Beardy Branson did it last week and The Alien Bezos went there today and I think the Musk Ox is going soon. Or has already been. I dunno.

I think it's cool. Yeah sure they are all dickwads and all that money could have gone to not contributing to climate change, but, well, yeah, nah, private citizens going weightless is pretty inspiring, I think.

Thoughts?

If I had the money, I do it in a heart beat. But Bezos and the willy wanging can do one.

It's not really proper space though, is it?

Although props to Bezos for his shamelessly puerile rocket design, which can't help but bring to mind that scene from Austin Powers.

I'm all for space exploration furthering science but....does this do anything apart from get a few more people into what is technically space, but not what most people think space is?

The cosmologist that was on the Radio Two news did (imho) a very poor job of justifying the efforts versus spending billions on combating poverty and famine.

Let's not forget that Jo Kittinger went up in a balloon and jumped over 60 years ago.

I'm not sure the debate needs to be about the definition of space as I'm pretty sure all the three dickers could have done a few more metres up to satisfy everyone.

I honestly think this is a big step in the next phase of our kind reaching out beyond our boundaries. Yep I do. I am a cynical fecker most of the time, but I just think this is the start of something very big. Hope so anyway,

I honestly think this is a big step in the next phase of our kind reaching out beyond our boundaries. Yep I do. I am a cynical fecker most of the time, but I just think this is the start of something very big. Hope so anyway,

I'm sure they said the same about the moon landings.

Also, I find it weird to think that we know more about space than we do about what lives in our oceans ... and also, appear to care more.

It’s a shameful waste of money and resources. Quite frankly I think space tourism should be banned before it starts. It’s bad enough that people feel entitled to fly wherever and whenever they like, now the 1% want to piss about in low earth orbit. The whole thing is f’ing awful

lune ranger wrote: ↑Tue Jul 20, 2021 6:52 pm It’s a shameful waste of money and resources. Quite frankly I think space tourism should be banned before it starts. It’s bad enough that people feel entitled to fly wherever and whenever they like, now the 1% want to piss about in low earth orbit. The whole thing is f’ing awful

Agree whole heartedly.

I'm enjoying the science and tech behind it all but have similar thoughts to Lune Ranger, it just seems like a complete waste of money to me. I don't really understand the need to colonise another planet either but I think that's the ultimate aim, I'm no greenpeace hiptser type but shouldn't we be trying to save what we already have instead of just moving onto another rock.



willy wanging

lune ranger wrote: ↑Tue Jul 20, 2021 6:52 pm It’s a shameful waste of money and resources. Quite frankly I think space tourism should be banned before it starts. It’s bad enough that people feel entitled to fly wherever and whenever they like, now the 1% want to piss about in low earth orbit. The whole thing is f’ing awful

Yeah very much this....well said. Also a man that has done more to create the crappy consumer wasteful society than anyone, and during the pandemic and on the same day record migrants cross the channel. Wrong.

Shewie wrote: ↑Tue Jul 20, 2021 8:57 pm I'm enjoying the science and tech behind it all but have similar thoughts to Lune Ranger, it just seems like a complete waste of money to me. I don't really understand the need to colonise another planet either but I think that's the ultimate aim, I'm no greenpeace hiptser type but shouldn't we be trying to save what we already have instead of just moving onto another rock.



willy wanging

If we can't fix a planet that can support life then we've no hope of starting from scratch with a dead one.

I think colonising other planets, inventing hyper-drive, jet packs and teleport booths is a fine way to spend money; rich idiots doing it just to say they have is just another waste of fossil fuels. Take the cash off them and give it to proper worthy causes. Mind you if certain of the rich idiots did it and then (say) the Russians started shooting them down, that would be sport!

Meanwhile the Chinese are exploring the far side of the Moon.

htrider wrote: ↑Tue Jul 20, 2021 10:04 pm I think colonising other planets, inventing hyper-drive, jet packs and teleport booths is a fine way to spend money; rich idiots doing it just to say they have is just another waste of fossil fuels. Take the cash off them and give it to proper worthy causes. Mind you if certain of the rich idiots did it and then (say) the Russians started shooting them down, that would be sport!

Could happen. The Russians at building a spacecraft with weapons on it:
https://eurasiantimes.com/russia-says-i ... the-orbit/
Look out bazillionaires

what Lune ranger said


Frankly its disgusting that folk are dying from preventable diseases and bilionairres are doing this - if they must do this charge them a Billion for a visa for each trip .

I honestly think this is a big step in the next phase of our kind reaching out beyond our boundaries.

Given we have gone to the moon and mars in what way is some rich people nearly getting to space , but not staying there, reaching beyond our boundaires? Its quite clearly an achievement wihithin our boundaries

This is all very well but what about Pigs in Space? Much more entertaining.

I reckon Bezos or Musk are gonna get to the moon, spend first night in their cabin acclimatising, then waking in the morning to find a menu from Chinese takeaway shoved under the lander.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Wed Jul 21, 2021 9:23 am Pigs in Space?

Much nicer than Pigs In Blankets IMHO

johnnystorm wrote: ↑Tue Jul 20, 2021 10:00 pm If we can't fix a planet that can support life then we've no hope of starting from scratch with a dead one.

Brilliant. That's one of the most succinct summaries that I've seen.

Paint it on the manicured lawns of all these rich people and politicians. I'll help you.

One has to have the suspicion that these people are aiming to set themselves up with an 'A ark'. Inevitably my place will end up being on the 'B ark' along with the telephone sanitisers etc .

tobasco wrote: ↑Tue Jul 20, 2021 10:09 pm Meanwhile the Chinese are exploring the far side of the Moon.

I think lsd may have helped in that exploration back in the early 70s


Space travel? If I wanted to visit a large scrap yard then I can pop down the local vehicle dismantlers for a lot less money and effort....

RIP wrote: ↑Wed Jul 21, 2021 9:51 am
One has to have the suspicion that these people are aiming to set themselves up with an 'A ark'. I know my place will end up being on the 'B ark' along with the telephone sanitisers etc .

If I remember correctly only the one 'Ark' left Golgafrincham so fingers crossed it's the same here and that Bezos, et al are on it. We just need to make sure we keep our phones clean ourselves.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Tue Jul 20, 2021 6:27 pm Let's not forget that Jo Kittinger went up in a balloon and jumped over 60 years ago.

Proper TLS space exploration, that.

And it's his 93rd birthday next week.

Interestingly: a bit of Wiki-browsing led from Joe Kittinger to "Nish", a mate of our very own BDS. Small world .

lune ranger wrote: ↑Tue Jul 20, 2021 6:52 pm It’s a shameful waste of money and resources. Quite frankly I think space tourism should be banned before it starts. It’s bad enough that people feel entitled to fly wherever and whenever they like, now the 1% want to piss about in low earth orbit. The whole thing is f’ing awful

I'm firmly on this side of the fence. I was about to make a point about CO2 emissions, but thought I'd better check my facts first... turns out it's not nearly as bad as I thought: https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2 ... e-close-z/ - but still a massive waste of energy (you don't get hydrogen for free). It's indefensible that any single person should have the right to use that much resource.

More to the point, you're happy to spend billions on this vanity project, but not to pay your workers a living wage under a contract you'd expect in a civilised society? Go *** yourself.

thenorthwind wrote: ↑Wed Jul 21, 2021 10:58 amMore to the point, you're happy to spend billions on this vanity project, but not to pay your workers a living wage under a contract you'd expect in a civilised society? Go *** yourself.