Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Richard Branson says he's 6 months from going to space — but Mars belongs to Elon Musk
www.businessinsider.com ^ | 10-09-2017 | Tom Turula

Posted on 10/09/2017 10:48:03 AM PDT by Red Badger

After thirteen years of development and setbacks — including a fatal crash, technical difficulties and frequent delays — Richard Branson's private space program, Virgin Galactic, is soon ready for live action, at least according to Branson himself.

“We are hopefully about three months before we are in space, maybe six months before I’m in space,” the founder of Virgin Galactic, which is part of Virgin Group, told an audience at Nordic Business Forum in Helsinki, Finland last week.

When he received an audience question about who will reach Mars first, he or Elon Musk, Branson made clear he is not as keen on the red star as SpaceX and Tesla's founder.

“I’m not as passionate about Mars as Elon is. My love for space is about how much it can do for people back here on earth, and that’s what Virgin Galactic is pushing towards.”

Elon Musk recently said he plans to land his first rockets on Mars by 2022, with his SpaceX program.

“[Getting to Mars] is an incredible challenge, and I suspect Elon [Musk] will get there first. He’s more interested in big rockets going big distances. We’ve been more interested in talking people to space, and satellites, slightly closer to earth,” Branson said.

(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Business/Economy; Health/Medicine; Science
KEYWORDS: blueorigin; branson; bransonspace; elonmusk; spacex; virgingalactic
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-35 next last

1 posted on 10/09/2017 10:48:03 AM PDT by Red Badger
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

The moon should come before Mars. Distance alone makes Mars exponentially more difficult.


2 posted on 10/09/2017 10:51:33 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (You can't have totalitarian globalist government if the peasants are armed.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger
more interested in talking people to space...space is about how much it can do for people

Wonder what he's got in mind that will help people. Also wonder what Musk has in mind with a Mars landing if anything other than the challenge and adventure which is pretty tremendous.

3 posted on 10/09/2017 10:53:37 AM PDT by Jim W N
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum
The moon should come before Mars.

For what purpose?

4 posted on 10/09/2017 10:54:30 AM PDT by Jim W N
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

The moon is a good place to work out the glitches, where you are just a three day ride to safety. On the other hand, it can also be a way of endlessly delaying Mars.

So maybe Branson can go after the Moon, while Musk goes after Mars. And NASA focuses on unmanned planetary visits, which is also a good way to develop skill sets.


5 posted on 10/09/2017 10:55:53 AM PDT by marron
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Jim 0216

It has been theorized that people with heart problems will heal faster and live longer in space environments..............


6 posted on 10/09/2017 10:56:21 AM PDT by Red Badger (Road Rage lasts 5 minutes. Road Rash lasts 5 months!.....................)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

Moon colony first, then Mars......................


7 posted on 10/09/2017 10:56:59 AM PDT by Red Badger (Road Rage lasts 5 minutes. Road Rash lasts 5 months!.....................)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Jim 0216

A staging area. A way to incrementally develop technology.

Unless you’re planning on going to Mars and then waiting another fifty years to go there again like we did with the moon.


8 posted on 10/09/2017 10:57:08 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (You can't have totalitarian globalist government if the peasants are armed.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: marron
while Musk goes after Mars.

With our money, of course.

9 posted on 10/09/2017 10:57:54 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (You can't have totalitarian globalist government if the peasants are armed.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

we need both types of dreamers.


10 posted on 10/09/2017 10:59:14 AM PDT by PCPOET7
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jim 0216
Wonder what he's got in mind that will help people.

Taking money out of your pocket and mine, and giving it to people who hate us. All the while skimming a nice chunk for himself.

11 posted on 10/09/2017 11:01:02 AM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Hopefully his test-pilot is more on the ball this time. I don’t have much faith in that vehicle after seeing the airborne crashup derby they did last time. That plane is roly-poly. It sure wasn’t designed with stability in mind.


12 posted on 10/09/2017 11:10:28 AM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity (Liberalism is a social disease.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Mars belongs to the U.S. Proof? Sheila Jackson Lee told us that our astronauts planted the flag there.

5.56mm


13 posted on 10/09/2017 11:16:51 AM PDT by M Kehoe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: M Kehoe

I don’t care who claims Mars. I just wish Branson would take Hillary with him! And leave her...


14 posted on 10/09/2017 11:19:15 AM PDT by donozark (JAMES COMEY: Democrat Presidential candidate 2020.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

After seeing the he and Obozo are boyfriends, he’ll get nothing from me.


15 posted on 10/09/2017 11:28:23 AM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity (Liberalism is a social disease.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Not from what I have read. Muscle atrophies in weightless and very low g environments. They cant work around this problem even with exercise and supplements. Circulation also has issued and radiation is always a problem.


16 posted on 10/09/2017 11:28:58 AM PDT by Secret Agent Man ( Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger
It has been theorized that people with heart problems will heal faster and live longer in space environments..............

If they can survive the acceleration of getting into space.

17 posted on 10/09/2017 11:33:07 AM PDT by reg45 (Barack 0bama: Gone but not forgiven.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: reg45

Well, yeah, there’s that problem.........................


18 posted on 10/09/2017 11:33:57 AM PDT by Red Badger (Road Rage lasts 5 minutes. Road Rash lasts 5 months!.....................)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Jim 0216

The gravity well for the Moon is much smaller than the Earth’s.

Escape velocity..........................


19 posted on 10/09/2017 11:35:33 AM PDT by Red Badger (Road Rage lasts 5 minutes. Road Rash lasts 5 months!.....................)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

The Moon or Mars who cares Imma gonna go to Recall


20 posted on 10/09/2017 11:45:30 AM PDT by al baby (May the Forceps be with you Hi Mom Its a Joke friends)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-35 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson