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I couldn't resist reprinting the following Google announcement re. alternative rocket launching sites, since it's practically next door to where I live:
[Quote] Nova Scotia is Planned Launch Site for Canada’s First Space Port
By Christopher Hogg
Digital Journal — A group of international companies and stakeholders who run a firm called PlanetSpace have announced a “team agreement” with the province of Nova Scotia and the Canadian Space Agency to create Canada’s first commercial manned space program in Cape Breton.
The Canadian Space Agency says it has been aware of a proposed orbital launch facility in Nova Scotia for several months and it is totally supportive of private enterprise putting Canada on, make that off the map.
Ontario-based PlanetSpace says the $200-million project will be funded by private investors and possibly the province of Nova Scotia.
The company chose Cape Breton because it’s on the same latitude as the Russian space station (the Baikonur Cosmodrome) which supplies many parts for the International Space Station. In addition to a large area of land for launching, the latitude makes it a good point for entry into space. [Unquote]
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One must be careful before one relies too heavily on foreign suppliers for one's space program. I've seen competions in the space programs and cooperation, I think competition has produced more results. Cooperation just means that all involved can relax and take it easy, since all the potential compedators are involved in the same project, there is no hurry, no need to make hasty decisions or to rush things, and you can always be a little bit more careful, add more redundant systems just in case things go wrong and the engineers can ask what if in many diferent languages, and the cost of the program will balloon way out of proportion. Just look at the Airbus 380 for what can happen in a multinational development program. I think national rivalries and friendly competition is a definite plus. Just imagine:
A) "We better hurry up of the Chinese will get to the Moon first."
or
B) "Isn't it great that we involved the Chinese in our joint program to land men on the moon? Its a good thing too, who would of imagined that the costs of the program would have ballooned so much? I doubt we would have been able to afford it all by ourselves. Just the design studies alone cost billions and nothing was built yet. Even with the Chinese involved we had countless discussions on how we should proceed to go to the Moon, the Chinese wanted to go one way while we wanted to go another, finally after several conferenced and design studies, we settled on a mission profile that we both can life with, with various components manufactured in each of our countries, or course our engineers and their both had ideas on how to improve the mission and make it cost less, but making all the parts and pieces fit together, boy that cost alot!"
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At least Musk actually spent money on real Launch Vehicle hardware. I respect that.
I however, cannot stand Tumlinson--who hasn't launched ANYTHING, or that Tax cheat Anderson who trys to take credit for 'private' space tourists atop Soviet era boosters. Space Adventures and the Branson-ites seem more interested in "spaceports" (resorts I call them). Even with the failure--I still rank Musk ahead of Rutan & Co. in crediblility.
Do you think Rutan is a waste of time ? He was going to offer the CXV and Crew Transfer Vehicle for NASA's vision
'first steps are not for cheap, think about it...
did China build a great Wall in a day ?' ( Y L R newmars forum member )
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Wow has time flown when I look back on the past topics and find how we were on the right track thinking that Space x could....
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