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A comment on SpaceshipTwo crashes shortly after Mojave test flight. Parent comment

Re:SpaceshipTwo crashes shortly after Mojave test flight by winslow on Friday October 31, 2014 @05:12PM (#8541162)
Really... You are going to trust the entire Soviet space program compared to the engineers behind this project? I really don't think they were being reckless with having pilots. Ultimately, their plan was to take other patrons up to space. You will need personal (experienced space flight attendants) while conducting the flight. This is obviously tragic and my thoughts go out to the families affected. However, when you are trying to do something as complex as space travel and leaving earth you will unfortunately have mishaps and deaths.

Please have a look here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_space_program#Incidents....

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Re:SpaceshipTwo crashes shortly after Mojave test flight by zepolud on Friday October 31, 2014 @05:33PM (#8541232)
Please read the context of the first post--I'm referring to the engineers behind the specifically mentioned Buran program, an autonomous spaceplane that launched, flew and landed with no crew.

If the Soviets deemed it too risky for human pilots and managed to automate it 25 years ago maybe that should put it into perspective just how risky and reckless what Virgin are doing is.

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Re:SpaceshipTwo crashes shortly after Mojave test flight by gohrt on Friday October 31, 2014 @05:28PM (#8541215)
So the pilot died in order to make Richard Branson's space tourists have a safer and more enjoyable weekend. Cool.
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Re:SpaceshipTwo crashes shortly after Mojave test flight by JoeAltmaier on Friday October 31, 2014 @05:30PM (#8541222)
The pilot died trying to make a cheap, reusable orbiter a reality. The tourists are there to help pay for it.
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Re:SpaceshipTwo crashes shortly after Mojave test flight by zepolud on Friday October 31, 2014 @06:07PM (#8541330)
It's not even that; it's suborbital.
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Re:SpaceshipTwo crashes shortly after Mojave test flight by pwnna on Saturday November 01, 2014 @12:26AM (#8542184)
Gotta establish a suborbital trajectory to reach orbit, though.

One step at a time.

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