US approves SS2/Virgin Galactic info exchange...

[Dr Mordrid]

Under US law exchanges of high tech info between US companies (in this case Rutans Scaled Composites, builders of SpaceShipOne) and the UK's Virgin Airlines Virgin Galactic division;

http://www.space.com/news/050815_virgingalactic_itar.html

9 passengers for the SS2 design and the first is to be built in the next 8 months?

Better turn the CEV project over to these guys using the t/Space CXV as a jumping off point. That design is impressing a lot of people, and it's Rutans baby anyhow.

Dr. Mordrid

[GT98]

All it will take is one **** up and they are cooked...

[Gurm]

All it will take is one **** up and they are cooked...

Nah. NASA has f***ed up a dozen times in the past few years, they still get funding.

[degrub]

Yeah, well there is congress and gov activity (can't be sued - you sign away your rights as an astronaut) and private enterprise - sue me

[Dr Mordrid]

I've flow in Rutan-designed small aircraft and conventionally designed small aircraft. I'll take Rutans every time. His use of canards (makes the plane virtually stall-proof) and other innovative features have made his designs legendary in the flying community.

Bottom line: his bad ideas are better than most other peoples good ones, so if NASA isn't listening they should be.

Dr. Mordrid