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Whoo!
SpaceShipOne made a successful first launch today for the Ansari X-prize USD 10mil competition

Comercial space flight is one step closer.

I just watched the live web feed from Nasa (who are not involved, except as spectators here)

More info here :
Slashdot
CNN
NASA webcast

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Meriander, Paladin
Rentin, Warlock
(Emerald Dawn, WoW EU server)

I saw it too on Fox News

They now have to complete another launch within 2 weeks to claim the prize. The Canadian team competing for the X prize is scheduled to do their first launch within 2 days... So the race is on.

First team to reach space twice within 14 days, with the same craft, gets the 10 million dollar prize. But the licensing of the technology is probably worth more than the prize. So even the second place team has a chance to make it big.

This is worth a lot more than the 10mil.
Just saw that Virgin (the airline) launched a new venture called "Virgin Galactic" http://www.virgingalactic.com/ and plans to start sending customers up using ships from ScaledComposite (makers of SpaceShipOne) by the end of the decade.
No word yet on the price of a ticket

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Meriander, Paladin
Rentin, Warlock
(Emerald Dawn, WoW EU server)

The ticket prices that I heard on the news were more or less pulled straight out of the air by one of the guys in Virgin Galactic... so take them with a grain of skepticism, but they were saying a ticket would be something like $100k for a trip like the one we saw today.

Virgin Galactic is also looking into orbiting capsule technology in which they my team up with NASA to develop (NASA needs this technology for its own things). This orbiting capsule would allow customers a much longer stay in space... more like a vacation than a quick trip. The guy from Virgin Galactic had no price information for the orbiting capsule ticket.

All of it would need to come down in price before I could get in on the fun.

This is Virgin (Branson, the bazillionaire) and Burt Rutan, possibly one of the greatest aviation minds on the planet, teaming up. This will be HUGE.

Prices I hear for the first rides once they are up and running is 190K US.

They plan on within 5 years lowering that figure SUBSTANTIALLY...

A great day indeed.....

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SW:TOR - Mantison Gunslinger, Ironmant Trooper, Manni Jedi Knight
WoW - Dalaran - Manni 85 Mage, Ironmant 83 Warrior, Mantison 80 Hunter
SWG - Chilastra Retired Mantison, Commando / TKA Master aka Trogdor !!!!

Finally....perhaps one day, I can now pilot a spaceship...

I've just recently watched a special today on the discovery about spaceship one. It was pretty cool!

yeah, that is very cool, it's a nice thought that I might get to take ride around the earth before I die.

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The Cord
Occasional Caretaker of the Horde Maelstrom Guild
Ex-Section 3 Director

The second of the two required launches is to be on monday (which is also the anniversary for Sputnik-1 launch in 1957, that started the whole space race)

More info here:
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/xprize_second_041001.html

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Meriander, Paladin
Rentin, Warlock
(Emerald Dawn, WoW EU server)

SpaceShipOne has begun the second flight.

More info here:
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/SpaceShipOne.html

Live streaming coverage from NASA tv here:
56K - http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia-live/federal/7217/56_federal-xprize_040923.asx
150k - http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia-live/federal/7217/150_federal-xprize_040923.asx

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Meriander, Paladin
Rentin, Warlock
(Emerald Dawn, WoW EU server)

SPACESHIP ONE HAS LANDED! THE 10 MILLION X-PRIZE IS THEIRS!!! WOOOHOOO!!!!

Well done gentlemen... this is indeed a red letter day in human history..

I would HIGHLY recommend watching the special that the Discovery Channel has done on this venture...

Very good stuff..

Makes me proud of mankind's drive for knoweledge and the "edge" of the envelope...

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SW:TOR - Mantison Gunslinger, Ironmant Trooper, Manni Jedi Knight
WoW - Dalaran - Manni 85 Mage, Ironmant 83 Warrior, Mantison 80 Hunter
SWG - Chilastra Retired Mantison, Commando / TKA Master aka Trogdor !!!!

I agree, this is a day that will change the future forever.... as a Star Wars lover, I would say today is a step in the right direction. Space should get a lot more cooler from here on out.


Who knows, Obo and Antan my get a chance to build RL spaceships for the rest of us to fly!


/edit
The yearly competitions are the kind of thing I am excited to see develop. Fastest speed, highest altitude.... hell, one day as technology advances they my race around the moon and back.

Every now and again I get a weird feeling, and am just in awe of the world we live in. Today has been one of those days again. I mean, sure, its cool when NASA does this all the time, but to have it done by a private enterprise without any government backing is very cool, very fun.

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Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God!

Which will come first, their chance to do that IRL or the chance to do that in a bug-free, satisfying environment in SWG?

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Liro
"The english language is not a wedding gown, it doesn't get better the more lace you add. It is instead a thong. Less is more." From /.
I need to remind myself of this regularly.

Oh, and Rocklar hits one below the belt. LOL

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Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God!

Yeah, that two hour discovery special is really cool!!

I saw this yesterday, thought you guys might be intersted: http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/bi ... 40927.html

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Warnel Redd TC: Toad
..~Section I Director~..
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