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Cape Breton may be site of new spaceport

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mithridates

Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency

Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:17 pm Post subject: Cape Breton may be site of new spaceport

Quote:

Cape Breton eyed for space launch site
Updated Wed. Aug. 16 2006 11:54 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

Canadians who want to travel to outer space may not have to venture very far to a launch pad.

PlanetSpace, a company which hopes to make space tourism a reality within the next few years, is looking at building a launch pad on Cape Breton Island.

The company was created in response to NASA's request for bids to shuttle cargo and crew to the International Space Station. The space agency is expected to announce a shortlist of one or more bidders on Friday to develop technology capable of reaching the station.

But PlanetSpace said Wednesday that it will go ahead with a facility even if it doesn't win the bid from NASA.

PlanetSpace President and Canadian entrepreneur Geoff Sheerin said his company, which has been testing rockets in Ontario and hopes to be ready for launch in three or four years, wants to capitalize on several areas of commercial space flight.

He plans to charge $250,000 US for a suborbital flight -- that includes a two-week training course -- from several launch sites including Cape Breton.

The company chose Cape Breton because it lies at approximately the same latitude as Russia's launch facility, the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Sheerin said there are other opportunities as well, including commercial satellite launches.

"One you're able to take crew and cargo to the International Space Station, well you can take people into orbit anyway," he told The Canadian Press from London, Ont. "It is definitely right down the middle of the company's focus, which is private space flight."

The Nova Scotia government has already signed an agreement to provide about 120 acres of land for the project that conceivably could rival the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

The local chamber of commerce welcomed the proposed spaceport.

"It sounds like we are setting goals for reaching for the stars," Chamber of Commerce Vice President Owen Fitzgerald told CTV Atlantic. "Space travel is a big thing and it's going to be a big thing in the future. They say there are some advantages here in Cape Breton geographically -- let's use that to our benefit."

However, York University astronomer Paul Delaney told Canada AM Wednesday that the company has not yet fully committed to the project.

"They're looking at it. They haven't committed to build it yet, but they've done all the formalizing and saying let's see if we really can do this."

If the deal goes through, space tourism could be just around the corner for Canadians with the inclination and the cash.

"If you've got a couple hundred thousand dollars lying around, you could jump on a flight to the international space station into low earth orbit from Cape Breton in three, four, five years," Delaney said.

"That's exciting stuff."

PlanetSpace, a partnership between Sheerin and Chicago-based Chirinjeev Kathuria, hopes to fly more than 2,000 space tourists in the next five years.

"We're basically building a private manned space program for Canada,'' Kathuria told the Toronto Star."The facility will see orbital flights, similar to the Kennedy Space Center."

In 2003, Sheerin opened the Canadian Arrow Space Centre in London, Ont. -- the world's first private astronaut training centre.

In the past few years, more players have joined the push for private space travel.

In 2004, millionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson announced his intention to launch Virgin Galactic flights. Branson and his two children plan to be aboard the first departure in 2011.

PlanetSpace pegs their fares at $250,000 US for a suborbital flight. That includes a two-week training course.

According to PlanetSpace's website, reservations for space travel will be accepted soon.

mithridates

Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency

Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:45 pm Post subject:

Holy shit people on the Globe and Mail site are stupid. Warning: you may find yourself dumber after reading all of these.

Quote:

