• Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen Unveils Giant Plane for Private Space Launches
    27 replies, posted
[table][tr][td][release][b]SEATTLE — Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and aerospace pioneer Burt Rutan announced Tuesday they're building a giant airplane and spaceship to zip people and cargo into orbit. But unlike traditional rockets and government spaceships, this new commercial spaceship will drop from a high-flying airplane instead of blasting off from a launch pad.[/b] "When I was growing up, America's space program was the symbol of aspiration," Allen said at a news conference. "For me, the fascination with space never ended. I never stopped dreaming what might be possible." [b]Allen bemoaned the fact that government-sponsored spaceflight is waning and said his new project would "keep America at the forefront of space exploration" and give a new generation of children something to dream about. "We have plenty and many challenges ahead of us," he said.[/b] Allen and Rutan join a field crowded with Silicon Valley veterans who grew up on "Star Trek" and now want to fill a void created with the retirement of NASA's space shuttle. Several companies are competing to develop spacecraft to deliver cargo and astronauts to the International Space Station. The duo won a prize in 2004 with a spaceship that went into space but not orbit. Their new business model likely includes tourism and satellites. [b]Their new plane will have a wingspan of 380 feet, longer than a football field. The plane will carry under its belly a space capsule with its own booster rocket, take off from a runway and go high into the air. Then the plane will release the spaceship, which will rocket to orbit.[/b] This method saves money by not using rocket fuel to get off the ground. Another older rocket company, Orbital Sciences Corp., uses this method for unmanned rockets to launch satellites. But Allen's rockets will eventually carry people. However, the first tests, scheduled for 2016, will be unmanned. It should be about five years before people can fly on the system that Allen and Rutan are calling Stratolaunch. The spaceship and booster will be provided by another Internet tycoon, Elon Musk of PayPal, who has built a successful commercial rocket. Rutan will build the carrier aircraft, which will use six 747 engines. The company will bill its method of getting to space as "any orbit, any time," officials said. The company will be based in Huntsville, Ala. Allen left Microsoft in 1983. Since his time at the software giant he has pursued many varied interests and is the owner of the Seattle Seahawks football team as well as the Portland Trailblazers of the NBA.[/release] [url]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/13/paul-allen-stratolaunch-systems_n_1146179.html[/url] [url]http://www.space.com/13915-paul-allen-giant-plane-stratolaunch-systems-private-space.html[/url][/td][td][release][t]http://i.space.com/images/i/13870/original/stratolaunch-hangar-art1.jpg?1323802394[/t] [i]Concept art of the plane carrying a rocket[/i][/release][/td][/tr][/table]
That's pretty damn cool. I hope spaceflight will stay interesting for the public and the support won't weaken globally. OffTopic; are the table formats worth it? [img_thumb]http://sinus.cz/~milan/huzzah.png[/img_thumb] I mean, really, picture on side instead of over or under doesn't seem like much of difference, yet having the whole thing look like a newspaper column seems just pointless to me.
[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;33705598]That's pretty damn cool. I hope spaceflight will stay interesting for the public and the support won't weaken globally. OffTopic; are the table formats worth it? pic I mean, really, picture on side instead of over or under doesn't seem like much of difference, yet having the whole thing look like a newspaper column seems just pointless to me.[/QUOTE] You need to receive the blessing of widescreen.
[quote]But unlike traditional rockets and government spaceships, this new commercial spaceship will drop from a high-flying airplane instead of blasting off from a launch pad.[/quote] No but it's a whole lot fucking like Virgin's commercial space ship
That thing looks quite strange, like they just put two planes together. This is pretty cool, but of course this will be far too expensive for the vast majority of people to experience.
Nice, about damn time we started getting more private companies in space as a kid I absolutely loved space exploration and seeing NASA as it is today is just sad
well, if this is is partially funded by microsoft I suppose we can see this thing getting done fairly quickly
Will there also be a linux space plane? I don't like windows that much.
[QUOTE=Overv;33705619]You need to receive the blessing of widescreen.[/QUOTE] Not really, I already had. I have 1920x1080 monitor, I just don't use it whole for the friggin' browser, when 90% of places I go to are reasonably scaled with flexible width. Rest of monitor is taken by either steam chat, or shell console, or whatever. Why should I change my workspace to adept to ~super fad of table formatted news~ is beyond me.
