[KaiserJeep]

Did you know that the US Government has licensed NINE commercial spaceports in the USA, has a tenth license pending, and is considering licensing another FIVE spaceports?



http://spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/space-flight/the-spaceport-boom

In a few years Europe may have their first spaceport as well:

http://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/aerospace/space-flight/uk-lets-make-a-spaceport

[Sixstrings]

I didn't know that, Kaiser. Whatever industry we can get out ahead on is good for this country that's for sure. Should be some more federal support with it, we're #1 in energy now and space, space stuff still needs some government boost so let's run with it.

Some bets may turn out bad, like New Mexico state gov and the VG spaceport.

Here's my question though: I didn't know about all these other spaceports besides VG and SpaceX, what kind of launches and companies would be involved with the other spaceports???

[basil_hayden]

I work for one of the few companies that has actually designed a pentamodal transportation facility.

That's right - boat, plane, train, car/bike/ped AND NCC-1701!

[Keith_McClary]

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('basil_hayden', 'I') work for one of the few companies that has actually designed a pentamodal transportation facility.

That's right - boat, plane, train, car/bike/ped AND NCC-1701!

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Keith_McClary', '[')img]http://www.world-wide-art.com/images/20th-Century-Fox/Futurama-New-New-York-Municipal-Spaceport.jpg[/img]

[KaiserJeep]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Sixstrings', '-')snip-

To my knowledge there are 3 launch companies in the US and one just blew up on the pad: Orbital, ULA, and spacex.

None of them are using these spaceports.

VG was going to land at the New Mexico spaceport. And VG is toast now too, and that was the only one that was going to do passenger joy rides.

What are the other spaceports for?

[Keith_McClary]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('KaiserJeep', 'I')f it helps you to grasp the real level of risk, more people are killed per passenger car miles driven than spaceship miles flown.

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('KaiserJeep', 'Y')ou mentioned the four publicly traded companies that are engaged in commercial manned space travel. There are roughly another dozen, both publicly and privately funded, who shun publicity and are engaged in fulfilling government contracts, mostly to do with Earth-facing satellites. Then there are another half dozen or so aiming for unmanned deep space missions. It is the manned flight companies that tend to attract the most attention, including you.

[KaiserJeep]

You can answer most of your own questions, I have things to do and places to go this warm and sunny weekend. But allow me to point out that as the existing world falls in upon itself a few decades from now, the only money to be made and the only place to spend it will be in space. The planet will be deeply mired in economic collapse, it is a problem that nobody need worry about. A few fierce cannibals survive on the planet, those in space experience glorious unlimited growth for hundreds of years.

Freeman Dyson has thought it through. Look up "Dyson Sphere".

[Quinny]

This is getting hilarious!

My family are questioning why I have suddenly started laughing at a seemingly innocent tv show!

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('KaiserJeep', 'Y')ou can answer most of your own questions, I have things to do and places to go this warm and sunny weekend.

[Sixstrings]

I mean, look, I'm not trying to be a naysayer, I'm a space booster.

But look at this, "let's make a spaceport!"

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'U')K: Let's Make a Spaceport!



In a bid for rapid-fire relevance in the emerging private spaceplane industry, the UK government announced its intent to open a commercial passenger spaceport within four years. Eight airfields have been singled out as the British Isles’ answer to New Mexico's “Spaceport America” — one each in England and Wales, with the remaining six in Scotland.
http://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/aerospace/space-flight/uk-lets-make-a-spaceport

[SeaGypsy]

Bags of gas, much less fallic, more boob like really. Nice & quiet, supersonic dive return in a space suit, heck, I'd pay for a ride on that before any rocket.

[Henriksson]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('KaiserJeep', 'Y')ou can answer most of your own questions, I have things to do and places to go this warm and sunny weekend. But allow me to point out that as the existing world falls in upon itself a few decades from now, the only money to be made and the only place to spend it will be in space. The planet will be deeply mired in economic collapse, it is a problem that nobody need worry about. A few fierce cannibals survive on the planet, those in space experience glorious unlimited growth for hundreds of years.

Freeman Dyson has thought it through. Look up "Dyson Sphere".

[Keith_McClary]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Sixstrings', 'T')hey just got a contract to launch $3 billion worth of satellites for Iridium, some kind of mobile communications company or whatever

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SeaGypsy', 'B')ags of gas, much less fallic, more boob like really. Nice & quiet, supersonic dive return in a space suit, heck, I'd pay for a ride on that before any rocket.

[Sixstrings]

Joe Kittenger did this first back in the 60s.

Here's a HD video stratosohpere jump, amazing:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'F')elix Baumgartner - Headcam footage 128k ft space jump
Felix Baumgartner, an Austrian daredevil skydiver, has become the only human being to beat the speed of sound (767 miles/hour) after skydiving from 128,100 feet above the earth at an incredible speed of 833 miles/hour.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDdFlhzNq8o