Countdown starts for NASA's last shuttle launch

[Chogy]

anyone from USA that can provide us with some info on that?

There are a couple, with Burt Rutans outfit being probably the most advanced.

They technically made it into space with this vehicle:

The problem with the majority of these efforts is that the goal is a sub-orbital flight; no orbiting. Maybe 5 to 8 minutes of weightlessness, then you are done. Rutan's ship cannot handle a true re-entry like the shuttle. It'd melt and break up.

Still, people are lined up for these rides, and ready to pay big $$. Their stated goals are almost always "I want to be weightless, see the black of space, see the earth's curvature." But you can get all of that (and a lot more) with a $10,000 MiG-29 or Su-27 ride in Russia.

I think one day private companies will orbit, but it'll still be extraordinarily expensive. The cheapest right now is about $2,000 U.S. per kilo to orbit. Even assuming a private company can cut that by two thirds, it'll still cost over $50,000 to get a guy into orbit.

 

[PERSIAN GOD KING]

The main problem is that we have run into a technology wall. Until we can come up with something better than chemical rockets, manned space exploration will remain freakishly expensive. Need to send a liter of water to the astronauts? It'll cost you $4,000 to $10,000, the current cost per kilogram to low-earth orbit.

That water they drink cost $5 per CC to get it there. A can of coke would cost $1,500. Just insane.

We need breakthrough technology... maybe some day. But not now.

wow whats that the ufo looking thing?