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Two new space tourists....

well, if they can afford it. ;-)
i d buy me an m3, some dual 1.42 for rendering actions, some xservs for databackup, and some nice holidays ;-)
and of course 1000 p4 dedicated for folding@home ;-)
 
with $20 million in funds just for a 1 week tour of space? That's way too much and a waste of money. Being first, like Tito, was a something a little more special. Still a bit of a waste of money, but no one will ever be able to say they were the first to pay to go to space.

I'm surprised with the 2 going at once that they didn't lower the price....

D
 
The Russians are definitely in need of funds to keep up their space exploration. If they have the money why not. The wealthy are just able to play with bigger toys. I think that the future of space is going to be private.
 
Originally posted by pivo6
Russia may get some competition whenever someone wins the x prize.
Click to expand...

The X-Prize is not quite the same as going to the ISS and staying in orbit for 7 days. All the entries for the X Prize are doing minimal orbital entries and for not much time.

If I win this weeks 175 million lotto maybe I'll buy a seat on that rocket.....;)

Ha, I'd be the first MacRumors member in space :D

D
 
Originally posted by Mr. Anderson
The X-Prize is not quite the same as going to the ISS and staying in orbit for 7 days. All the entries for the X Prize are doing minimal orbital entries and for not much time.

If I win this weeks 175 million lotto maybe I'll buy a seat on that rocket.....;)

Ha, I'd be the first MacRumors member in space :D

D
Click to expand...

I agree, but the x prize is the beginning of commercial flights into space. It may take 20+ years, but it's a start.
 
Originally posted by pivo6
I agree, but the x prize is the beginning of commercial flights into space. It may take 20+ years, but it's a start.
Click to expand...

I'm not saying that the x-prize is bad - I think its great. And you're right, we have to start somewhere.

If you've read anything on the NASA, space or astronomy threads, you'd see that I'm totally for the commercialization of space. We start putting in the money for that and we'll get a lot farther than keeping the whole thing gov't run....:D

D
 
i have a completly retorical question...
if someone were to have enough money, would they be able to start a space shuttle launching ad, and make a space shuttle for themself to use? if that i posible, we can shpi off bill gates to space!

i cant wait untill space gets commercialized. i wanna go to mars.
 
You are very lucky being such a young age. I think that within your lifetime it will be commercially viable to fly into space. You may even get to visit the moon! :cool:
 
Originally posted by Mr. Anderson
with $20 million in funds just for a 1 week tour of space? That's way too much and a waste of money.
Click to expand...

To some people thats spare change. Its like someone offering you a trip to space for 10,000. I would take it.
 
Originally posted by bennetsaysargh
i have a completly retorical question...
if someone were to have enough money, would they be able to start a space shuttle launching ad, and make a space shuttle for themself to use? if that i posible, we can shpi off bill gates to space!
Click to expand...

Bill Gates, Ted Turner and a bunch of other overly wealthy individuals were approached a while back about funding a manned mission to mars.

Price tag? insert pinky into side of mouth..... 1 billion dollars ;)

Not that much for those guys - yet they all turned it down.

Personally, if I had that much money, I might just fund a mission to Mars myself, and at least to the moon.

D :D
 
Originally posted by Mr. Anderson
Bill Gates, Ted Turner and a bunch of other overly wealthy individuals were approached a while back about funding a manned mission to mars.

Price tag? insert pinky into side of mouth..... 1 billion dollars ;)

Not that much for those guys - yet they all turned it down.

Personally, if I had that much money, I might just fund a mission to Mars myself, and at least to the moon.

D :D
Click to expand...
i would hae gone for it also. they're all morons.:p
 
Originally posted by Mr. Anderson


If I win this weeks 175 million lotto maybe I'll buy a seat on that rocket.....;)

Ha, I'd be the first MacRumors member in space :D

D
Click to expand...

Hey could you also buy me a new Powermac G5??
 
If they are willing to pay then let them go. If NASA doesn't like the Russians sending tourists to ISS then they should suck it up and spend a little money to replace the shuttles and resume flights. As far as I'm concerned NASA is rapidly becoming worthless and Russia is now essentially in charge of ISS.

NASA will become an even bigger joke in the next 5 years when China's space program overtakes them. Commercialization is the only answer.

I just wish they would speed up the Prometheus project a bit.
 
Originally posted by Durandal7
NASA will become an even bigger joke in the next 5 years when China's space program overtakes them. Commercialization is the only answer.
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Absolutely - I've been ranting for a while that NASA needs to commercialize. I really don't understand what they have against it - especially if it gets them closer to their goals.

I spent some time at JPL and its a very strange place - you don't really work there for the money (obviously) but its also very competitive and political. All these great ideas vying for a small pool of money. So much is not getting done its a shame.

D
 
Government never likes to decrease in size, it exists to spend more of our money. I'm sure that there is also a big jealousy factor. They don't want to give up their leadership role in space.

I think that if they could get Bill Gate et al to fund a project, the first mission should be the moon. Since they have found water, they could setup commercial operations. The moon would make a great base of operations for space exploration. With no gravity it means smaller rockets!
 
Originally posted by wdlove

I think that if they could get Bill Gate et al to fund a project, the first mission should be the moon. Since they have found water, they could setup commercial operations. The moon would make a great base of operations for space exploration. With no gravity it means smaller rockets!
Click to expand...

Ok, several things here - did you read my post abover? Bill Gates turned down the idea of funding any 'big' space projects, along with many other very rich individuals.

And there is gravity on the moon - its just a lot less so your ?V is much less, making it less expensive to lift off the Moon's surface. But it will be a long time till the Moon could be self-sustaining. And you still need to get people, machines and supplies there in the first place.

Any near term exploration of space by humans will be conducted in orbit. If China desides to go to the moon in 5-10 years, its not going to be an Apollo type mission. They'll use their current ship or its future version to assemble a spacecraft in orbit. Much cheaper and easier getting out of orbit with all you need instead of trying to take it all at once from the surface.

D
 
Originally posted by Mr. Anderson
Ok, several things here - did you read my post abover? Bill Gates turned down the idea of funding any 'big' space projects, along with many other very rich individuals.

And there is gravity on the moon - its just a lot less so your ?V is much less, making it less expensive to lift off the Moon's surface. But it will be a long time till the Moon could be self-sustaining. And you still need to get people, machines and supplies there in the first place.

Any near term exploration of space by humans will be conducted in orbit. If China desides to go to the moon in 5-10 years, its not going to be an Apollo type mission. They'll use their current ship or its future version to assemble a spacecraft in orbit. Much cheaper and easier getting out of orbit with all you need instead of trying to take it all at once from the surface.

D
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I did read your post, that is why I said "If they could get Bill Gates." There is always a chance that with the right proposal he would change his mind.

I realize that I using "no" was a poor choice of words. Technology will change a lot in the future, I'm very optimistic with the space program.

I'm sure that when the US returns to the moon, they too would use a different delivery system. We used '60's technology and now we have 21st technology. NASA needs to allow more private business.
 
Originally posted by wdlove
We used '60's technology and now we have 21st technology. NASA needs to allow more private business.
Click to expand...

Ha, unfortunately the shuttle is using 70s technology. The laptops the astronauts bring with them are more powerful than the computers running the shuttle - its pitiful.

D
 
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