Hawking to fly Virgin Galactic?

[docm]

It would be really nince if this were possible, and safe. Godspeed Dr. Hawking.<br /><br />http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2006/11/30/16569.aspx<br /><br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p><b>Stephen Hawking in space</b><br /><br />Posted: Thursday, November 30, 2006 7:20 PM by Alan Boyle<br /><br />British billionaire Richard Branson says he's sending over a medical officer to talk with physicist Stephen Hawking about getting him into space. That's how the founder of Virgin Galactic responded to Hawking's comment that "maybe Richard Branson will help" him achieve his long-held goal of reaching the final frontier, even though he's a quadriplegic who needs a blink-controlled computer to communicate.<br /><br />Branson and other Virgin executives indicated today that if there's any way on earth to accommodate the good doctor-with-a-disability, they'll do it. And for practice, Hawking could conceivably experience weightlessness aboard a Zero Gravity Corp. plane as early as next year.<br /><br />It would be one giant leap for the world's best-known physicist - and a powerful signal of support for other people with disabilities.<br /><br />Hawking, who has been coping with a degenerative nerve disease for decades and now spends most of his waking hours in a high-tech wheelchair, is famous for his theoretical work on black holes and other space curiosities. He's also a major-league space geek, going so far as to play a virtual version of himself on "Star Trek: The Next Generation." For months he's been dropping hints about going beyond mere theorizing and play acting, by flying to the edge of space on one of Branson's yet-to-be-built suborbital spaceships.<br /><br />Today's public reference to Branson was the most explicit hint to date, and the rebel billionaire responded in a statement e-mailed by his office:<br /><br />"Obviously we would be honoured to have Stephen</p></blockquote> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[mattblack]

Hawking would have to fly with a Doctor next to him. He'd have to put on a pure oxygen mask to breath during the G-load of powered ascent. Also, his body is pretty frail so I doubt he'd be able to stand the stresses.<br /><br />No, I think Dr Hawking is just messing with us... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p>One Percent of Federal Funding For Space: America <strong><em><u>CAN</u></em></strong> Afford it!!  LEO is a <strong><em>Prison</em></strong> -- It's time for a <em><strong>JAILBREAK</strong></em>!!</p> </div>

 

[christine16]

this would be the end of this good man, <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" />

 

[spacester]

Wow, that's pretty cool, newsartist: you said exactly what I was going to say. Nice. <br /><br />I have friends who are paraplegics and IMO just the study of this potential publicity stunt has value to at least some of the folks in that situation.<br /><br />I wonder if the chronic nerve pain most para's suffer from might possibly be diminished by micro-gravity. ALS victims and para's are different worlds, but possibly this question could be addressed at the same time.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>