[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;33705831]Not really, I already had. I have 1920x1080 monitor, I just don't use it whole for the friggin' browser, when 90% of places I go to are reasonably scaled with flexible width. Rest of monitor is taken by either steam chat, or shell console, or whatever. Why should I change my workspace to adept to ~super fad of table formatted news~ is beyond me.[/QUOTE] But it looks so cool
[QUOTE=Overv;33705619]You need to receive the blessing of widescreen.[/QUOTE] brb upgrading old browsing laptop just so I can read this article. 1024x768 is a tiny resolution, but it should be enough to [B]read an article.[/B]
anything advancing the poor snail of the space programs around the world, is a good thing
[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;33705831]Not really, I already had. I have 1920x1080 monitor, I just don't use it whole for the friggin' browser, when 90% of places I go to are reasonably scaled with flexible width. Rest of monitor is taken by either steam chat, or shell console, or whatever. Why should I change my workspace to adept to ~super fad of table formatted news~ is beyond me.[/QUOTE] This really, I have my browser width on about 60% of the screen because I do other stuff and because of that the article looks really shitty. If you could just put the image below it, everyone'd be happy
[QUOTE=BlkDucky;33708575]brb upgrading old browsing laptop just so I can read this article. 1024x768 is a tiny resolution, but it should be enough to [B]read an article.[/B][/QUOTE] So you want everyone else to suffer for the sake of your old laptop? That's very existential... I like it.
Glad to see another billionaire using their wealth to improve the world in some way :smile:
[video=youtube;qwicLgOGJOI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwicLgOGJOI[/video] Paul Allen better watch out.
too long; cant read [IMG]http://i39.tinypic.com/10ykgva.jpg[/IMG] Browser is maximized by the way 1024 x 768, post the articles like everyone else..
[QUOTE=Sand;33710480]too long; cant read [IMG]http://i39.tinypic.com/10ykgva.jpg[/IMG] Browser is maximized by the way 1024 x 768, post the articles like everyone else..[/QUOTE] i'm viewing it just fine. you may have a small monitor
[QUOTE=Sand;33710480]too long; cant read [IMG]http://i39.tinypic.com/10ykgva.jpg[/IMG] Browser is maximized by the way 1024 x 768, post the articles like everyone else..[/QUOTE] get a normal monitor like everyone else...
I like how 1080p monitors are free now. Not everyone has the option of just getting a new monitor at any time.
By unveiling I thought they had already built it. "Unveiled plans for super plane" would be less misleading.
[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;33705831]Why should I change my workspace to adept to ~super fad of table formatted news~ is beyond me.[/QUOTE] is clicking a button seriously too much work for you
[QUOTE=Atlascore;33708667]This is the third time you've complained about this, most people like it, deal with it or stop visiting the news forum. You have a 1920x1080 monitor, if you refuse to use the whole thing you have no right to complain.[/QUOTE] But most people agree with me... I mean, ok, if the style offered something exceptional, but having the picture on side instead of above or under gives nearly no benefit. It's a completely pointless detail to the ones who have lot of wide space, yet completely critical problem for people who have small monotirs, and strong inconvenience for people who have to rework their workspace because of it.
[IMG]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CHjX6rX_2Kk/TpR4ks7MerI/AAAAAAAAAqs/CvCFoY_u_zg/s512/webcapture_20111011_103334.png[/IMG] Browsing on my phone a while back. This has been an issue for some time. I do a lot of my FP browsing on my phone. While it really isn't an issue when I'm at home, it is unusable for my phone, and I'm sure some people have resolutions that aren't fit for the layout. If you want to use that format, buy everyone who can't see it properly a new 1080p monitor. I for one know that I can't afford a new monitor, and I don't think anyone else will be buying a new one just to read FP.
SWEET JESUS! The White Knight Two only has a wingspan of 140 feet. This thing is... gargantuan.
[QUOTE=dbk21894;33713613] Browsing on my phone a while back. This has been an issue for some time. I do a lot of my FP browsing on my phone. While it really isn't an issue when I'm at home, it is unusable for my phone, and I'm sure some people have resolutions that aren't fit for the layout. If you want to use that format, buy everyone who can't see it properly a new 1080p monitor. I for one know that I can't afford a new monitor, and I don't think anyone else will be buying a new one just to read FP.[/QUOTE] Turn the phone sideways. :v: And 1080p is a very popular resolution can't really see why people can't support it.
[QUOTE=GammaFive;33716928]Turn the phone sideways. :v: And 1080p is a very popular resolution can't really see why people can't support it.[/QUOTE] I support 1080p, I don't support pointless stretching of page by putting a picture to side instead lined up with the text. It serves no purpose and fucks things up.
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