Bezos to Fly on Rocket

[Arpak]

I think that landing is something no one ever experienced except maybe a few Space X astronauts (did they?) And it may well be an exclusive Space X capability for many years to come.

Not if SpaceX gets away with their plan for point to point Earth travel

 

[kuririn]

I think that landing is something no one ever experienced except maybe a few Space X astronauts (did they?) And it may well be an exclusive Space X capability for many years to come.

Isn't Starship planning a tower arm capture for their future landings?

 

[Funkworks]

I just looked it up and well yes apparently for the tower arm, but it still looks like a backward landing, regardless of how the load is absorbed. My point is I think no human yet has ever landed a space vehicle under rocket power, except for Neil and the Moon People, and maybe some SpaceX test pilots.

 

[kuririn]

It would be a white knuckle experience for sure.
The audio of a Starship launch sounds like marbles rattling around in a tin can.
Very unnerving.
I think that Space X's first tourists will go to the ISS on a Falcon 9/Dragon and stay for a few days.
IIRC the mission is planned for 2022.
55 mill. per passenger.
Better start saving now.

 

[aerostadt]

There is talk that Elon Musk has booked a flight on Virgin Galactic.
https://www.cnet.com/news/elon-musk-might-be-headed-to-space-but-not-on-a-spacex-rocket/

 

[deandome]

Fun fact; there's no cabin door on the Blue Origin capsule; to enter or exit, you just peel back the foreskin

 

[OverTheTop]

I suppose Sir Branson can just jump onboard almost whenever he feels like a little lift of his mental state. Spaceflight could turn out to be a good treatment for depression . I will volunteer if that study starts up!

 

[Funkworks]

I suppose Sir Branson can just jump onboard almost whenever he feels like a little lift of his mental state. Spaceflight could turn out to be a good treatment for depression . I will volunteer if that study starts up!

And for severe cases, they could strap the patient in a parachute.

Hmm ... I wonder how that guided parachute rocket recovery system is coming along.

 

[aerostadt]

Blue Origin has donated $1 million to the Mars Society.

https://mailchi.mp/marssociety/toward-a-coherent-artemis-plan-rzubrin-1103566?e=480d62ce58

 

[OverTheTop]

And for severe cases, they could strap the patient in a parachute.

 

[aerostadt]

Blue Origin and Bezos announce 2 more donations.

https://www.aiaa.org/news/news/2021...illion-from-blue-origin-s-club-for-the-future
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/14/...00-million-national-air-and-space-museum.html
Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos “is giving $200 million to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian said Wednesday. The Smithsonian said the donation is its biggest philanthropic gift since the Institution’s founding gift from James Smithson, in 1846.” The Smithsonian “said $70 million will help with the renovation of the National Air and Space Museum, and $130 million will be used for a new education center, to be called the Bezos Learning Center.”

 

[NateB]

I suppose Sir Branson can just jump onboard almost whenever he feels like a little lift of his mental state. Spaceflight could turn out to be a good treatment for depression . I will volunteer if that study starts up!

I don't think you even need to come close to space for a little lift. A few weeks ago we were flying IFR and broke through the cloud layer with nothing but sunshine above coming into the ship. I noticed our patient glance out the window and crack a smile. It's a lot easier and cheaper to get to 4000 feet than LEO.

 

[OverTheTop]

I don't think you even need to come close to space for a little lift. A few weeks ago we were flying IFR and broke through the cloud layer with nothing but sunshine above coming into the ship. I noticed our patient glance out the window and crack a smile.

Nice.

I did 20 minutes in a jet fighter for my 50th birthday. My wife got the present for me, and it was around $2k with a significant amount of it being fuel. The good news was he handed me the stick so I got 11 minutes driving, including all sorts of rolls and loops with me flying the aerobatics. It was a buzz and it was a lot cheaper than going to space.

 

[kuririn]

The anonymous auction winner who bid $28 mil for a seat has deferred to a future flight due to scheduling conflicts.
Blue Origin picks 18-year-old to become youngest person in space on Bezos journey after auction winner has 'scheduling conflicts' (yahoo.com)
Next in line is an 18 year old Dutch whose father. a hedge fund manager, paid for his ticket.
Meet Oliver Daemen, the Dutch teenager who will fly to space with Jeff Bezos after his hedge fund dad paid millions for the ticket (msn.com)

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

Can you imagine winning an auction and paying $28 million to be the FIRST to fly on that rocket and then deciding, “Oh, I’m busy that day.”

 

[Cape Byron]

Next in line is an 18 year old Dutch whose father. a hedge fund manager, paid for his ticket.

I'd fly into sub-orbital space with an 18yo passenger. Just not this one...

 

[kuririn]

I did 20 minutes in a jet fighter for my 50th birthday.

Call sign?
Thunda down Unda?
Wizard of Oz?
Ozzie Airbourne?

 

[SDramstad]

Is Bezos trying too hard now? Wont be first so he is loading the passenger list with the oldest and youngest people to go sub-orbital.

 

[kuririn]

Can you imagine winning an auction and paying $28 million to be the FIRST to fly on that rocket and then deciding, “Oh, I’m busy that day.”

Speculation:
1. Family members expressed concern. Ashton Kutcher winded up cancelling his Virgin Galactic spot because Mila Kunis felt it wouldn't be right for the father of two toddlers to take the risk.
2. Can no longer remain anonymous. Some people don't like the glare of publicity, for various reasons.

 

[kuririn]

T minus 3 days and counting.
I didn't know this until yesterday, but there are NO PILOTS on New Shephard.
Completely autonomous, so if something unexpected and unprogrammed happens, kiss your okole goodbye.
They do have escape rockets, tested on the ground, in flight and in space.

 

[kuririn]

Live feed from Blue Origin here:

 

[tammaraki]

I would say it was very generous of Mr. Bezos to offer a seat to Wally Funk. She is a lifetime aviator and a member of the Mercury 13.

I can't wait to see her during the flight, she is still super energetic and enjoying life.

 

[OverTheTop]

I wish them all a wonderful and successful flight. Good luck to them for being the chosen few.

 

[user 13]

I'm very happy to see Wally Funk finally get on a rocket and wish BO a safe flight, but like the Virgin launch last week this is just so yesterday.

SpaceX has eclipsed this achievement by orders of magnitude.

 

[ghostfather]

Made it !

 

[Blast it Tom!]

Nice!

 

[lakeroadster]

Every generation has one of these guys...

 

[Mushtang]

SpaceX has eclipsed this achievement by orders of magnitude.

Right!? The coverage kept calling this "an historic moment in space travel" or something. I don't see anything about this morning's test that hasn't happened before.

1) Suborbital flights into space happened back in the 60s
2) Flights into space by a private company has happened plenty of times
3) At least two private companies have already put humans into space
4) A private company has already put humans into orbit

edit to add:
5) Space tourists have been above the Karman Line, and in orbit to the ISS since 2001.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_tourism
I've missed what was historic about the Blue Origin launch today.

 

[kuririn]

Liftoff



Approaching max Q


Great view from booster



Booster touchdown



Drogue chutes deployed



Main chutes fully deployed




Skirt jets fire and touchdown!




Crew egress


I wish they had live video instead of audio only from the capsule.
Wally Funk was so animated.
Bezos comment on status check: "Best day ever!"
Congratulations to Blue Origin.

 

[kuririn]

I've missed what was historic about the Blue Origin launch today.

First flight by space tourists past the Karman Line.