tim blais from vancouver, Canada writes: Is it April Fools day already? Or is this real? It would be great if someone could provide a little more background on this supposed project, some grounding in whether it is realistic or just a shot in the dark (pun intended) that might generate some speculative investment interest.
Posted 16/08/06 at 3:52 PM EDT | Link to Comment
J Norman from Edmonton, Canada writes: With all this interest in space tourism, I'm suprised that nobody is selling parabolic plane rides. Fly a plane to very high altitude, put it into a controlled accellerating dive to provide weightlessness for a minute or so and repeat. They could sell a whole afternoon of that for a tenth of the price.
Posted 16/08/06 at 3:59 PM EDT | Link to Comment
G. Sam from Stratford%252C%2520PEI, Canada writes: Unless every effort is totally directed to keep ALL Union organizers out of the program and preferably out of Cape Breton, this dream will collapse exactly the same way the Sydney Steel Operations and the Cape Breton Coal mines did. And look at the current mess in Port Hawkesbury with the Labour problems at the StoraPulp mill plants!
Posted 16/08/06 at 4:06 PM EDT | Link to Comment
noel fowles from writes: Ah, the Bricklin of the skies!! Or another Sprong greenhouse, where the Canadian taxpayer gets the proverbial financial thumping once again.
Posted 16/08/06 at 4:08 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Globe Reader from Toronto, Canada writes: Parabolic plane rides sound a heck a lot more exciting, cost-effective and environmentally friendly.. the thing is, would they throw in a 2 for 1 lobster special with advance booking?
Posted 16/08/06 at 4:22 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Taylor Mathewson from Toronto, Canada writes: The sentence 'It's because it's on the same latitude as the Russian space station, the Baikonur Cosmodrome...' is a bit misleading. Baikonur is not a space station, it is a space center. The term space station usually refers to an orbiting facility.
Posted 16/08/06 at 4:33 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Jennifer Sharpe from halifax, Canada writes: I just love my tax dollars going towards things such as this. How many millions will be given before 5 years down the road the company pulls out. Will the politicians down here (both Lib and Cons) ever learn their lesson.
Posted 16/08/06 at 4:34 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Richard Atwater from St. John's, Canada writes: A space base in Cape Breton? The Bricklin supercar built in Saint John? The Springfield Monorail? Why does this sound vaguely familiar?
Posted 16/08/06 at 4:44 PM EDT | Link to Comment
cod ale from Halifax, Canada writes: Just great. Another corporate welfare program which gives a local politician a photo op, makes a few investors rich and leaves the area 'targeted for economic stimulation' with nothing but an empty building at the end of a few years. Your Nova Scotian tax dollars at work! Why not offer investment for a _real_ business rather than a pack of shysters with nothing more than a web site and a few computer-generated illustrations of a 'space ship'? Letting tourists buy a shirt on Sunday would add infinitely more jobs and revenue to Nova Scotia's economy than this asinine idea ever will.
Posted 16/08/06 at 5:02 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Brian From Fergus from Fergus, Canada writes: To poster #2, they do sell these trips. It's down in Florida, I believe, but the CBC had a interview on the radio a few weeks back. Actually it may have been Bob MacDonald himself, but I can't quite remember.
Posted 16/08/06 at 5:04 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Colin Fernandes from Mississauga, Canada writes: The airlines are struggling for you to par $700-1500 for a 7 day all inclusive and here they expect someone (inject: Moron here) upwards of $250,000.00 for a 15 minute ride into space. Although it sound cool, whats the point and how much gas are they burning and at what cost to the environement. At least the shuttle missions have some scientiifc merit. I hope it's all first class at least..........and remember no liquids and or gels of any kind are permitted.
Posted 16/08/06 at 5:04 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Fred Furnace from Columbia, MD, United States writes: My concern is for Cape Breton's landscape and coast being Florida-ized into another huge concrete strip mall complete with creepie-crawlers and lot lizards by such developments. Bookings and embarkation ought to be by shuttle from some point 100-200 miles away and access to the site for the project operators and clients only. To do so would also spare the project the insurance associated with flights launched from a populated area. Canadian owned and operated communications satellites would be a boon also to Americans fed up with communications surveillance methods and Homelessnessland Insecurity law so wretchedly abused here in the Excess States of Hysteria. My ISP and e-mail server is a Montreal firm for this reason.
Posted 16/08/06 at 5:14 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Bob McDonald from Canada writes: I know this fellow, Geoff Sherrin at school in London, ON. He is a dynamo. He has been working on the idea of private-venture space flight for two decades. He is energetic, realistic and visionary. Canada could do with a thousand more like him.
Posted 16/08/06 at 5:20 PM EDT | Link to Comment
John L. Murlowe from Isla de Vancouver y Quadra, Canada writes: What about carry-on baggage?
Posted 16/08/06 at 5:56 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Peter Simpson from Vancouver, Canada writes: Hmmmm. Now someone from Chicago can fly to Toronto, connect through Halifax and into Sidney in about 5 hours....weather permitting. Then fly to Vancouver in 45 minutes. Or they could fly from Chicago to Vancouver in 4 hours. This is not a business plan I'd want to try and sell to investors
Posted 16/08/06 at 6:10 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Edward Smythe from chicago, Il, Canada writes: Monorail! Monorail! Monorail!
Posted 16/08/06 at 6:10 PM EDT | Link to Comment
