Who needs airplanes?
The age of space travel for the masses may come one giant step closer today with the launch of what should be the first private venture to take people into sub-orbital space.
According to The Guardian, if everything goes to plan, the SS-1 (SpaceShipOne) will today become the first privately-funded craft to touch the edge of space after it takes of from the Mohave Desert, north of Los Angeles.
The spaceship, which will be launched into space from a White Knight aircraft that can fly at up to 50,000 feet, is in fact a prototype for a USD10 million competition. The aim of the competition is to take three people into sub-orbital space and back again – and then repeat the feat, using the same craft, within two weeks. The entire trip into space will take around an hour and a half.
Burt Rutan, the man behind the project, is quoted as saying: “Our programme involves a few dedicated individuals who are focused entirely on making space flight affordable. Without the entrepreneur approach, space access will continue to be out of reach for ordinary citizens. The SpaceShipOne flights will change all that.”
Meanwhile, at a much lower altitude, an example of the famous Zeppelin airship floated above London yesterday before being flown to Japan, where it will be used for tourist flights.
According to the Daily Telegraph, the 247-foot Yokoso Japan craft was visiting London on a European tour before the 10,000 mile flight to Japan. The airship will be able to carry 12 passengers and two crew.
Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad
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