Jeff Bezos into space today

[Rye Miles #13621]

Anyone going to watch?

https://www.space.com/blue-origin-jeff-bezos-first-human-flight-launch-day

[Subdeacon Joe]

Yep.  Got it on now. 

[Subdeacon Joe]

Well, that was interesting.  And fast.  

I'm somewhat amazed at how jaded we are about these things.  In 1961 it would have been a stunning accomplishment.  Now many will shrug and say, "Is that all?"

 

[Buckshot Bob]

I’m guessing as far as media coverage goes Richard Branson stole allot of his thunder. 
I’m thinking  you won’t see much public amazement until someone travels beyond the moon . 
I read somewhere that China has landed on the dark side of the moon. 
With all the ufo sightings maybe were further along than we know, and maybe little green men are here 

[Charlie Harley, #14153]

I remember the excitement of Apollo and subsequent programs, but must confess I don’t feel it with Branson and Bezos. 
 

How is society better because billionaires can tour in space?

 

SpaceX is a different story. They are advancing civilization. 

[Trailrider #896]

6 minutes ago, Buckshot Bob said:

I’m guessing as far as media coverage goes Richard Branson stole allot of his thunder. 
I’m thinking  you won’t see much public amazement until someone travels beyond the moon . 
I read somewhere that China has landed on the dark side of the moon. 
With all the ufo sightings maybe were further along than we know, and maybe little green men are here 

I guess we have become jaded by past accomplishments in space.  However, history has shown that governments cannot sustain exploration; the commercial side must be brought up as quickly as possible. That is what we are seeing with the sub-orbital "tourist" flights of Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin.  The cost for a seat?  Way too high, of course.  But that will change, and probably quicker than we imagine right now.  With SpaceX advancing the technology for exploration and development, things will progress quite rapidly.  Will there be setbacks?  Yes. But we will fix the problems and press on!

 

BTW, Bob, the Chinese have landed a rover on the backside of the Moon, and returned soil samples from there.  The moon does present one side toward and one side away from Earth.  But the "backside" receives just as much sunlight as the side we see as the Moon revolves around the Earth.  The backside has been shown to differ significantly from the side we see.  So there are a lot of things of interest there.  There are some places at the north and south Lunar poles that don't get any sunlight...Shakleton Crater near the Lunar South Pole being one. 

 

Great day for space!

[Buckshot Bob]

15 minutes ago, Charlie Harley, #14153 said:
 

How is society better because billionaires can tour in space?

 

I’m guessing that was never the intention. But originally only rich people had cars and then planes . Hopefully the trend continues 

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

Bragging rights for billionaires. 

[Capt. R. Hugh Kidnme]

14 minutes ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said:

Bragging rights for billionaires. 

Hang up callers...we have a winner.

They've always kept score with money, and now it's with orbital adventures.... 

[DeaconKC]

[Hendo]

2 hours ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

Well, that was interesting.  And fast.  

I'm somewhat amazed at how jaded we are about these things.  In 1961 it would have been a stunning accomplishment.  Now many will shrug and say, "Is that all?"

 

I'm gonna just set myself in the jaded catagory. I was kind of interested in the launch and took a second before leaving for work to watch. I figured I would hear about it when I got to the shop.

Heck, it was over before I got to my front door. 

I'm just gonna say that wasn't anything more than a rocket powered express elevator to nowhere. I won't call them astronauts, either. They were cargo. (Even though the lady actually is an astronaut.)

 

Just sayin....

[Chantry]

In the early days only the very rich could afford to fly commercially or steam first class on a passenger liner.  While neither is exactly cheap these days, it is far more achievable for the average person now than in the beginning.

 

Branson & Bezos have shown that it doesn't require a government backed program to go to space and land safely back on Earth.   The people the various governments have sent into space had all spent months, if not years, training to go to space.  Branson & Bezos have made the same journey a matter of sitting down and strapping in. so that just about anybody can go to space now

 

They spent a lot less money than the U.S. government did to get into mankind into space.  Now it is just a matter of time before space flight becomes affordable for the average person, the only question is how much time.

