Comments on: Travel agents say the darnedest things http://www.newspacejournal.com/2007/04/02/travel-agents-say-the-darnedest-things/ Tracking the entrepreneurial space industry Fri, 12 Sep 2014 14:33:32 +0800 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.0.38 By: Peter Shearer http://www.newspacejournal.com/2007/04/02/travel-agents-say-the-darnedest-things/comment-page-1/#comment-127626 Tue, 03 Apr 2007 09:23:40 +0000 http://www.personalspaceflight.info/2007/04/02/travel-agents-say-the-darnedest-things/#comment-127626 How hard is it to go to the Discovery (channel) Store and purchase the X Prize documentary, watch it and (perhaps not fully understand space flight but…) write down and memorize the facts.

I will admit that there is a bit of editing even in this “scientific documentary” with technical explanations dumbed down and such to protect Scaled Composites secrets…

…But it is kinda scary that a Virgin Galactic travel agent hasn’t even taken the time to do their research (at least watch the video!). I don’t know about you… but I ALWAYS do my research before I open my trap!

PS: The “power” (rocket motor) actually shuts off halfway up (160,000 ft or so) and it takes another 150,000 ft or so to slow from Mach 3 to apogee (stop, come back down) given the gravity (1g) of Earth. It would be insane to attempt to control the spacecraft with the rocket motor still “powered” at 350,000 ft… There’s little atmosphere for the wing’s control surfaces to stabilize the craft (NaySay’s Space Shuttle has $$$ motor vectoring for stabilization).
Scary thing is… I could go on further… and I’m NOT even an engineer… the power of research… Do IT!

]]>