Branson's launch, Sunday July 11, '21

[Sooner Boomer]

...no, not the town, Richard Branson, is taking a crew into "Space*" Sunday morning.

How/where to watch:

https://www.space.com/virgin-galactic-richard-branson-unity-22-launch-explained
Virgin Galactic has not released a specific time for the actual Unity 22 launch, but the company has announced it will begin webcasting the mission at 9 a.m. EDT (1300 GMT). And it looks like it's going to be fun. The crew will walk out to the ship about an hour earlier.

The webcast will begin with the Unity spacecraft and its carrier plane taking off from its runway at Spaceport America, which is located 55 miles (88 kilometers) north of Las Cruces, New Mexico.

link to videocast:




*you argue with him

 

[Sooner Boomer]

Delayed for about an hour and a half due to "prior weather".

 

[Huxter]

3:30pm BST = British Summer Time!

 

[jsdemar]

3:30pm BST = British Summer Time!

BST = Billionaire Stunt Time

 

[rocketsaway]

If you missed the takeoff of VMS Eve, here it is...

 

[Sooner Boomer]

another channel w/ live view from spacecraft

 

[rocketsaway]

Inside the cockpit...SpaceShipTwo are go !

 

[user 13]

I'm sorry, but another rich a$$ with more money than brains does basically .......
Nothing.
Crosses an insignificant point with insignificant technology.

 

[user 35280]

Meanwhile at Sir Richard’s Private Island Retreat
https://www.virginlimitededition.com/en/necker-island

 

[Funkworks]

It's a new kind of business and RB is providing the best safety demonstration he can to promote it. As a promoter (and a good one at that), it's hard to imagine what more he could do.

As an experience, I compare it bungee jumping, skydiving or indoor skydiving.

It's a way like any other to get millionnaire clients to spend their money.

 

[MClark]

Branson has done extreme flights (attempt) all his life. Really it’s a logical step in his adventures.
He said decades ago he was going into space and did it. Bravo!

He is paying wages for a lot of people who built it and launch. And central New Mexico certainly can use the tourist business from the ground bound spectators.

 

[Tech 68]

It's a new kind of business and RB is providing the best safety demonstration he can to promote it. As a promoter (and a good one at that), it's hard to imagine what more he could do.

Good for him! He did it with money he earned...
I'm sure there would be people that would find fault with all the money I've thrown at my Level 3 project (fortunately not my wife ❤).

 

[Funkworks]

Good for him! He did it with money he earned...
I'm sure there would be people that would find fault with all the money I've thrown at my Level 3 project (fortunately not my wife ❤).

Well yes, but as a good business person, he's not just spending it, he's investing in the future of his business. He's creating videos and buzz that will attract hundreds or thouands of clients in the future. So he's gambling his money in the hope of getting it back and more in the future (the core of what "investing" is). So while it looks like he's having fun, he's actutally doing his job. All moguls find fun in their job, RB's idea of fun is just more relatable to aerospace fans.

 

[rocketsaway]

Alan Shepard..."meh"

 

[kuririn]

I love rockets but I would spend the money on a Ferrari or Bugatti.
Then I could pleasure myself for years.
Oh wait, can I say that?

 

[rocketsaway]

Ill wait for Bezos Blue Origin flight. The fact he gives credit to Alan Shepard, naming his booster New Shepard, speaks for the man.
And asks his brother to go.
"Hey Mark, remember launching those Big Berthas in the cornfield ?" "Yea, I do." "Well, this is going to be much better"

 

[NOLA_BAR]

I love rockets but I would spend the money on a Ferrari or Bugatti.
Then I could pleasure myself for years.
Oh wait, can I say that?

All I can afford is a Lamborghini

and not even that one really!

 

[tab28682]

I'm sorry, but another rich a$$ with more money than brains does basically .......
Nothing.
Crosses an insignificant point with insignificant technology.

That reminds me of what people said about the Wright brothers and other early aviation activities…….

 

[Rocketjunkie]

I just checked. He did NOT reach space. The Karmen line is 100 km, 62 miles and is considered the beginning of space. He only reached 53 miles. (First result of a Google search.)

 

[Titan II]

I just checked. He did NOT reach space. The Karmen line is 100 km, 62 miles and is considered the beginning of space. He only reached 53 miles. (First result of a Google search.)

NASA and the Air Force place it at 50 miles.

 

[Rocketjunkie]

They changed it then It was always accepted as 100 km.

 

[Tech 68]

NASA and the Air Force place it at 50 miles.

https://www.space.com/1465-nasa-15-pilots-awarded-astronaut-wings.html

 

[Michael L]

Branson has done extreme flights (attempt) all his life. Really it’s a logical step in his adventures.
He said decades ago he was going into space and did it. Bravo!

He is paying wages for a lot of people who built it and launch. And central New Mexico certainly can use the tourist business from the ground bound spectators.

The state subsidized base isn't in central New Mexico. 9NM9 is in the SE corner SE of T or C. The airstrip (launch site doesn't apply) is private.

I just checked. He did NOT reach space. The Karmen line is 100 km, 62 miles and is considered the beginning of space. He only reached 53 miles. (First result of a Google search.)

If you have enough money you can move space

I watched most of it... it was hard to watch. It was more like the Richard Branson Show, with much goober smooching in the background, rather than a space launch.

 

[MClark]

T or C looks central to me.

 

[Antares JS]

They changed it then It was always accepted as 100 km.

Like Imperial vs. Metric its America's 50 mile standard vs. the rest of the world's 100 km.

Both distances arbitrary and are high enough that aerodynamic control surfaces don't work but low enough that it's not possible to orbit.

 

[Funkworks]

I just checked. He did NOT reach space. The Karmen line is 100 km, 62 miles and is considered the beginning of space. He only reached 53 miles. (First result of a Google search.)

I doubt anyone could tell the difference if they looked out the window.

 

[Michael L]

T or C looks central to me.

I'll just leave this right here (and overlook the fact that I typed SE NM instead of SW NM). Belen, Estancia, Vaughn... that's central NM

 

[user 13]

That reminds me of what people said about the Wright brothers and other early aviation activities…….

Except for the fact that the Wright brothers created a whole new technology (yes, based on earlier works) and made it work.

What Virgin did today was insignificant and kind of pointless considering it has been done before by others. Nothing new or groundbreaking.

I think Virgin missed their opportunity by a 5-10 years, but thats just my opinion, time will tell.

SpaceX wins, Branson loses. Bezos has probably lost also, but that story is still being written.

 

[DeltaVee]

I just checked. He did NOT reach space. The Karmen line is 100 km, 62 miles and is considered the beginning of space. He only reached 53 miles. (First result of a Google search.)

Von Karman line is 54 nautical miles, 62 Statute miles according to the F.A.I. (source:wikipedia) On the order of 330,000+ feet. Von Karman calculated it to be 275,000 feet, and there is no international standard. Of course, unlike Uncle Walter, the people commentating failed to make the distinction when reporting where the vehicle was. That is to say, I never heard much in terms of precision about this from the fashion plates doing the reporting. Walter ALWAYS reported both. Specification of WHICH KIND of miles does matter.

The US standard *is* 50 statute miles to not have ambiguity between civilian and USAF efforts (same Wikipedia article)...
"NASA, the US Space Force, US Air Force and Federal Aviation Administration define the boundary as 50 miles (80 km) above sea level.[3] International law does not define the edge of space, or the limit of national airspace"

 

[MClark]

Michael, I’m trolling you.
Central, East, West, the whole state can use the business.