Fly Me to the Moon-Space Travel for You and Me
Did I say Moon? Actually, space travel to the moon is a little premature, but if its outer space you want, then you might consider Virgin Galactic where for only $200,000 you can book a flight into outer space.
Virgin Galactic uses highly advanced carbon fiber construction and a hybrid engine technology to produce a lightweight yet extremely strong mother vehicle which carries a smaller vehicle which will actually take you into outer space. The mother vehicle, called Virgin Mothership Eve, carries the smaller vehicle with the paying passengers (that's you) up to 50,000 feet above the earth. This avoids the problems with the Space Shuttle rocketing off from earth in what is really a controlled bomb, heavily laden with fuel and the extra reinforcement necessary to carry it and its occupants safely.
At 50,000 feet, the smaller vehicle, called SpaceShipTwo, is released, and its hybrid rocket engine, a combination of liquid and solid propellants, is ignited and takes the six passengers and two pilots as high at 316,000 feet. The passengers are able to experience and enjoy zero gravity free floating if they like, and each seat has panoramic views of the earth and space. Small rocket thrusters allow the pilots to change the direction and view the passenger/astronauts are able to see.
The ship returns to earth by raising and lowering its tail structure in what is described as a feathered re-entry. Inspired by the simple shuttlecock, this maneuver creates increasing drag and allows the ship to re-enter the earth's atmosphere without the intervention of sophisticated computers, and because of the lightweight construction of the vehicle, creates so little heat that special heat resistant tiles and other materials are not necessary. Once re-entry is completed at around 70,000 feet, the wings are lowered into a more conventional position and the aerodynamic aircraft then simple glides to a landing.
This whole space tourism project aims at being as environmentally benign as is possible. The use of carbon composite construction with its high strength, low weight ratios, requires the use of much less energy throughout the entire manufacturing process and in the actual execution of the flight. Because the rocket is not activated until high up in the atmosphere, the use of polluting ground based rocketry is avoided. The hybrid engine also uses a non-toxic, benign fuel which is actively engaged for only a relatively short amount of time. Finally, the descent and landing require no power, and except for the fuel, everything is fully reusable.
93 percent of the 81 Founder customers made it through the centrifuge training needed to prepare them for the G-forces experienced during the rocket portions of the trip and re-entry. So gear up--only a $20,000 deposit is needed and you're off into the wild blue yonder!
About the Author:
Larry Isaacson is Vice President of Haskell New York Inc., a company which sells office supplies on the Internet through its online service, OfficeSalesUSA.com and holiday cards at their sister site Christmas-Holiday-Cards.com.
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