Nearly fifty years after launching the first human into space- looking at the Earth remains a vague concept for most humans on the planet. There are no high-definition moving images – no popular stories of what it is like to float in zero gravity or stare down at the planet. Floating above the Earth is boring and a non-event for most people on the planet.By December 2008 I suspect all that will have changed. Following in the vision of Sir Richard Branson, privately operated sub-orbital space travel seems to be within reach- and I suspect that when we get closer – it will be corporate media dollars associated with high profile celebrities and citizens that make the final push. The video cameras will be rolling- the dramatic scripts will be written and crafted in the editing room– and we will finally have an opportunity to hear about life beyond the boundaries of Earth. Though we are many years away from affordable civilian space travel – the potential for sharing in celebrity experiences could emerge as a major catalyst for social change.
And I suspect that the freshman college class of 2009 at UW River Falls– will know dozens of celebrities and high profile citizens who have experienced life beyond the planet. For this new generation – space will not only be about science. Who knows what cultural associations we’ll have with suborbital space travel – but if Richard Branson is involved – I don’t think we’ll have to worry about being bored. (Continue reading for details on Virgin Galatic)
Public space travel has long been the target of dreams for maverick entrepreneurs. Lately that list has become longer and more influential. But at the head of the pack is Sir Richard Branson…
Virgin Galactic continues to make very strategic business moves to reach its goal of launching hundreds of individuals into low earth orbit by the end of this decade. The company is now looking to expand future operations beyond the U.S. (California) into northern Europe (Swedish Lapland).
Virgin Galactic’s first step was in securing rights to the revolutionary space plane design of Burt Rutan. His SpaceShip One won the Ansari X-Prize winner and might be capable of launching the sub-orbital travel industry. (Read about Anousheh Ansari’s recent space station experiences at her blog) Virgin Galactic is planning to launch customers who can afford the $200,000 ticket beginning in 2008-09! (Over 150 people have provided deposits)
So why my excitement over Richard Branson?! Because humans who experience zero gravity and the visual sensation of seeing the Planet Earth from above- have been forever transformed! And the people of this planet – might benefit from transformation! Inspiration is a good catalyst for personal happiness and economic growth! Only time will tell if Sir Richard will succeed in his mission- but my guess is that he’ll surprise us with what is possible.
In less than a decade global media empires might be broadcasting high definition images and personal experiences from above the Earth. And I suspect that Richard Branson has more than a few publicity stunts up his sleeve. Images from aboard his planes will not be of scientific equipment – but personal experiences of overwhelming joy and freedom.
Who will be watching? All of us. But where will the money be made? Through media programs targeted at large consumer audiences. For the U.S. it might be engaging the aging Baby Boomers who are now doing yoga and Pilates. Their childhood dreams could use an update and sequel— as they enter their later stages in life they might be more engaged with the ‘human’ stories of space than in past ‘scientific’ pursuits.
Who knows which celebrities will chose to share this experience— Sergey & Brin, Oprah, Bono, and Angelina Jolie? What about Indian or Chinese superstars…?!
Richard Branson convincing Oprah Winfrey to travel up into space and share her transformative experience with millions of adoring fans– that is a recipe for social change. …. More later…
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Virgin Galactic’s recent announcement:
…The British company owned by tycoon Richard Branson already has scheduled its first tourist flights into space from the U.S. in 2008.
It now wants to investigate launching flights from Kiruna, in Swedish Lapland, some 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of the Arctic Circle. “This provides us with Europe’s first obvious place for suborbital space flights,” said Susan Newsam, spokeswoman at Virgin Galactic. An added feature would be flying into aurora borealis, the luminous display of lights seen in the upper latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.
“Flying into the aurora borealis has never been done before,” she said.
Under the deal, Virgin Galactic and Swedish company Spaceport will spend about two years investigating the conditions for suborbital space flights from Kiruna’s airport. If all goes to plan, the first launches will be made from Kiruna in 2011 or 2012, said Sven Grahn, project manager for Spaceport.
Image of New York City and Lower Hudson River Valley from Space
STS058-081-038 New York City and Lower Hudson River Valley, New York, U.S.A. October 1993 New York City, the most populous city in the United States, is the focal point of this low-oblique, northwest-looking photograph. The entire waterfront of the lower Hudson River is lined with wharves, piers, and docks. This area is one of the major trade centers of the nation and, in particular, the major one serving the northeastern region of the United States. The body of water south of the mouth of the Hudson River is Lower New York Bay, and the slightly wider bay north of the mouth is Upper New York Bay. The Lower Bay is flanked by two peninsulas: Sandy Hook juts out from the New Jersey side, and Rockaway Point extends into the bay as an appendage of Long Island. The large amphitheater-shaped bay east of Rockaway Point is Jamaica Bay. John F. Kennedy International Airport is located on the northeast side of Jamaica Bay. The East River separates Long Island from Manhattan Island, one of five boroughs of New York City. The rectangular feature in the middle of Manhattan Island is Central Park. Toward the northwest third of this picture, a swath of hilly terrain mixed with numerous lakes trends southwest-northeast. This terrain is the result of the glacial scouring during the last ice age. It is evident by the red and brown coloring of the forest foliage that this photograph was taken in the fall. (Refer to STS-039-088-054 for a color infrared view of this same general area during the spring of 1991.)Fall colors in the northeast were captured by the STS-58 crew members. Long Island and the lower Hudson River dominate this scene. The maples and oaks of the Hudson Highlands are striking, and contrast with the many lakes and reservoirs north of the city. The New York metropolitan area in New York and New Jersey (including Jersey City and Newark) is easily seen in the foreground. Manhattan Island sits near the middle of the scene, but Central Park foliage is still fairly green. West Point can be seen near the upper right on the west-pointing bend of the Hudson.
Eta Carinae, one of the most massive and unstable stars in the Milky Way Galaxy, has a profound effect on its environment. Found in the the South Pillar region of the Carina Nebula, these fantastic pillars of glowing dust and gas with embedded newborn stars were sculpted by the intense wind and radiation from Eta Carinae and other massive stars. Glowing brightly in planet Earth's southern sky, the expansive Eta Carinae Nebula is a mere 10,000 light-years distant. Still, this remarkable cosmic vista is largely obscured by nebular dust and only revealed here in penetrating infrared light by the Spitzer Space Telescope. Eta Carinae itself is off the top left of the false-color image, with the bright-tipped dust pillars pointing suggestively toward the massive star's position. The Spitzer image spans almost 200 light-years at the distance of Eta Carinae.
