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Science

eppur_se_muova

(36,263 posts) Tue Dec 4, 2012, 04:01 PM Dec 2012

0

Virgin spaceship aims to be science lab (BBC)

By Jonathan Amos
Science correspondent, BBC News, San Francisco

Sir Richard Branson wants his tourist spaceship also to become a high-altitude science platform.

The billionaire's rocket plane will carry six fare-paying passengers just above the atmosphere to experience a few minutes of weightlessness.

But the vehicle has been designed so that its seats can be removed easily and the space filled with science gear.

Passenger flights should begin in 18 months or so; research sorties could start soon after.

The US space agency (Nasa) has already chartered the rocket plane.
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more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20500194

2 replies

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Virgin spaceship aims to be science lab (BBC) (Original Post) eppur_se_muova Dec 2012 OP

Quick turn around modular payload bay space craft... a geek named Bob Dec 2012 #1

A lot of the suborbital companies will be doing this bananas Dec 2012 #2

a geek named Bob

(2,715 posts)

1. Quick turn around modular payload bay space craft...

Reply to eppur_se_muova (Original post)

Tue Dec 4, 2012, 04:09 PM

Dec 2012

NOW we are talking!

bananas

(27,509 posts)

2. A lot of the suborbital companies will be doing this

Reply to eppur_se_muova (Original post)

Wed Dec 5, 2012, 08:40 AM

Dec 2012

don't have a link handy, but they will be packing science packages in wherever they can fit.

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