Earlier this week, Burt Rutan and Sir Richard Branson, speaking at EAA's Air Venture in Oshkosh, WI, announced that they'll be forming a new joint venture to build commercial space vehicles. This comes on the heels of the three successful launches of Rutan's Space Ship One last year. The first customer for the vehicles will be Virgin Galactic, Branson's space tourism company.
While many in the mainstream press have snickered at the idea that a bunch of rich dilettantes now have another toy with which to amuse themselves, the space launches last year were an awesome display of true genius, the spirit of adventure, and raw courage. As I stood in the press area at the first launch, I noticed that, when Space Ship One streaked across the sky to achieve "space," the usual chatter ceased and there were tears in the eyes of more than one cynical reporter.
While it's true that seats on the first flights, set to launch sometime in 2008, will run in the $200,000 range, as the technology becomes more available and the industry matures, that price will come down, and ordinary people will be able to take a ride in space. But what else does this mean?
It means that someday, we'll have same day package delivery between almost any two major cities on the planet.
It means that, in the not so terribly distant future, we'll be able to travel between continents in the time it takes now to fly from Denver to Phoenix.
It means that, instead of rafting in Costa Rica or bicycling through Viet Nam, people who want adventure vacations will be able to spend a week in a space hotel.
It means that our tax dollars won't be funding a bloated bureaucracy that landed men on the moon in the less than ten years, but hasn't been able to keep the shuttle flying since then.
It means that advances in technology will bring us environmentally friendly ways to travel and develop new sources of renewable energy.
It means that more humans will be able to experience The Overview Effect, and maybe realize that in the vastness of space, this precious blue marble is all we have, and it needs our nurturing and care.
It also means that my dream of growing up to be an astronaut just might come true. How cool is that?
Exciting news. Where would we be without our dreams and the dreamers who make them come true.
Posted by: Trée | July 30, 2005 at 10:08 AM
Mar, when you write about things "aero" I catch your excitement! Thanks for reminding me of the very real, very big-picture positive possibilities that come from breaking through the status-quo.
Posted by: Becky Allen | August 02, 2005 at 09:21 AM