Probs Plagued Virgin Galactic Rocket Ship Long Before Crash

Probs Plagued Virgin Galactic Rocket Ship Long Before Crash

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Toaster

Original Poster:

2,940 posts

200 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
quotequote all

Eric Mc

122,861 posts

272 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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You have to subscribe or log in to read it.

"We do these things, not because they are easy....bit because they are hard".

I wonder who said that and in what context.

hidetheelephants

27,855 posts

200 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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Eric Mc said:
You have to subscribe or log in to read it.

"We do these things, not because they are easy....bit because they are hard".

I wonder who said that and in what context.
JFK, the context and unspoken next line was 'and because we want to beat the Russians to this milestone, having had our noses rubbed in it with Sputnik and Vostok 1.'

Eric Mc

122,861 posts

272 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
quotequote all
Competition is competition - whether it is political or commercial.

I still don't see what the problem is with Virgin. They've had some issues which no doubt they will sort out. That's the nature of the type of thing they are doing.

Toaster

Original Poster:

2,940 posts

200 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
Competition is competition - whether it is political or commercial.

I still don't see what the problem is with Virgin. They've had some issues which no doubt they will sort out. That's the nature of the type of thing they are doing.
Some issues !!!! you need to read that article and critically question the evidence. provided to date.

Limited testing of the engine
Limited Burn time of tests compared to actual required
Lack of power to send the craft and six passengers to the required altitude
Reports of pilots unable to read instruments
The explosion of the engine on a test rig being deemed as part of a test yet "Obliterated" the test stand

plus lots of other issues raised I suspect the authorities will perform a thorough investigation

Virgin oceanic has just been cancelled for the time being http://yournewswire.com/richard-branson-submarine-... I suspect the same may happen with Galactic

Eric Mc

122,861 posts

272 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
quotequote all
So.

As long as the vehicle was being tested - then expect problems. That is what testing is for.

Nobody was expecting any passengers to be put on board the craft before its problems were sorted.

Isn't that why aircraft go through a test programme in the first place?

Simpo Two

87,119 posts

272 months

Monday 22nd December 2014
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Indeed, didn't Edison 'discover' 500 ways how not to make lightbulb?

Eric Mc

122,861 posts

272 months

Monday 22nd December 2014
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All the negativity hurled at this project totally depresses me. No wonder it seems that the human race might just give up with so many whingers and moaners criticising anybody "having a go".

GnuBee

1,277 posts

222 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
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Eric Mc said:
All the negativity hurled at this project totally depresses me. No wonder it seems that the human race might just give up with so many whingers and moaners criticising anybody "having a go".
I concur - the almost hysterical risk averse nature of the reaction could become the rate limiting step which would be a great shame.

It's dangerous, the people doing it know and that and do it willingly, it's difficult and things will go wrong but that doesn't automatically mean we shouldn't keep going. History has tended to show you need to take risk(s), calculated, in order to progress.



Eric Mc

122,861 posts

272 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
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The Wright brothers had plenty of crashes and mishaps in their early tests. They even managed to kill an early passenger.

Mojocvh

16,837 posts

269 months

Wednesday 31st December 2014
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Toaster said:
Eric Mc said:
Competition is competition - whether it is political or commercial.

I still don't see what the problem is with Virgin. They've had some issues which no doubt they will sort out. That's the nature of the type of thing they are doing.
Some issues !!!! you need to read that article and critically question the evidence. provided to date.

Limited testing of the engine
Limited Burn time of tests compared to actual required
Lack of power to send the craft and six passengers to the required altitude
Reports of pilots unable to read instruments
The explosion of the engine on a test rig being deemed as part of a test yet "Obliterated" the test stand

plus lots of other issues raised I suspect the authorities will perform a thorough investigation

Virgin oceanic has just been cancelled for the time being http://yournewswire.com/richard-branson-submarine-... I suspect the same may happen with Galactic
Anchor. with a W

sorry but that's the way it is buddy.

PhillipM

6,529 posts

196 months

Saturday 3rd January 2015
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All that and I'd still go up in a heartbeat if there was even a chance. It's called testing for a reason.

Toaster

Original Poster:

2,940 posts

200 months

Saturday 3rd January 2015
quotequote all
PhillipM said:
All that and I'd still go up in a heartbeat if there was even a chance. It's called testing for a reason.
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/oct/26/virgin-galactic-space-chris-hadfield

"They'll get a few minutes of weightlessness, and they'll see the black of the universe. And they'll see the curve of the Earth and the horizon, because they'll be above the air. But whether that'll be enough for the quarter-million-dollar price tag? I don't know.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/in...

So the hopeful passengers may still get their ride at some point


Eric Mc

122,861 posts

272 months

Saturday 3rd January 2015
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I'm sure the passengers know what they are buying.

Toaster

Original Poster:

2,940 posts

200 months

Saturday 3rd January 2015
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
I'm sure the passengers know what they are buying.
15 mins of fame for a fortune wink

Eric Mc

122,861 posts

272 months

Saturday 3rd January 2015
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I presume most of them are already famous or successful in whatever field it is that has allowed them to amass enough money to fund their ticket. I doubt if their decision to fly in the craft is for the purpose of gaining any further fame.

It certainly wouldn't be my motive if I had the money.

PhillipM

6,529 posts

196 months

Saturday 3rd January 2015
quotequote all
Toaster said:
So the hopeful passengers may still get their ride at some point
At a quarter million, only if I managed to hide in the luggage area biggrin