 

This is an important step forward, even if we are too jaded to recognize it.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

Ten minutes from lift-off to touch-down sorta seemed hohum when I read about it.  Watching it later was a little different.  The booster coming back and landing on its own so it can be reused was definitely interesting.  The rest seemed more like an amusement park ride.

[Pat Riot]

Not jaded. Just tired of the unprofessional hype. That Branson flight was like finger nails on a chalk board with all the armchair banter and flamboyant narrative.

I would  have watched today if I had time. 

[Subdeacon Joe]

4 hours ago, Charlie Harley, #14153 said:

How is society better because billionaires can tour in space?

 

SpaceX is a different story. They are advancing civilization. 

 

How was society better because daredevils could fly rickety powered kites?

 

We have two different business models going here.  

SpaceX from its inception is basically building a long haul trucking industry. 

 

The others are building towards a taxi service.   New York to Novosibersk in half an hour, anyone?  

 

2 hours ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said:

Bragging rights for billionaires. 

 

Competition.   Yes, bragging rights.  Any different than the US/USSR space race?   Bragging rights spur competition and development. 

[Pat Riot]

If I were rich I would start a space junk collection service so all those rich boys, NASA, other country’s space agencies could fly without fear of running into junk. 

[Hendo]

22 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

If I were rich I would start a space junk collection service so all those rich boys, NASA, other country’s space agencies could fly without fear of running into junk. 

Starford and Son? 

[Rye Miles #13621]

I found it interesting especially since there was no pilot and that lady astronaut finally got to go in space, well a little bit in space anyway. This opens the door to all kinds of travel to outerspace. I applaud Bezos and Branson too!At least they're Americans! 

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

That's Sir Richard Branson.  He be an Englisher.

[Rye Miles #13621]

10 minutes ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

That's Sir Richard Branson.  He be an Englisher.

You’re correct , make that ONE American!

[Sedalia Dave]

On his 10-minute suborbital hop today, Jeff Bezos brought 18-year old Dutchman Oliver Daemen along for the ride, who became the youngest person ever to fly (however briefly) in space.  Fellow passenger Wally Funk, at 82 years old, became the oldest.

 

I suppose you can now call Oliver Daeman “The Flying Dutchman.”

 

It was smart of Bezos to bring a young Dutchman along for the ride.  If the capsule sprung a leak, I have heard since childhood that little Dutch boys are good at plugging holes.  

<rimshot>

 

 

[Hendo]

10 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said:

On his 10-minute suborbital hop today, Jeff Bezos brought 18-year old Dutchman Oliver Daemen along for the ride, who became the youngest person ever to fly (however briefly) in space.  Fellow passenger Wally Funk, at 82 years old, became the oldest.

 

I suppose you can now call Oliver Daeman “The Flying Dutchman.”

 

It was smart of Bezos to bring a young Dutchman along for the ride.  If the capsule sprung a leak, I have heard since childhood that little Dutch boys are good at plugging holes.  

<rimshot>

 

 

That's it. I'm outta here.

[Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062]

I think I'll wait for Kirk to do his thing .........   

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

His cowboy hat was too big, or his ears are too high up on his head.

[John Kloehr]

I was looking forward to watching a replay of the various feeds, heard the comments in the youtube feeds were hilarious!

 

They must have been, all the comment replays have been removed 

 

Party poopers!

[Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062]

 Ummmmm, ........  what's a "Jeff Bezos"????   

[Subdeacon Joe]

7 hours ago, Chantry said:

They spent a lot less money than the U.S. government did to get into mankind into space. 

 

Some of that is because the government laid a lot of the groundwork. 

 

Doesn't take away from what they have managed to do. 

[Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L]

1 hour ago, Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 said:

 Ummmmm, ........  what's a "Jeff Bezos"????   

