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The third billionaire used a lot of tax payer money to get his systems designed and built.
Branson owns an airline. Take that craft and make it large enough to seat 50 people and extend the fuel supply. You could do sub-orbital shots that go from NY to Sydney in 90-120 minutes. If that plane costs 3 times as much but holds more than 10 times the passengers, that puts the ticket down to about $50K. Now put dozens into service and you might have a service that might cost $10-15K. Some people might pay for that.
Now add in "Boom" supersonic aircraft and we are in an interesting aviation time. NY-Paris in 3 hours at business class prices.
On the orbital flights, for people to go to orbit, there has to be a reason. A zero-g hotel, etc. Of course the biggest issue with space stations are radiation storms and micro-meteors.
We are finally going to space. Something I thought would have been happening over the past 50 years.
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James
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the engineer adjusts the sails.- William Arthur Ward (1921-1994)
Red-beard for President, 2020
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