Virgin Galactic
Virgin Galactic is working on a manned suborbital vehicle called SpaceShip Two. Recently, they have boasted about the success of the first rocket propelled flight. However, it's hard to say when Virgin will make their first commercial flight into space. SpaceShipTwo shipwreck delayed its work in October 2014. Tickets for the first flights can already be booked. There have been queuing over 500 people waiting for the first flights. The price is 'only' 200,000 USD + 20,000 USD advance.
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Digital Globe
It is one of the first commercial companies in space. They take pictures of the Earth in very high resolution. You know them thanks to eg. Google maps, Apple maps. They have five satellites in orbit, the newest one was placed there in 2016. It has a huge ‘resolution power’, a single pixel corresponds to the area of 30x30cm on the ground. You must see itsgorgeous photo gallery on their website! I recommend downloading them in full resolution.
SpaceX
Probably the most-recently known cosmic company with a charismatic owner, who in this seminar probably doesn’t need to be presented 😉. SpaceX designs, builds and launches advanced rockets and spacecrafts. Its main purpose is of course to settle down a man on another planet. By the way, they managed to significantly reduce the costs of subsequent starts by re-using rockets. Recently, they have tested the most powerful rocket ever made - Falcon Heavy. On television, it may look just like the previous rockets stitched together, but one number really makes an impression. Falcon Heavy can bring about 63 tonnes into orbit. So, for example, a Boeing 737 with passengers, luggage and fuel.
The less known ship is the Dragon. Unlike the Falcons, it is a manned vessel designed to carry cargo and people into orbit. Dragon went down in history when it docked in 2012 to the ISS as the first private ship which safely returned to Earth.
Do you know other interesting companies in this cosmic business?
Are you interested in a commercial flight into space?
What industry can take advantage of space exploration?
Sources:
Do you know other interesting companies in this cosmic business?
ReplyDelete– No. To be honest SpaceX is the only one that I have known before reading the article. I'm glad to read more companies are involved in the cosmic business. It can only be benefical in terms futre space travel.
Are you interested in a commercial flight into space?
–I am, of course. Why wouldn't I? Nowadays, most of the Earth is discovered, but space is a completely unknown ground. Hopefully, after some time the commercial space flights would be affordable for normal, not wealthy persons.
What industry can take advantage of space exploration?
– Short answer: every industry. The space exploration may lead to discover new materials, new elements and much, much more.
I hope our academy will organize such trips into space ;)
DeleteThere are a lot of companies who send stuff to space. Lately i've heard about startup company creating "cubesats" (tiny satellites no larger than 10x10x10cm - https://picosats.eu/). Previously Boeing and Roskosmos shared the market between themselves.
ReplyDeleteLately we saw a lot more agencies and startups trying their best to get to space. ESA (European Space Agency), Arianespace, Planet Labs to name a few. Even Audi got creative with their latest rover concept (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E96Z6R1Gd8M)
In my opinion every industry can benefit from space exploration. For example beer breweries are bragging about their yeast being sent to space (https://www.wired.com/2015/03/ground-control-space-beer/) and NASA is testing production of nanomaterials in microgravity (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/33.html)
We really live in very interesting times :)
I was interested in these miniature satellites. Can you write more about them? They definitely require much smaller rockets to put them in orbit. What are their tasks? Radiation examination? Photos?
DeleteFirst of all they are built from readily available commercial off-the shelf components which help keep the cost down.
DeleteUses typically involve experiments like earth observation or amateur radio (i'd like to be an amateur who can afford to launch a cubesat :D ), science experiments without proven theory, biological research and whatever you want that fits in the dimension of 10x10x10cm :)
Do you know other interesting companies in this cosmic business?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I do not know any company operating in space business
Are you interested in a commercial flight into space?
I have never been interested in a flight into space. In the future, I'm sure I would get acquainted with the offer, but nothing more
What industry can take advantage of space exploration?
Maybe food, cosmetics, electronic etc
Ok, thanks :) I hope that the article aroused your interest in the topic.
DeleteAs the most of people, I hear mainly about Elon Musk and SpaceX these days. I also remember reading about Virgin Galactic a few years ago, but the name Digital Globe is completely new to me. I will have to check it out. I've already browsed through some of their pictures, as you suggested, and you were right, some of them are truly breathtaking.
ReplyDeleteCommercial flight into space seem like an interesting idea. The price is, of course, way to high for me. :) On the other hand, even if I could afford it, I wouldn't like to be in the first group of people travelling into space. I'd rather go there knowing it's safe, after more than one travel ended with a safe landing on the Earth.
Space exploration is a fascinating topic. As for the industries that could take advantage of it, at the moment the one that seems the most interesting is space tourism. I really do wonder if it will succeed and how will this market look like.
I was also delighted with the photos on the digitalglobe website. They often throw in some new ones. Recently there was a volcano eruption in Hawaii, so we can expect more great shots.
DeleteDo you know other interesting companies in this cosmic business?
ReplyDeleteNot really, only heard about SpaceX before reading that article. I would love to know more of them as they seem really interesting and innovative.
Are you interested in a commercial flight into space?
Not really. I have fear of heights. Even the idea of plane flight terrifies me so much. The flights are really expensive for that amount of time. Also I believe it is not that safe to travel like that. I envy people that want to do that but it is not for me. I really hope the flights could become more accessible to people in the future.
What industry can take advantage of space exploration?
It can create various of new jobs, strictly designed to take care of people in the Space. I think some kind of more advanced robots will be created to take care of many things as they are more reliable and do not need to come back to Earth, so many engineers will be needed.
Indeed, the development of this industry can create many jobs. Personally, I thought that sourcing raw materials from space would be very profitable for us. Of course, we do not have the right technology yet.
