BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com BloggingStocks http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/media/feedlogo.gif BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[XCOR's Lynx will fly to space by 2010; Virgin's SS2 may fly by 2009]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/03/26/xcors-lynx-will-fly-to-space-by-2010-virgnins-ss2-may-fly-by/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/03/26/xcors-lynx-will-fly-to-space-by-2010-virgnins-ss2-may-fly-by/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/03/26/xcors-lynx-will-fly-to-space-by-2010-virgnins-ss2-may-fly-by/#commentsFiled under: ,

First we had airlines; now we also have spacelines. Virgin Galactic of Sir Richard Branson's Virgin empire has been selling space tickets since mid 2005 for $200,000. Now, Virgin Galactic may see some competition from XCOR Aerospace as the California aerospace company also plans to enter the space tourism industry, estimated at over a half-billion dollars. XCOR is building a rocket ship, the Lynx, capable of suborbital flights.

There are some big differences between the Lynx and Virgin's SpaceShipTwo. The Lynx is a two-seat craft while SpaceShipTwo will carry six passengers in addition to two pilots. The Lynx will reach an altitude of 37 miles above the earth and a speed of Mach2, while the SS2 will reach 68 miles and three times the speed of sound. The lynx is expected to start flying in 2010, the SS2 may start as early as 2009. While XCOR has yet to put a price on the flight, it has called it affordable.

There are other differences as well though. Unlike the SS2, which is launched attached to a mothership and is then released at 50,000 feet when it ignites its hybrid rocket to climb to 360,000 feet, the Lynx, about the size of a small private plane, will launch itself, taking off from a runway like any plane, and reach 200,000 feet.

Continue reading XCOR's Lynx will fly to space by 2010; Virgin's SS2 may fly by 2009

XCOR's Lynx will fly to space by 2010; Virgin's SS2 may fly by 2009 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredlynxrichard bransonRichardBransonspace tourismspaceshipetwoSpaceTourismss2virgin galacticVirginGalacticxcor aerospaceXcorAerospaceWed, 26 Mar 2008 14:43:00 EST<![CDATA[Virgins in space: Spaceport America moves forward]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/09/05/virgins-in-space-spaceport-america-moves-forward/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/09/05/virgins-in-space-spaceport-america-moves-forward/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/09/05/virgins-in-space-spaceport-america-moves-forward/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

New Mexico's vision of becoming the home of commercial space travel is moving closer to reality as progress continues on the construction of Spaceport America. The winning design by URS Corp. (NYSE: URS) and Foster + Partners is in the process of being awarded for construction to begin next year, with completion slated for 2010. The 100,000 square foot facility near Las Cruces, NM, is budgeted at $31 million. It will serve as the launch spot for passenger and business travel into space.

The most noteworthy client for the new facility will be Virgin Galactic, part of Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group. VG will base its suborbital spaceliners here, currently under construction by Scaled Composites in California. The company hopes to begin commercial flights on the Virgin SpaceShip Enterprise shortly after the facility is complete.

The terminal will be environmentally friendly, using passive heating and cooling and solar power collected on site for its electrical needs. A rolling concrete shell will shield those inside from mishaps.

Can you imagine? In just a few years, it will be within our means to get bumped from flights not just around the world, but into space! Live long and prosper.

Virgins in space: Spaceport America moves forward originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 05 Sep 2007 16:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>foster PartnersFoster Partnersnew mexico space administrationNewMexicoSpaceAdministrationscaled compositesScaledCompositessir richard bransonSirRichardBransonspace tourismspace travelspaceport americaSpaceportAmericaSpaceTourismSpaceTravelursvirgin galacticvirgin groupVirginGalacticVirginGroupWed, 05 Sep 2007 16:16:00 EST<![CDATA[Richard Branson no longer global warming skeptic]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/08/03/richard-branson-no-longer-global-warming-skeptic/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/08/03/richard-branson-no-longer-global-warming-skeptic/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/08/03/richard-branson-no-longer-global-warming-skeptic/#commentsFiled under: ,

Virgin LogoRichard Branson has never been afraid of big ideas, or standing outside the CW, with businesses like Virgin Galactic. It may have taken him a while to come around to the evidence of global warming, but now that he has, he is using his new-found belief to create another business based on innovation: Virgin Fuel. In a recent Interview with Business 2.0, Branson talked about his new awareness of long-term climate changes and his new enterprise to develop a super fuel -- clean burning and, he hopes, very profitable. Branson plans to invest "something like $1 billion in alternative fuels" across the board through the end of this decade. But Virgin Fuel is something else. He's cautiously mum on the details, noting only that it will be a "clean burning" but non-ethanol-base fuel, but he's not cautious about his expectations, predicting the new fuel will not only fly Virgin's jets, but also predicting the fuel "will work in cars and trucks and trains within a year." And I admit to salivating when he talks this way.

Will Virgin Fuel become the next Virgin Records, or will it become the next Virgin Brides?

(Disclosure: I have no financial interests or involvement with Virgin.)

Richard Branson no longer global warming skeptic originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 03 Aug 2006 18:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>climate crisisClimateCrisisglobal warmingGlobalWarminginterviewRichard BransonRichardBransonVirginVirgin GalacticVirginGalacticThu, 03 Aug 2006 18:18:00 EST