Science Would You Float Into (Almost) Space?

**Donger** · 06-25-2014, 02:43 PM

If you had the spare $75,000 laying around, of course:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete...16-launch.html

Next year, Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic is expected to begin taking paying customers to space for around £150,000 ($250,000) a ticket.

But if you can't afford that, one company has a cheaper alternative - World View Enterprises is offering balloon flights to the ‘edge of space’ for £45,000 ($75,000).

Beginning in 2016, the Arizona-based company will take paying customers in a pressurised capsule to a height of 19 miles (30 kilometres) - and it has just set a world record to prove the system works.

On 18 June World View launched a parafoil from Roswell International Air Center in New Mexico on a flight that lasted five hours, breaking the altitude world record for such a flight in the process.

The test validated the full flight profile of the spaceflight system, lifting a model of the eventual system scaled down to ten per cent to 120,000 feet (36,000 metres) and back down to 50,000 feet (15,000 metres).

The parafoil was successfully executed, breaking the world record.

This allowed for further validation of the precision guided landing system of the space vehicle.

In 2016 the parafoil, together with a high-altitude balloon, will be used to take pressurised capsules known as ‘Voyagers’ on trips to the edge of space.

This will give six passengers, along with two crew members, two hours of 'cruising' during which they will be free to stroll around the ‘luxury’ capsule - which even has a bar and internet access.

While passengers will not experience any weightlessness on the flight like Virgin Galactic, the trip will be significantly longer than the latter's six minute projected flight time.

For the money-conscious, that means a minute of observing the curvature of Earth from World View's Voyager capsule will cost £370 ($625).

06-25-2014, 02:43 PM	Topic Starter
Donger "Think BOOM!" Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: 33.675° N 106.475° W Casino cash: $10439900 VARSITY	Would You Float Into (Almost) Space? If you had the spare $75,000 laying around, of course: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete...16-launch.html Next year, Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic is expected to begin taking paying customers to space for around £150,000 ($250,000) a ticket. But if you can't afford that, one company has a cheaper alternative - World View Enterprises is offering balloon flights to the ‘edge of space’ for £45,000 ($75,000). Beginning in 2016, the Arizona-based company will take paying customers in a pressurised capsule to a height of 19 miles (30 kilometres) - and it has just set a world record to prove the system works. On 18 June World View launched a parafoil from Roswell International Air Center in New Mexico on a flight that lasted five hours, breaking the altitude world record for such a flight in the process. The test validated the full flight profile of the spaceflight system, lifting a model of the eventual system scaled down to ten per cent to 120,000 feet (36,000 metres) and back down to 50,000 feet (15,000 metres). The parafoil was successfully executed, breaking the world record. This allowed for further validation of the precision guided landing system of the space vehicle. In 2016 the parafoil, together with a high-altitude balloon, will be used to take pressurised capsules known as ‘Voyagers’ on trips to the edge of space. This will give six passengers, along with two crew members, two hours of 'cruising' during which they will be free to stroll around the ‘luxury’ capsule - which even has a bar and internet access. While passengers will not experience any weightlessness on the flight like Virgin Galactic, the trip will be significantly longer than the latter's six minute projected flight time. For the money-conscious, that means a minute of observing the curvature of Earth from World View's Voyager capsule will cost £370 ($625).
Posts: 180,541