bob crier from Toronto, Canada writes: Amazing to see some posters commenting about its �impact� on local politicians and the environment. I think a lot of people are very happy limiting the extent of their exploratory efforts to watching the discovery channel on TV, some adventurous ones even go portaging. But it is about time Canada got involved in something more exciting than just the �Canada Arm�. We need hi-tech to make Canada its home and its incubation ground. We need investors to see Canada as a haven for bright ideas and for the investors with deep pockets to support those ideas even if it is to immortalize their names. We need some bright scientists and kids to run some nation wide competitions to discover novel approaches to solve the ever evolving problems of humanity. We Canadians never do anything exciting in space exploration. Even if we look at the worst case scenario where a couple of 100 million dollars are spent on developing develop new space vehicles and to build a new space port, with less than exciting results. Don�t you think that the efforts, excitement, learning and the resultant peripheral discoveries will be worth the money spent? My question is why is the federal government not giving grants for this? We have grants for every other cause, most with less tangible benefits than this, then why not this? Worst case scenarios seldom happen, most efforts lead to positive results in one form or another. So why are not people giving this effort their whole hearted support? Hey, I would even be willing to invest a couple of thousand dollars buying shares in this venture. The excitement itself will be worth it. And it will be a Canadian effort, on our land. Com�mon people where is the pride in your country!! Show some excitement!!
Posted 16/08/06 at 6:11 PM EDT | Link to Comment
lee mack from Sydney NS, Canada writes: HEY!!! all you negatives...this is the real McCoy. Land is already settled, at BATESTON, on the Mira Bay,and some staff are moving in next week.
Posted 16/08/06 at 6:25 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Vern McPherson from Toronto, Canada writes: #3 from Stratford ought to learn what he can about the subjects he chooses to rant on about. Alternatively he could just keep quiet. Cape Breton has moved forward of the 1960's position he seems to be stuck on. As to the venture, NASA is getting out of the orbital business. Shuttles are being retired soon. It is getting too expensive to supply the space station using shuttle flights. NASA are interested in solar system ventures not orbital ventures and have been a far too expensive venue for some time for private companies who wish to launch orbiting satelites. There are many other alternatives for launching orbiting satelites including shipboard launches which do very well financially. In addition the Russian launching pod mentioned is a private business venture and many of the newer satelites have been launched from there including the Sirius satelite radio units and the satelite telephone system, a system of dozens and dozens of orbiting units. There is a space station maintenance supply issue which this facility can compete for. Satelites wear out and orbits decay. These units need to be replaced as well when technology moves forward. Personal space flight @ 250 K a throw is a shiny sideline here, not the essence of this venture. Many other ventures are in progress or have already opened. The State of New Mexico has estimated the economic spinoffs will reach 500 million to the state over the next several years from the same outfit who proposes this venture and construction is already underway there. There is already a small but thriveing techno industry in Cape Breton involved in many kinds of high tech ventures. Besides who wouldn't prefer to live there on the shores of the Atlantic with all the sweet lifestyle advantages? Mr Sam from Stratford will not be permitted there now in view of his negativity. In any case we Cape Bretoners can assure him his baggage will be checked very carefully at his first attempt at a land causeway crossing. All abord !!!!!!!!
Posted 16/08/06 at 6:48 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Michael Brogan from Halifax, writes: Apparently some people haven't read this paragraph: 'The program is expected to cost about $200-million and will primarily be funded by private investors, although the province of Nova Scotia has shown some interest in investing, according to PlanetSpace.' For the reading impaired let me emphasize PRIMARILY FUNDED BY PRIVATE INVESTORS. It mearly states that the NS gov't had 'shown interest' in investing. It sounds like the decision was a business decision by the company and not an economic development decision by the NS gov't. Lets face it, you people crying 'corporate welfare' wouldn't say a peep if this would take place in Halifax and the gov't announced it would spend $200 million on it. The fact is that there has been no announced gov't funding for this (I have little doubt that there will be, but it sounds as if this was not a deciding factor by the company). It's not even suited to the labour situation in the area. I doubt many unemployed steelworkers, coal miners and fishermen will get much work out of this. Get a grip and start thinking (or at least reading) before making uninformed comments.
Posted 16/08/06 at 6:54 PM EDT | Link to Comment
r b from calgary, Canada writes: We could probably use the Bricklin as the basis for the passenger vehicle itself, mounted on an enormous firecracker perhaps, - and use coal from Cape Breton for the fuel, and giant cucumbers from Newfoundland as the onboard snacks, and ... Lets just package up all the east coast vote-buying boondoggles into one gi-normous program and then sit back and watch the magic happen. Oh yes, this project has legs.
Posted 16/08/06 at 6:07 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Ron Eh from Halifax, Canada writes: I think this is awesome!! Sign me up for the first flight. Oh, wait a minute - shoot I don't have $250,000 lying around that I can blow on this. Hmmm. Well, at least we'll get the tourism dollars.
Posted 16/08/06 at 7:02 PM EDT | Link to Comment

