I tend to think that balloons would be _more_ interesting to tourists because the risks would be much less. If you could increase the safety, you will get more people to take the ride. Also there are a lot of people who would not be able to handle the G's of a rocket ride and would prefer a longer, smoother ride in a balloon. You would have more time to enjoy the view instead of puking or wondering if your spine would collapse. :) Aaron
-----Original Message----- From: Chuck Hards Sent: Sunday, November 21, 2004 7:10 PM To: utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Re: Utah-Astronomy Digest, Vol 21, Issue 10
A story or two below that one (same address) really caught my eye:
* Nov. 19, 2004 | 5:30 p.m. ET Ups and downs for space balloon: JP Aerospace is changing course as it pursues its plan to create what it calls "the other space program," using balloons rather than rockets to get to the final frontier.
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Using a balloon platform as the first-stage 'booster' is probably the biggest consumables-saving strategy i've heard of yet. Also seems quite a bit safer for a large chunk of the ascent. Lacking the excitement of a rocket ship, however, it might not attract the "rich tourists", or even investor interest.
C.
--- utah-astronomy-request@mailman.xmission.com wrote:
From: Patrick Wiggins <paw@trilobyte.net> To: utah astronomy listserve <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Sat, 20 Nov 2004 21:59:28 -0700 Subject: [Utah-astronomy] More on private spaceflight
This will be in Monday's News but since this sort of thing has been a topic of conversation here I figured a sneak preview might be in order.
Private Spaceflight Legislation Moves on to Senate
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