SpaceShip One

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote:

It's not historically significant because the feat has been accomplished
before.

Using that logic, our invasion of Iraq is not historically significant. It's also
been done before.

George Patterson
None of us is as dumb as all of us.

"Jim Fisher" wrote in message
...

To you, perhaps. Not to the rest of us thinking individuals who've been
around since before the Apollo days. We recall that the first manned
mission outside the earth's atmosphere required a literal army of the best
minds in the world.


Well, the best minds in the USSR anyway.



It required the invention of enormously powerful
computers (with up to 16kb of RAM!) that could actually fit into a
suitcase-sized compartment.


Interesting. Can you tell us more about Soviet computer technology of that
era?



Only men with the "right stuff" as well as an
entire country behind them could participate.

Now? A few engineer-types in a warehouse out in the dessert are seriously
contemplating doing what, to me, still seems impossible . . . And may
still prove to be.


Impossible? How can you consider it impossible if it's already been done?

Those that are doing it today are using the knowledge that was gained by the
pioneering efforts over forty years ago.



I'd call that "historic" but then, I'm not an idiot.


Yes you are.

"Jack" wrote in message
. ..

Spoken like one who has given no thought to the difference
between currently inflated millions and 35 year old billions.


Why does that matter?

"Jack" wrote in message
. ..

How to explain then that they are the only ones (assuming success)
that will have done it?


If they succeed, they wont be the only ones to have done it. I suggest you
examine the early days of space travel.

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in message
...

Using that logic, our invasion of Iraq is not historically significant.
It's also been done before.


Bad analogy.

"Jim Fisher" wrote in message
news:K5pzc.4424

Tell us, McNiacal, why is it not historically significant?

Why don't you just spit out what you're getting at?

I'll take a stab: "Attention."

-c

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Jim Fisher" wrote in message
...

To you, perhaps. Not to the rest of us thinking individuals who've been
around since before the Apollo days. We recall that the first manned
mission outside the earth's atmosphere required a literal army of the
best
minds in the world.


Well, the best minds in the USSR anyway.

And your point is what? That you know that the first man in space was a
Ruskie? I am truly impressed, McNiacle! Why, I bet you can even name the
first man on the moon if it weren't for the fact that the whole moon thing
was fake, huh?

It required the invention of enormously powerful
computers (with up to 16kb of RAM!) that could actually fit into a
suitcase-sized compartment.


Interesting. Can you tell us more about Soviet computer technology of
that
era?

Umm, no I can't. Don't know a damn thing about 'em. I suppose that at the
time the first Ruskie went up There, "computers" on the ship were no more
than whiz-wheels or slide rules.

You point is?

Only men with the "right stuff" as well as an
entire country behind them could participate.

Now? A few engineer-types in a warehouse out in the dessert are
seriously
contemplating doing what, to me, still seems impossible . . . And may
still prove to be.


Impossible? How can you consider it impossible if it's already been done?

"Seems impossible," igit.

Those that are doing it today are using the knowledge that was gained by
the
pioneering efforts over forty years ago.

Really?

--
Jim Fisher

It is amazing that someone who claims to be interested in aviation would not
see this as a historic event just because it has been, in some form,
accomplished before. The private funding source, small development team,
materials, aircraft design, unique rocket design, public involvement, and
goal of the project are all groundbreaking factors. Not to mention the
simple fact that it is being led by the most famous aviation designer alive
today.

I wish I could be there.


"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
nk.net...

"Casey Wilson" wrote in message
...

As much as I hate feeding this troll....
Yes, Mr. McNicoll, history. History in the fact that this, if
successful, will be the first flight into the realms of NASA defined
'outer
space' by a civilian organization not subsidized by any government
funding.


Swell, but why does that make it historically significant?

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message link.net...
It's not historically significant because the feat has been accomplished
before. That it was previously done by the government is irrelevant.

The actual flying/rocketing/technology part is nothing new. What is
historic is the people/process in which it was done. Similar to the
assembly line- everyone was making guns before Eli Whitney came along,
and plenty of people were cranking out cars before Henry Ford. They
changed the world, but the technical aspects of what they did could be
considered quite minimal.

-lance smith

Today's update on SpaceShip One from Alan Radecki on the yahoo group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mojaveairport/
-Brenor

Hi all,

The folks at MHV are continuing to get the various
sites ready for the influx of people, who seem to
already be arriving. Several RVs drove slowly down the
flightline.

The White Knight, which was doing a number of touch
and goes day before yesterday, was out doing
maintenance runs today.

Yesterday's update generated a couple of questions:
1-Can a person sleep in their car on the airport
overnight Sunday night? No. The general parking area
won't open till 3am. Only self-contained RVs will be
allowed on the airport overnight. There is a large
open lot across Hwy 58 from where big-rig trucks
usually overnight, and that might be an option. I do
understand, however, that a number of people plan on
lining up on the shoulder of 58 around midnight. Don't
know if they'll get chased away or not. There's a CHP
(California Highway Patrol, for you out-of-staters)
station adjacent to the airport, so they may be out in
force.
2-Is there any European live broadcasts planned? I've
no clue. AFAIK, there are a bunch of satellite trucks
scheduled to start arriving on Saturday, no idea who
they might be from. I have not heard of anyone
planning a live webcast, but you might want to check
at space.com to see if they're doing anything...I know
some of their folks will be here.

One caution to those planning on being here but aren't
used to life in the desert: BRING LOTS OF WATER! Even
at 7am, it's getting quite warm now, and you will get
dehydrated much faster than you'll realize. There will
be vendors selling water, but count on it being
pricey. Our rule of thumb out he if you're not
peeing every couple of hours, you're not drinking
enough.

Other news:
-I haven't received confirmation yet, but my
understanding was that the FAA was supposed to issue
the airport the first ever civilian spaceport license
today. There's going to be about a 2 hour gap between
the flight and the offical press conference, and they
are tentatively planning to do a formal presentation
of the license during that time, and it should be
within view of the public viewing area.
-The public viewing area is set up southeast of the
new Taxiway Bravo (map is available at
mojaveairport.com ), at the approach end of Rwy 30, so
everyone will get an excellent view of the landing.
-When Burt came in for lunch at the Voyager Cafe
yesterday, he was all grins...looks like he's really
having a lot of fun with this.

Five days and counting!

Feel free to send questions....

Alan