pay six figures for the chance to skim the stars and experience weightlessness for a few minutes. It's a folly that becomes the Rebel Billionaire. I wonder who will end up actually buying into this, at such a down point in the world economy.
Call me critic but I think that Mr. Virgin is bending the definition of space flight. I do not think that the X Plane actually has the ability go in to true space? His “space ships” do not actually go into space. They are called suborbital. I think that until you can actually achieve escape velocity OR at least get a few unpowered orbits. You cannot call it a space ship. If I just want to be weightless for a few minutes, I can ride on the Vomit Comet. I want a ride and week at the International Space Station. And a laser gun. That would be something.
It's nice to see that the commercial space industry is continuing to do well, and start to step in the place of NASA now that the Space Shuttle has been abandoned and we won't be doing manned missions into space again (at least ones financed by the government) anytime soon with the abandonment of the Constellation project. I'm hopeful that the continuing privatization of the industry will provide benefits both in the short and long term. It's been an interesting journey so far to follow, and as we start to make more steps into space beyond the government's help, it'll be interesting to see how things develop as we move forward
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