Branson unveils space tourism jet

[danrok]

The British business tycoon Richard Branson has unveiled an aircraft in the US that will be used for his project to launch tourists into space.

See front page:
http://www.aoaforums.com/frontpage/content/view/4347/1/

Over-hyped and over-priced! Some would say this is no spacecraft and it does not even enter space.

[PorPorMe]

I have two major problems with the whole thing. It's really hard to take seriously, another one of the idle rich playboys that are tired cars and houses and islands find some other way to spend there obscene amount of money.

I accualy care less about that. I just don't have money for a ticket and I'd hate going to the Mojave, other wise light it up and lets go!

[danrok]

I'm sure that Branson is mostly a pretty smart guy, but I suspect the money and the world he now lives in has affected his brain!

He is talking about building a hotel on the moon in 20 years time. What's he been smoking?

[PorPorMe]

I accualy have a certain amount of respect for the man. He reminds me of Kennedy and his speech where he talked about putting a man on the moon. Branson does the things he does because he thinks he can. Then he does it. No matter how hard it is. I wouldn't bet the family farm against him if he says he is going to build a hotel on the moon in 20 years.
If I remember correctly, he was dismissed out of hand when he said he was going to build an aircraft to take civilians into space.

[Daniel ~]

I think this is wonderful! I thought we'd never get rid of them! And now there it is! a Happy ending for every Billionaire on the planet.

(Nothing says we have to let them come back!)

[PorPorMe]

What a viewpoint! I love it! It just might be Darwinism being it's most subtle self.

[danrok]

Originally Posted by PorPorMe

I accualy have a certain amount of respect for the man. He reminds me of Kennedy and his speech where he talked about putting a man on the moon. Branson does the things he does because he thinks he can. Then he does it. No matter how hard it is. I wouldn't bet the family farm against him if he says he is going to build a hotel on the moon in 20 years.
If I remember correctly, he was dismissed out of hand when he said he was going to build an aircraft to take civilians into space.

He has failed at a few things, one being his bid to run the UK national lottery.

Despite looking like he would get it, he lost, possibly due to the exposure of an underhand business deal he was up to at the same time.

That being when he bought back Virgin Records for £248m, the same price he sold it for, just to sell it straight on in a pre-arranged deal with Japanese businessmen for £377m.

[Daniel ~]

On the face of it Danrok, I might find that deal hard to resist as well! ":O}

[danrok]

Originally Posted by Daniel ~

On the face of it Danrok, I might find that deal hard to resist as well! ":O}

Sure, but he effectively scuppered his chances of running the lottery, which would have made even more money in the long run.

[Daniel ~]

Point taken. ":O}

[cloasters]

$200,000 is a great deal. But ~5 minutes in micro-gravity seems silly.

[MUff1N]

Originally Posted by cloasters

$200,000 is a great deal. But ~5 minutes in micro-gravity seems silly.

You can get micro gravity in a big jet already doing a steep dive from high altitude for 5 minutes!
This is how astronauts got a taste of how it felt before going into space.
And the main point is, is that its at a fraction of the cost...

The people that will do this I think is just for braggin rights really.
Just to say they've been in space.

[PorPorMe]

Originally Posted by cloasters

$200,000 is a great deal. But ~5 minutes in micro-gravity seems silly.

Not when $200,000 means nothing.

[Daniel ~]

$200,000 never means nothing...in this case, for me...it means 200,000 people will go hungry today because bored and unimaginative men need to escape from the world their self indulgence is creating....

( I have a reason for not wanting them to come back ya know! ":O}