Would you pay $250,000 to travel to space via Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo?

[Jim Davis]

As long as it gets past 62 miles.

Is it not worth $250,000 if it only makes it up to 61 miles?

[QuantumG]

As long as it gets past 62 miles.

Is it not worth $250,000 if it only makes it up to 61 miles?

Bragging rights are worth something. Not sure how much.

[vt_hokie]

Bragging rights are worth something. Not sure how much.

Much less once the likes of Paris Hilton become "astronauts"!   Seriously, the longer the list of paying passengers becomes, the less bragging rights will mean. 

[Bubbinski]

As long as it gets past 62 miles.

Is it not worth $250,000 if it only makes it up to 61 miles?

If it only makes it to 61 miles I imagine there would be some disappointment, but I'd still have a "trip of a lifetime".  But I also would probably try to earn enough for a repeat trip too.

[Bubbinski]

Bragging rights are worth something. Not sure how much.

Much less once the likes of Paris Hilton become "astronauts"!   Seriously, the longer the list of paying passengers becomes, the less bragging rights will mean. 

If I become the first member of NSF.com to ride aboard SpaceShip Two, or XCOR, or whatever, even if I didn't make it to 62 miles I suppose that would count for something   I'm sure Chris would probably welcome an article from me about my experience anyway!

[spectre9]

The brochure indicates 360,000 feet.

[JohnFornaro]

As long as it gets past 62 miles.

Is it not worth $250,000 if it only makes it up to 61 miles?

How about 60 miles?  59?

[Moe Grills]

Bragging rights are worth something. Not sure how much.

Much less once the likes of Paris Hilton become "astronauts"!   Seriously, the longer the list of paying passengers becomes, the less bragging rights will mean. 

If I become the first member of NSF.com to ride aboard SpaceShip Two, or XCOR, or whatever, even if I didn't make it to 62 miles I suppose that would count for something   I'm sure Chris would probably welcome an article from me about my experience anyway!

  Good for you. Please tell us what it's like in both prosaic and poetic
terms when it happens.
 Personally, I think Jim Oberg will be the first from this NSF forum to go up. He has the money to do so from his book sales.

You know something? 30 years ago, this thread and debate wouldn't have happened, not only because there was no public internet then, but because
there were no private space firms back then preparing to send paying passengers into space; either suborbital nor orbital within a year or two.

As far as 250,000 dollars per suborbital flight?
How much did it cost to send up each X-15 test-pilot 50 years ago  in today's dollars?

[MP99]

It's only in "space", not space, *because* it ain't in orbit. Only my opinion, but it's one many people share.

It's not a matter of opinion. You're wrong.

It's Wiki , so it must be right :-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%A1rm%C3%A1n_line#Alternatives_to_the_definition

International law defines the lower boundary of space as the lowest perigee attainable by an orbiting space vehicle, but does not specify an altitude. Due to atmospheric drag, the lowest altitude at which an object in a circular orbit can complete at least one full revolution without propulsion is approximately 150 km (93 mi)...

cheers, Martin

[majormajor42]

Who wants to tell Alan Shepard's survivors that he wasn't the first American in Space? Doubt John Glenn would want that honor passed to him anyway. Karman line is it. Plus, I have a bet with myself that depends on this (read at bottom).

If I had the money in the near future, I think I would choose XCOR. Not just because it is cheaper but I think I like the company better, just my humble opinion of things.

Long term, I think it is quite clear to me, that those of us in our 30's and 40's WILL have the opportunity to do this without breaking the bank. Perhaps by the time I retire from my job in my 60's, I'll have paid for my house and the kids are all set with college. My 401k will be fairly mature. The price for a sub-orbital trip may be less (in today's $) at that point. Why not? YOLO!  Might even accept some risk at that point. Not for the bragging rights either cause by then lots of people may have done it. No, just for me and fulfilling a childhood dream.

Aside:
I remember when I was younger, telling my Grandmother that I wanted to be an astronaut. When she died I was in my 20's going down a different path as an engineer. She wrote something to be read at her own funeral and she mentioned that her grandchildren will fulfill their dreams, such as me becoming an astronaut. I chuckled knowing, for one thing, that I didn't want to live in Texas and sacrifice a somewhat normal family life anymore. That and I wasn't going into space just cause there are far smarter/ambitious/focused people who should. So it almost hit me a few months ago, perhaps during the last VG test, that holy smokes! Keep working (stay healthy) and I'll be able to afford to go. It is almost already a given really.

I just want to add, that a couple years back, people were making various end of the decade predictions. One is my sig (not looking too good, we'll see). The other is that more humans will fly into space (past the Karman line) this decade than have flown in space in the decades prior to this one (about 500?). I'm still actually optimistic about this one.

[Poole Amateur]

If it is not orbit....not interested and not worth the risk of a rocket flight.

[R7]

It's Wiki , so it must be right :-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%A1rm%C3%A1n_line#Alternatives_to_the_definition

International law defines the lower boundary of space as the lowest perigee attainable by an orbiting space vehicle, but does not specify an altitude. Due to atmospheric drag, the lowest altitude at which an object in a circular orbit can complete at least one full revolution without propulsion is approximately 150 km (93 mi)...

cheers, Martin

Wiki fails to get the intent of international law definition, here's the relevant paragraph from original source;

There is no formal definition of where space begins. International law, based on a review of current treaties, conventions, agreements and tradition, defines the lower boundary of space as the lowest perigee attainable by an orbiting space vehicle. A specific altitude is not mentioned. By international law standards aircraft, missiles and rockets flying over a country are considered to be in its national airspace, regardless of altitude. Orbiting spacecraft are considered to be in space, regardless of altitude.

It's not about pinning astronaut wings but whether country can complain national airspace violation by overflying object or not. By the definition an ICBM even at 1000+km apogee is still in the airspace of country below while a tungsten arrow at 100km perigee isn't.

Karman line is fine for judging the astronaut wings issue, but should have an addendum against desecrating it by sending the likes of Hilton&Bieber above it. Such act should be considered hostile against humanity. Unless the flight is without ECLSS.

[MP99]

First sentence seems OK. Agree second is off at a tangent.

Cheers, Martin

[Vultur]

Isn't the US astronaut wings definition 50 miles?

And would that apply to US commercial spaceflight or only to US government (military and NASA) pilots?

[Vahe231991]

Isn't the US astronaut wings definition 50 miles?

And would that apply to US commercial spaceflight or only to US government (military and NASA) pilots?

The FAA awards the Astronaut Wings badge to commercial launch crewmembers who fly to 50 miles or more above the surface of the Earth as flight crew on an FAA/AST licensed or permitted launch or reentry vehicle, while the badge awarded by NASA, US Air Force, US Navy, and US Marine Corps to military and civilian personnel who participate in a space flight more than 50 miles (80 kilometers) above the Earth, is called the United States Astronaut Badge. It should be noted that US Army is the only branch of the US military that awards the United States Astronaut Badge to military officers who orbit the Earth.

The website of Virgin Galactic now lists the cost of a SpaceShipTwo commercial spaceflight at $450,000, so it's unclear how many people in the California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas can afford to pay for a SpaceShipTwo flight.

Link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_astronaut
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Astronaut_Badge

[jimvela]

I voted NO, but there really should be an additional poll option:

You couldn't PAY me enough to get on that death trap!

Edit:  Wow this is an ancient undead thread... sorry for adding to the revival...