 

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

The US government is underwriting a lot of their work, not to mention providing technical expertise learned from prior NASA & other projects.  Adding on, the State of New Mexico and local governments built Branson’s spaceport at taxpayer expense. All for space tourism, as if that’s going to be a booming industry. “It’s good for the state’s economy”, according to the NM Gov. 
 

Branson and Bezos are standing on the shoulders of those who accomplished this same feat 60 years ago and exploiting it for their own egos. 
 

Other than that, I’ve no opinion. 
 

[Sedalia Dave]

 

[Clay Mosby]

Thank you Sedalia Dave, I was wondering if I was the only one that thought his "spacedhip" looked an awful like like a, well, ......  You know.

[Buckshot Bob]

8 hours ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said:

The US government is underwriting a lot of their work, not to mention providing technical expertise learned from prior NASA & other projects.  Adding on, the State of New Mexico and local governments built Branson’s spaceport at taxpayer expense. All for space tourism, as if that’s going to be a booming industry. “It’s good for the state’s economy”, according to the NM Gov. 
 

Branson and Bezos are standing on the shoulders of those who accomplished this same feat 60 years ago and exploiting it for their own egos. 
 

Other than that, I’ve no opinion. 
 

But the government wouldn’t be able to do anything without the taxpayer and private industry.

it’s the circle of life . 
Not that I’m defending the billionaires, because I’m sure the taxpayers footed allot of the bill for both of them to take a joy ride . Our economic system in the US is definitely flawed but I have yet to find a better one . 
Billionaires egos were once being stroked by building railroads and auto companies but that turned out pretty good for society. I think the creation of wealth that has happened in the world since the founding of the USA is a amazing thing . 

[Rye Miles #13621]

54 minutes ago, Buckshot Bob said:

But the government wouldn’t be able to do anything without the taxpayer and private industry.

it’s the circle of life . 
Not that I’m defending the billionaires, because I’m sure the taxpayers footed allot of the bill for both of them to take a joy ride . Our economic system in the US is definitely flawed but I have yet to find a better one . 
Billionaires egos were once being stroked by building railroads and auto companies but that turned out pretty good for society. I think the creation of wealth that has happened in the world since the founding of the USA is a amazing thing . 

Not really, read this. It is complicated but no actual taxpayer money used according to this.

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/verify/no-jeff-bezos-blue-origin-launch-not-funded-by-taxpayer-dollars/65-7cac4159-435f-4e68-a1de-cd9d2aeba49f

[Buckshot Bob]

2 hours ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

Not really, read this. It is complicated but no actual taxpayer money used according to this.

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/verify/no-jeff-bezos-blue-origin-launch-not-funded-by-taxpayer-dollars/65-7cac4159-435f-4e68-a1de-cd9d2aeba49f

That was just for the launch according to the article . So there was definitely government/taxpayers money involved in building it , and there is in just about everything in some indirect way . And I’m not even saying I blame them . It would be stupid of them to not take advantage of it , if it’s there. Sort of like blaming people for not paying taxes if there’s a legal way not to . Like a IRA “taxes now” and a Roth IRA “taxes in the future” for the commoners like us . 
I was a tradesman for the company I retired from. And starting about 5 years before I retired every new apprentice they hired was a veteran. The sad part was the reason they were all veterans “and I mean every single one” is because a very substantial portion of their training was funded by the US taxpayer. Not because the company wanted to hire veterans. 
It’s all a matter of perspective if you think things like this are good or bad , I think this program is great for veterans and our countries labor force , we need more tradesmen. The companies new pc term was “Craftsperson” .  But I also understand the people that I worked with who are not veterans being upset because they were never going to get an apprenticeship because of the government program. 
Im pointing to the training program because I’m sure components from the company I retired from were in both vehicles. 

[Buckshot Bob]

Here’s your chance to go 

https://fb.watch/6T-47X-1BJ/