JUST A SPACE. Branson has shown a new tourist rocket plane

Recently British billionaire sir Richard Branson unveiled in California's Mojave new spacecraft for tourist flights.

At the same time, Russian private investors have joined the race for space tourists. Their projects are no less ambitious, but yet they do not have the main hardware which can be displayed and, more importantly, to experience.





Presentation of the spaceship, Virgin Spaceship, Unity, Virgin Galactic, 2016

 

Start of private space companies can't compete with the budgets of the States, but still most space companies founded by people with billions or millions of States.

Fortunately, the development of science, technology and communication allows you to make space exploration more accessible. In many ways, this contributes to reducing the cost and weight of components that can be assembled into the spacecraft.

The company Virgin Galactic unveiled a new model of tourism rocket SpaceShipTwo. The previous unit was destroyed in the air in the fall of 2014 due to pilot error. This model follows the design of the previous one. We hope that it provides protection from bugs, and improves reliability.





Spaceship, Virgin Spaceship, Unity, Virgin Galactic, 2016

The rocket must be launched from under the wing of the aircraft White Knight at an altitude of 15 km and climb above 100 km thanks to the hybrid rocket motor. The return will be in planning mode. Six passengers will be able to look at the Earth from the outside and can be a people committed space flight.

"Space Ship Two was created as an experimental tourist rocketplane that will be able to deliver willing to a height of over 100 km, which gives the right to be an astronaut. The ticket price was announced at $250 thousand and, at the time of the accident, the company received more than 700 pre-orders. In the future, the Space Ship Two, and the technology the start of the air was seen as the basis of hypersonic flight between the two continents.".

The previous model before the accident reached the stage of firing flight tests, but could not rise above 22 km. There was a problem with the instability of the hybrid engine. The peculiarity of this engine is that the fuel in this hard — rubber, and the oxidizer is liquid nitrous oxide. During the last flight had a new fuel — plastic. The engine started well, but the pilot for some reason unlocked the aerodynamic stabilizer, which is used only during the descent. This error has ruined the rocket plane and the pilot.

Now Virgin Galactic puts on that new machine will be held a large number of tests. They have tested the components separately, now it's time for comprehensive testing. First will be work on the ground: check the power supply system, to test the reliability to the aircraft-carrier. Therefore will start without the inclusion of the rocket engine will work well on the first stage of launching and landing. And only then go on to flying with the rocket thrust. I think the pace of the first tourist travel into space no earlier than two years, at best.

The cost of the tickets is called the $250 million currently has a few dozen tickets were purchased for pre-order.





Richard Branson at the presentation of a spacecraft in California, Virgin Galactic, 2016

New rocket plane has its own name VSS Unity, at the suggestion of Stephen Hawking, who also is counting on the flight.

In the future this technology is seen as a means for the implementation of hypersonic passenger flight through near space. Tourist flights have to perfect the technology.

Private Russian space program

Sergey Kostenko founded the company "Orbital technologies" which, in cooperation with RSC "Energy" makes the project of hundreds of millions of dollars, space hotel may open in 2017. Just at this hotel will fly Charter flights with a new spaceship.

Russian company Orbital technologies (Orbital Technologies), together with RKK Energiya intends in 2016 to launch a space hotel:

"Development and creation of the module will be conducted at the enterprises of RSC Energia. "A number of partnership agreements with RSC Energia and Roscosmos have already signed," — said the Director of "Orbital technologies".

General Director of RSC Energia, Vitaly Lopota said:

RSC Energia is ready to become the General contractor of this ambitious project. The Corporation has more than 10 years, leads development of the space station. Also in the message are the words of the head of Department of piloted programs Roscosmos Alexei Krasnov, who explains that the space hotel will be able to take the inhabitants of the ISS, for example, during repair work at the station.

Orbit hotel will deliver the carrier rocket series "the Union". Tourists will be able to get to the space hotel on the spacecraft "Soyuz", and food and goods will bring up the truck "Progress". It is planned that the four-room hotel can simultaneously accommodate up to seven people".

Another private space company Dauria Aerospace develops and manufactures small satellites of new generation, offers components for small spacecraft: the spacecraft, sensors and Executive bodies. Its owner Mikhail Kokorich also owns the American Canopus Systems US working in the field of creation of micro - and nanosatellites (with NASA as a customer).

The production of Dauria Aerospace electronics is based on industrial grade tested and ready for operation in space. This can significantly reduce the cost of production, improve speed of design and production, to simplify the process of modernization of devices of the next generations.

Ilya Golubovich managing Director of I2BF Global Ventures has invested in Planetary Resources one of its funds. Planetary Resources plans to send into space research satellites, and asteroids start to extract water and platinum group metals (including gold). The founders of Planetary Resources say that on an asteroid with a diameter of 50m can be a supply of platinum for $50 billion published
 

Author: Vitaly Egorov

 

P. S. And remember, only by changing their consumption — together we change the world! ©

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Source: www.livejournal.com/magazine/1348560.html

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