http://rocketdungeon.blogspot.com/2008/01/spaceshiptwo-and-white-knight-ii.html
Guys like Branson will soon make it so us commoners have the option of going into orbit for a reasonable price one day. 200K for a ticket right now, but give it a decade or two and it should be down to fairly reasonable levels.
THIS is why I like capitalism.
Define ‘fairly reasonable levels’ real quick for me, will you?
[quote]Otep wrote:
Define ‘fairly reasonable levels’ real quick for me, will you?[/quote]
Ehhh, probably sub $10,000 in the next 10-15 years. Its still expensive no doubt, but compared to $200,000 and the chance to view the Earth and the solar system from an entirely new vantage point it would be worth it to many people, myself included.
At that rate it is definitely a luxury, but considering some of the stuff I see people spend money on it would be money well spent in my opinion.
The bottom line, in my opinion, is at least its happening. Someone is doing it. Going into space was a total fantasy unless you became an astronaut(even then no guarantee) or paid 20 million to fund a shuttle mission up until this point in time.
You know, now that I think about it, 10k is probably a fairly reasonable price to pay for a trip to space.
Target audience would be upper middle class, and you could rocket yourself into orbit instead of taking the family to Dubai, or wherever American tourists go on holiday.
More exotic location, AND you don’t have to bring the kids. Nice.
Rutan is the man.