Delete1.I don't know any companies in this business.
ReplyDelete2.I don't think I will ever use it ;)
3.Honestly, it's hard to answer that question.
For me the best company connected with cosmic business is SpaceX. They do incredible things. In my onion they should be proud of how they change the cosmic business in USA and worldwide of course. They are very innovative and they do thing that nobody hasn’t done before. It’s really astonishing! I’m interested in a commercial flight into space, it’s looks very promising since SpaceX. I’m afraid of the cost of this kind of trip but it’s me dream to see the Earth from the cosmos. Your last question is hard, but I think that every kind of industry. Space exploration is very demanding so when space companies deweloping, the rest of industry as well!
ReplyDeleteIf you're a SpaceX fan, I recommend the live coverage of the last rocket launch with the new geo satellite :)
DeleteDo you know other interesting companies in this cosmic business?
ReplyDelete-The only one wich I know is SpaceX
Are you interested in a commercial flight into space?
-I don't like even plane flight. I'm afraid that with space flight will be the same:(
What industry can take advantage of space exploration?
-In my opinion Network industry. Also industry which look for new kind of petrols and other thinks necessary to make earth living better.
Why don't you like flying? Statistically, this is the safest form of travel. You don't like the feeling of flying yourself, or you have other unpleasant experiences?
DeleteYes, I heard about SpaceX and Virgin Galactic, because I readed many biographical books including Elon Musk and Richard Branson. They are very hardcore visionaries. They knows, that investments for cosmic buissnes is not earning for the next few years,but they develop our technology. I hope that space travelling will be available for each society in the next 20-30 years. I thinking that travel and mining industry secector will be a good recipient for space exploration.
ReplyDelete20-30 years, it is great that during our life we'll have the possibility of such trips, of course, potentially;)
Delete1. Unfortunately no. As many people above said I also know many things about SpaceX. I also really like polish website 'Z głową w gwiazdach'. It's Karol Wójcicki's site. Recently he organized a trip to watch the northern lights. Obviously abroad trip ;) I think that he is positively freak person.
ReplyDelete2. Sure, but it will be too expensive for me ;) But it is really interesting and i will waiting for it.
3. We and our society?
I didn't know Karol, but the site is really good, thanks for the suggestion :)
Delete1. Sure I did. Blue Origin is in fact second in this race to reach space. Sure it's not as bond and developed as SpaceX, but they do their best to catch up.
ReplyDelete2. I haven't really thought about going in to space, but if there's gonna be such opportunity I will take it.
3. A lot of industries already does take advantage. It's in fact the main reason why people sent ISS into space. Scientists who work there develops new materials and medicaments.
One more thing, you've named Falcon Heavy the most powerful rocket ever made, but in fact it's not even close to Saturn V - the rocket which brought people to the Moon.
True, saturn V allowed to land on the moon, but I was talking about a mass that can take out into space, so called 'payload'
DeleteDo you know other interesting companies in this cosmic business?
ReplyDeleteTo be honest I only knew SpaceX, so that article was very informative for me.
Are you interested in a commercial flight into space?
That would be awesome to fly into space someday! I would really love to see Mars or Moon :) Recently I was walking near Vistula river and I looked on Moon and I imagined the view of a cosmic highway, the ships that will start and stop on the Moon, and will make the sky shining like stars do now :) That would be great!
What industry can take advantage of space exploration?
I think SpaceX has a nice idea for space exploration. Reusing the rockets seems to be a good idea to make it cheaper and more accessible. Let's see what will happen next :)
ReplyDeleteDo you know other interesting companies in this cosmic business?
Not, really! I never was interested in any of this.
Are you interested in a commercial flight into space?
Personally, if I had the money to do it, I would like to fly into space. that sounds like an adventure of a lifetime.
What industry can take advantage of space exploration?
That's interesting question, because it could be anything, e.g. industry researching genetically modified plants that can endure harsh conditions on other planets (a little bit too far fetched but you know the idea).
You already wrote about twice more companies that I already knew about, so I can’t find any other in my mind. Do I’m interest in commercial flights into space? Yes, but only as a curiosity without deep diving into this topic. Unless these flights are not going to be useful for regular citizens that long I’m not going to be fan of these. Now I think that only beneficiaries of space exploration are founders of these companies. Of course, we can se nice photos of planet earth but I haven’t heard of any example which is about making someone’s life better.
ReplyDeleteDo you know other interesting companies in this cosmic business?
ReplyDeleteSpaceX is the only cosmic related company I know. Unfortunately I have little to no knowledge on this topic.
Are you interested in a commercial flight into space?
Maybe but not as one of the first passengers. If space flights become safe and accessibly for average citizens I will consider giving it a try. Otherwise I will have to pass.
What industry can take advantage of space exploration?
I think that space exploration would open countless new job opportunites. With correct marketing it could become the next big thing in mainstream media and attract many investors. All industries might want to take part in this because of it marketing value.
I don't know other companies in cosmic business. However in future it could be a great market to develop new unknown areas. In my opinion it can be a very development market for startups.
ReplyDeleteIf previous attempts were made and it would be safe then I would be interested. Optimizing and giving standards to space flights seems a matter of time.
I think that, travel, technology, developer and communication industries that could benefit from this
Do you know other interesting companies in this cosmic business?
ReplyDeleteAre you interested in a commercial flight into space?
What industry can take advantage of space exploration?
In fact I haven't known there are any other such companies beside SpaceX.
I don't follow news in this subject but I think it is very interesting and I hope for its development that in some future people will be able to make flights into space just as casually as today by airplane.
I think the first would be military. The second would be various mining units acquiring resources from another planets or moons and asteroids. The third would be plenty minor services companies which would be helping the previous ones in their aims.