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February 09, 2011

Bill Whittle on the Real Future of Spaceflight, As a Commercial Endeavor

Very cool video by Whittle noting the genuine innovations going on in commercial space flight.

I have to note that when people dream of science fiction, this is what they're dreaming of. Not government spaceflight, which is nice, but it's an unsustainable gimmick, if you know what I mean. Real sci-fi thinking isn't just going to the moon a few times. It's conceiving of a future in which spaceflight isn't extraordinary -- the result only of a national push to put people on the moon just to put people on the moon, and then, having done that, stop putting people on the moon -- but somewhat mundane. Like, just something that happens. Like, where you just buy a ticket.

We really do not have a space program until it's commercial. For profit. Repeatable and sustainable. Routine. With schedules and marketing and brochures and even commercial jingles.

Iowahawk: Joe "Choo Choo" Biden announces plan to jump Grand Canyon in UAW-built Amtrak train. The train will rocket to speeds approaching 80 mph.

Eighty. Why I never thought I'd live to see the day a train could go as fast as an 83 Ford Taurus.

posted by Ace at 02:23 PM

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Not government spaceflight, which is nice, but it's an unsustainable gimmick, if you know what I mean. Real sci-fi thinking isn't just going to the moon a few times. It's conceiving of a future in which spaceflight isn't extraordinary -- the result only of a national push to put people on the moon just to put people on the moon, and then, having done that, stop putting people on the moon -- but somewhat mundane. Like, just something that happens. Like, where you just buy a ticket. We really do not have a space program until it's commercial. For profit. Repeatable and sustainable. Routine. With schedules and marketing and brochures and even commercial jingles. Iowahawk: Joe "Choo Choo" Biden announces plan to jump Grand Canyon in UAW-built Amtrak train. The train will rocket to speeds approaching 80 mph. Eighty. Why I never thought I'd live to see the day a train could go as fast as an 83 Ford Taurus. posted by Ace at 02:23 PM \| Access Comments <script language="javascript" src="http://adserver.adtechus.com/addyn/3.0/5235/1131537/0/170/ADTECH;loc=700;cookie=info;target=_blank;key=key1+key2+key3+key4;grp=[group]"></script><noscript><a href="http://adserver.adtechus.com/adlink/3.0/5235/1131537/0/170/ADTECH;loc=300;key=key1+key2+key3+key4;grp=[group]" target="_blank"><img src="http://adserver.adtechus.com/adserv/3.0/5235/1131537/0/170/ADTECH;loc=300;key=key1+key2+key3+key4;grp=[group]" border="0" width="300" height="250"></a></noscript>	Recent Comments Soothsayer and five yamulkas walk into a bar: " [i]A mis-spelling one time to 'Cold Cuts' and it ..." Miklos is Dissapoint: "Nice guy. Posted by: Kindltot "his" So. ..." rhomboid: "Will be watching the Victor Day happenings on Red ..." RedMindBlueState[/i][/b][/s][/u]: "Posted by: JackStraw at May 08, 2025 09:28 PM ..." 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