Commercial Spaceflight in 2008

[diamondspaceguy]

I have been reading a lot of 2007 reviews by companies. Also looking at their sites and the prospects for 2008. This lead me to try and look at commercial spaceflight in 2008.<br /><br />The main teams we have are:<br /><br />Virgin Galactic<br />Virgin are getting ready for their January Presentation. I read a story Here http://spacefellowship.com/News/?p=4073 They should be doing test flight of white night 2 and spaceshiptwo in the middle of the year, passengers following two years later.<br /><br />Armadillo Aerospace<br />Competing again in the XPC they are also working for NASA and should have stiff oposition this year. www.armadilloaerospace.com Teams like Masten could be in direct competition!<br /><br />JP Aerospace<br />They have got a blog running and could be heading their airships into space at some point soon. www.jpaerospace.com/blog<br /><br />Interorbital Systems<br />Getting a lot of publicity in the media these days they are getting a rocket ready for space in 2008, also carrying anyones name for just $1. A recent story by their engineer is available here http://spacefellowship.com/News/?p=4088<br /><br />Project Enterprise<br />A fairly new team i see an update coming in January and a story here http://spacefellowship.com/News/?p=4096<br /><br />SpaceX<br />SpaceX have made great progress this year, they had a few problems but i think they are everyone's favourites for the NASA COTS<br /><br />These teams should all have a make or break year. Am i missing anyone out? 2008 should be the year of the private sector! What's everyone elses feelings? Is it all hype? <br /><br />Let me know your thoughts?<br /><br />DSG

 

[dragon04]

Virgin Galactic is another one of Richard Branson's pet projects. Yes, he sees the potential for a lucrative business venture, but the guy is richer than God, and if for no other reason, he'll still be spending $$$$$ in 2010 if that's what it takes to achieve routine sub-orbital spaceflight delivered to the masses.<br /><br />To a lesser degree, I think it's the same with SpaceX. Although, Elon Musk IMO, isn't just a rich guy with an expensive hobby like Branson.<br /><br />SpaceX isn't interested in selling tickets for 3 minute joy rides to 360,000 Feet. SpaceX is committed to space as an <b>industry</b>. The only real question I have about SpaceX is how much money Musk will spend before he goes Public and starts selling stock to finance his operations.<br /><br />He's already committed prodigious amounts of money to his venture, and is dead serious about establishing his company's place in the commercial space industry. <br /><br />At first, I was very skeptical of him and his intentions, but I've come to respect his dedication to doing space in a very serious way.<br /><br />I don't know enough about the others you discuss to render an opinion. <br /><br />I also notice that you didn't include Bigelow in the mix. Unless you think that they're a sure fire long-term deal.<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>"2012.. Year of the Dragon!! Get on the Dragon Wagon!".</em> </div>

 

[diamondspaceguy]

yeah i meant to! they completely skipped my mind for a second!<br /><br />Their latest videos looked great and i think i remember hearing they are working on a new ship after the shepherd?

 

[dragon04]

It really boils down to who has enough money versus the measure of what goals each of those companies are trying to achieve.<br /><br />As an example, let's say for a moment that I was Bill Gates. Further, let's say that my money was diversified in enough investments to allow me an income of a couple billion dollars a year, to speak conservatively.<br /><br />Provided that I had financial planners who were "on the ball" (and what planner would NOT be if they were investing Bill Gates' money), I could finance my space ventures with some "seed money" and do big things in relatively short amounys of time.<br /><br />Engineering, manufacture, and testing (and the inherent time constraints involved) would be the only hurdles that I had to overcome.<br /><br />Furthermore, should I decide to enter a co-operative venture with, say Elon Musk where our overall strategy was to create an integrated, seamless manned spaceflight system, I could even cut down on the time scale involved in such a venture.<br /><br />I think that's what makes Bigelow so attractive. They don't <b>do</b> launch vehicles. They build habs, and nothing BUT habs with the understanding that one of several private or Governmental players out there can get their stuff into space.<br /><br />I think that Synergy will be the byword of manned spaceflight in the 21st Century. I think it will be akin to the auto industry of the early to mid 20th century.<br /><br />Interchangeable parts and components. Integration of my launcher and your Hab, or "CEV" or "Lander", etc.....<br /><br />Some guys, like Richard Branson will use revenues from sub-orbital flights to take the "next step" in the evolution of manned space flight, and others, like SpaceX and Bigelow will concentrate more on developing systems that use the expertise of other companies to paint the "big picture".<br /><br />A lot of partnerships will develop. These private concerns take advantage of what Governmental Space Programs do not. NASA, as designed, tries to be a "b <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>"2012.. Year of the Dragon!! Get on the Dragon Wagon!".</em> </div>

 

[Swampcat]

<font color="yellow">"Their latest videos looked great and i think i remember hearing they are working on a new ship after the shepherd?"</font><br /><br />You must be thinking about Jeff Bezos and his New Shepard vehicle. <br /><br />As Dragon04 wrote, Bigelow does habs, not launch vehicles, but certainly deserves being on your list as does Blue Origin.<br /><br />BTW, this thread should probably be on SB&T. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="3" color="#ff9900"><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>------------------------------------------------------------------- </em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."</em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong>Thomas Jefferson</strong></font></p></font> </div>