Posted on 10/23/2005 12:31:33 PM PDT by KevinDavis
MADISON, Wis., Oct. 21 (UPI) -- Wisconsin legislators are promoting a plan to create a spaceport in the country's top cheese-making state.
The proposal would set up a nine-member Wisconsin Aerospace Authority to promote the state among private entrepreneurs planning to go extraterrestrial, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. Sheboygan would be the state's Houston, allowing failed rockets to fall into Lake Michigan.
Bob Cook, head of the Wisconsin Transportation Development Association, thinks the plan has some lift.
"As long as there's not much state money involved, I think it makes sense," Cook said. "There's an industry out there that's growing and it's smart to do what we can to try to take advantage."
He said the federal government appears to have lost interest in NASA, creating space, as it were, for the private sector.
It's the perfect solution for to access the ISS. Don't you sort of think they are using such vehicles already? High Earth/Low space orbit?
I can't believe that google has proof of the cheese on the moon. Incredible. No wonder the company is worth kazillion dollars.
I think it is the boost from the original rocket that propels it supersonic. Otherwise it would need too much fuel to accelerate it past mach 1.
Think of the acceleration needed to get a vehicle flying faster than the speed of sound! If it had to carry the necessary fuel as payload, it would be too heavy. There are also a lot of other variables in play as well.
The Bob Cook I once worked for was an aviation pioneer - he flew test flights alongside guys like Chuck Yeager. Wonder if it's the same guy....
Makes perfect sense to me - with my knowledge being limited to having invested in XM Satellite Radio back when their Rock and Roll satellites were being launched near the equator.
Unless there are other factors I'm not considering (which is entirely possible), it just seems like quite an elaborate effort to save such a comparatively small amount of rocket fuel.
I'll meet you at Seibken's in Elkhart Lake to hoist one,
If the next generation vehicles are reusable and will take off and land, how about Edwards AF base?
I cannot believe this... :)
I grew up and sheboygan, and the only thing I think we were ever successful in launching was a couple of bottle rockets... :)
seriously... is this for real?
We will need a space port for reusable aircraft. I don't know when that will be, but I would think there's time and space available at Edwards. Plus I have land in California City. : )
I've just joined a group called the *Sheboygan Space Society*, which is a chapter of the *National Space Society*. Their website is www.tcei.com/sss. They actively promote the use of space. While I live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, I joined up just to have something different to do. If this comes about, it would be a huge tourist attraction, if nothing else. You can bet I'd make a visit or two to see some light rocketry, or a piggyback launch!
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.