SpaceShipTwo plans dead? Virgin pull out!?

[shuttle_rtf]

Just got the following e-mail...Must say it's a rather strange one in the way announcements are usually pre-empted.<br /><br /> />Virgin Galactic are to hold a press conference, at a date to be announced next week, regarding US sale and license laws of technology and plans to search for an alternate partner.<

 

[grooble]

Gutting. It won't do America's image any good that honest cutting edge experiences have been stifled by stupid laws. I bet its the same laws that means ESA couldn't work with NASA on some probe a few weeks ago.<br /><br />They ought to rewrite that law, i mean they are punishing allied countries.

 

[wvbraun]

Let's wait for the announcement before jumping to conclusions here.

 

[nacnud]

Even if Virgin hasn't pulled out I think I can recall Rutan saying that the law has stopped and technology transfer and therefore any exchange of monies untill now, thus puting the program back 9 months plus.

 

[shuttle_rtf]

>Let's wait for the announcement before jumping to conclusions here. <<br /><br />Yep...I'm not running this as it was one of the strangest press conference pre-empts I've seen. Can't get anyone on the phone either.

 

[wvbraun]

Not dead at all: Update from Virgin Galactic<br /><br /><i>MISSION UPDATE<br />DESIGN AND BUILD Work is well underway in the Mojave Desert on the initial design and technical feasibility of Virgin SpaceShip “Enterprise” and MotherShip “Eve”. Burt Rutan and his team at Scaled Composites are excited and encouraged by the results from this work.<br /><br />Alex Tai, Head of Operations at Virgin Galactic explained, “Although we can’t divulge any details yet, we are confident that our safety and configuration specifications can and will be met and that we will very soon be able to move to the construction stage of the project”.<br /><br />RESERVATION PROCESS Virgin Galactic is open for business! We are starting the process of taking reservations for the first year’s flights and will shortly be accepting deposits. Stephen Attenborough, Head of Astronaut Relations, recently enthused, “Our first astronauts will be pioneers in the true sense of the word; not only will they be amongst the world’s first commercial astronauts, but their early commitment will help to bring the project to fruition and pave the way for thousands of others to make the dream a reality".<br /><br />Ticket prices for initial flights have been set at US$200,000. Flights are filling quickly but space is still available. Refundable deposits of at least $20,000 will be required to secure a seat. The first 100 to fly will be invited to become Virgin Galactic Founders. Our Founders will help shape our plans over the next 3 years and enjoy unique access to the project as it develops.<br /><br />Our aim is to reduce ticket prices as the business grows over the coming years. We plan to offer the opportunity to reserve these tickets by payment of a small deposit against a future space flight at a time and price that suits you.</i>

 

[shuttle_rtf]

Seems like someone was being a prank with the presser. Cool <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[kdavis007]

Excellent!!!

 

[soyuztma]

The update isn't exactly new, it is allready two months old. Look at this thread: Virgin Galactic update <br />It think there is indeed the possibility that Virgin Galactic is looking for a US partner. Because they are a British company ITAR is probably giving them loads of trouble. And by introducing an US partner they probably hope to lessen the ITAR problems. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[wvbraun]

You're right, sorry. The X-Prize-News site presented is as a new update.

 

[flynn]

Any more news on this?<br /><br />I havn't been able to find anything new. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#800080">"All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring" - <strong>Chuck Palahniuk</strong>.</font> </div>

 

[holmec]

Is there any real confirmation of this news?<br />It smells of a hoax. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[vt_hokie]

I'm curious about Mr. Rutan's statements regarding an orbital vehicle. He claims to be working on the design for one, although I don't know if he has the money to develop it. It's obviously a much more complex task, and I wonder, are there any features of SpaceShipOne that would be applicable to an orbital system? I would sure like to know not only how he plans to propel a vehicle to orbital velocity, but also how he plans to address the thermal protection issues, life support, guidance and control through all phases of flight, etc. I would love to see him tackle the challenge of orbital flight, but it's obviously a huge challenge.

 

[holmec]

According to the the Discovery Channel's program "Black Sky" Rutan showed a 3d cad representation of the orbital ship. It looked like a big Space Ship One. But for Virgin he is making a suborbital for now. He also showed a represenation of space hotel. He stated that anything suborbital that Scaled composites does in Tier 1, orbital is Tier 2, to other planets is Tier 3. So he has high dreams. We'll see what happens in the future. Rutan won't give up , he never has. <br /><br />PS if you haven't see "Black Sky" I highly recomend it. You can get it from a Discovery Channel store or online. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[shuttle_rtf]

I'm thinking hoax.

 

[spacester]

I'm thinking not so much hoax as stoking the political fire. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[vt_hokie]

"According to the the Discovery Channel's program "Black Sky" Rutan showed a 3d cad representation of the orbital ship. It looked like a big Space Ship One. ...PS if you haven't see "Black Sky" I highly recomend it."<br /><br />Yes, I actually do have the DVD's of both Discovery programs on SpaceShipOne. I agree, they were very well done!<br /><br />As I recall, that rendering of the orbital vehicle basically looked like SpaceShipOne attached to a first stage rocket. I don't see how such a design could work for an orbital vehicle. I wonder how Burt Rutan plans to tackle the numerous complications of orbital flight. Even if you can accelerate the vehicle to orbital velocity, in order to get it back it obviously has to be controllable or at least stable through a much wider range of flight conditions, and there's the not so trivial matter of thermal protection.<br /><br />