Economist article on suborbital tourism

[josh_simonson]

http://economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=6911220<br /><br />My favorite quote, in The Economist's typical dry wit was:<br />"That leaves Blue Origin, a firm backed by Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com. Unlike everybody else's crafts, Blue Origin's New Shepard spaceship is designed for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL). And that is weird." <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br /><br />

 

[drwayne]

Yep, and there is this:<br /><br />"One way of explaining this curious design choice"<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[chriscdc]

I refuse to read it on the grounds that they don't mention adrmadillo anywhere. Nope I used the search function so they didn't trick me into reading it to find out the didn't mention armadillo so I could then make a principled stand against reading it, ha!

 

[josh_simonson]

"One way of explaining this curious design choice would be if Mr Bezos ultimately intended to produce an orbital vehicle. He wouldn't be alone. Elon Musk, a co-founder of PayPal, is hoping to do the same thing by first creating a satellite-launching business around a new, unmanned rocket, the Falcon. And *********Armadillo Aerospace************, based in Mesquite, Texas, and backed by John Carmack, a rich game-designer, is tinkering with a VTOL suborbital vehicle design in the hope of building an orbital vehicle one day. "

 

[chriscdc]

Ok I admit it. I skimmed it and then tried to make an over the top humorous comment about it. Yes, I am ashamed of myself.<br /><br />Oh well, you never learn anything about space in these popular magazines. The reporters could talk to pretty much anyone on these boards and they'd get enough info for one of these articles.

 

[shoogerbrugge]

On the otherhand, the economist is in general a much better source for information and has a fresh down to earth perspective compared to other weekly magazines.

 

[5stone10]

Yes, I do not agree.<br /><br />The Economist has a lot more depth than most mags - as well as I would not categorize the Economist as a 'garden variety' poplular magazine.

 

[gsuschrist]

The Economist is the last of the serious news magazines with any type of credibility. Unfortunately my once favorite ,Time Magazine, has a gimmick on the cover every second week and dumbed down to being a step removed from People Magazine.

 

[josh_simonson]

I'd think much of the economist's readership are among the financially elidgible space tourists too.

 

[shoogerbrugge]

I sure am not, the subcription is not that hefty anyway.