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*Responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.
WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF SPACE TRAVEL? DO YOU BELIEVE SPACE TRAVEL WILL EVER BECOME ROUTINE?
I believe that space travel will continue to evolve. “Routine” is in the eye of the beholder. With
NASA will pave the way with exploration that will today’s technology there is always a significant
take us back to the Moon, and eventually onto degree of danger with spaceflight. I believe we’ll
Mars. Industry will follow—first into low earth see space travel on a much more frequent basis
orbit, and then onto the Moon and Mars. Industry within the next ten years, unless one or more of
will encourage tourism, and then the exploitation these vehicles has a major accident. Let’s pray that
of activities such as mining. doesn’t happen.
WHAT DOES THE AVERAGE PERSON NOT KNOW ABOUT WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE POTENTIAL PRIVATIZA-
SPACE TRAVEL? TION OF SPACE?
Today, most people who are interested in space I believe that commercial pursuit of space
know quite a bit. I am surprised to learn that travel is a positive thing for the world. This will
many people think NASA has some type of eventually bring down the cost of accessing space
weightlessness trainer; they do have an aircraft substantially. It also increases public awareness
that can fly a parabolic path and provide about 30 of space travel. I believe NASA will continue to be
at the forefront of space exploration, but private
seconds of a similar feeling, but that doesn’t live
STARSHIPS up to the actual experience. They do use a large efforts will help reduce the cost of those pursuits.
We’re already seeing examples, such as SpaceX
swimming pool for spacewalk training which also
gives some idea—but also doesn’t really come
building the lunar lander that NASA will use in its
AND close. Only orbit can give you the true experience. Moon program.
ENTERPRISE
IT’S DIFFICULT TO AMASS A CABINET
MORE FULL of accolades and awards than
that of Club Braman member Robert
Crippen (Captain, US Navy, Ret.). In his
former life, he oversaw more than 13,000
civil service and contractor personnel as
the Director of NASA’s John F. Kennedy
Space Center, and was responsible for
22 successful Space Shuttle missions
launched from the United States’ gateway THREE UNIQUE SPACECRAFT DESIGNS HAVE BEEN to de-orbit and enter the earth’s atmosphere. After
to the universe. LAUNCHED RECENTLY BY PRIVATE COMPANIES AS A slowing sufficiently, it uses parachutes to land in
PRECURSOR TO FUTURE SPACE TRAVEL. HOW DO THE the ocean.
DESIGNS DIFFER?
In a former former life, Captain Crippen WHICH IN YOUR OPINION HAS SHOWN THE MOST PROMISE?
performed his tour of duty as a Navy Virgin Galactic uses a unique carrier aircraft up They are three different approaches to space travel.
to around 50,000 ft, before the spacecraft’s rocket
pilot, as well as piloted the first orbital fires up and is then manually flown to above 50 Both Richard Branson’s and Jeff Bezos’s crafts are
test flight for the Shuttle program. He has miles. It is a lifting body design which allows it to designed to take tourists to the edge of space—but
been honored by NASA, the Department be flown, unpowered, down to a runway similar to not orbit. They go up about 50 miles and come back
of Defense, the National Geographic how the Space Shuttle was landed. down, providing a few minutes of weightlessness;
Society, the FAA, and Congress—as well as Blue Origin’s approach is a vertically-launched but they don’t have enough energy in their
a myriad of other organizations. rocket with capsule on top. The rocket carries the propulsion systems to get into actual orbit.
capsule up above 50 miles, where it is released. Elon Musk’s Dragon was contracted by NASA to
The rocket then makes an unmanned vertical provide crew access to the International Space
However, what Captain Crippen is most
proud of today is awarding others— landing, while the capsule falls back to earth and Station—which is around 250 miles up—and has
completed two successful missions. In order to do
uses a parachute for landing.
namely STEM students, through the Space X’s capsule is launched vertically on a this, their spacecraft goes into orbit around the
Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. two-stage rocket, which takes it into orbit, where earth. Its crew experience prolonged periods of
Following, he shares his experience with it is released. The first stage of the rocket makes weightlessness while in orbit. Thus, the SpaceX
the ASF, as well as his thoughts on the an unmanned vertical landing. After the capsule vehicle is a great deal more capable than the others.
STS-1 Launching exciting current state of space travel: completes its mission, it fires a small rocket engine
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