Scot Loucks from Pickering, writes: You missed one #19, 'ethanol' people. And R B from calgary, yup lots of vote buying going on by 'Private Investors'.... you got it.
Posted 16/08/06 at 7:07 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Barry Hankins from Vancouver BC, Canada writes: About time we started doing our own thing in space who gave the big five the right to only have space programs anyway? It's time Canada gets their own program and see where it takes us so to speak.
Posted 16/08/06 at 7:11 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Michael LeBlanc from Halifax, Canada writes: 21: Funny how western ears *beep* up when somebody mentions Cape Breton, but those ears only hear 'government subsidy,' no matter what is being said. And isn't it ironic that over the past 50 years the best and brightest of eastern Canada got sucked west, just so Albertans can bleat about how they did it on their own, without any help?
Posted 16/08/06 at 7:21 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Vernon John from Canada writes: I am with #17 Bob Crier and #18 Lee Mack: people are very short-sighted about...well everything. Space industries seem like science fiction but, I mean really, what do you think we'll be doing decades hence? Things change. There is no hope for Canada to have its own car company at this late stage in the game. But we have good airplane companies because we got in early. Yes space is science fiction still (not completely--unpeopled spacecraft were long ago sent up by Canadians) but that's because it's new. Sour commentors here probably poo-pooed the prospects of the internet (a passing fancy) or that amazing new vacuum tube thing that makes moving pictures in your home.
Posted 16/08/06 at 7:50 PM EDT | Link to Comment
John L. Murlowe from Isla de Vancouver y Quadra, Canada writes: No one has answered my concern about the carry-on luggage. I'd like to know before I wait 3 hours for a 45 minute flight. And... is there a stopover in Toronto?
Posted 16/08/06 at 7:51 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Vern McPherson from Toronto, Canada writes: Just a quick reminder to our Alberta friends just because one sticks a milkshake straw into the ground and oil emerges is no excuse to presume you can lecture the rest of us on proper economic fundamentals - or political ones for that matter. In fact, like CB, without favorable geology Alberta would be an agricultural economy and not much more so count your current blessings. Former CB coal and steel personell are retired men in their 50's 60's or already working in Alberta driving your bulging carbon fuel based economy. Obviously they would not be employed in high tech functions like rocket science but we know Alberta already invented that anyway. Meanwhile, much support and infra structure workings would need to be built to service this new opportunity in CB plus supply and support businesses in the CB community from health care to restaurants to taxicabs. Why, a quick glance at Ft. McMurray should shed a little light on how a progressive province is supposed to handle a boom eh ?? EH ?? I might add since the origin of so-called 'negativity' about the Maritimes and citizens there is the happy province of Alberta, we will happily give you back it's chief progenator in favor of someone not overly infected with the sudden arrogant light of a little success. Bricklins and cucumbers ? Is that what the University of Calgary teaches it's students about us ? Perhaps amateur historians can earn degrees there with that knowledge. Heaven help the Economics Department. When it comes to real marketers Nova Scotians and Maritimers have been at it a little longer than since 1947. Perhaps next time on the way to the bank, when you feel in a overpoweringly pensive mood, you might remind yourself of the financial support the rest of Canadians via their Federal Government provide to your Province's largest employers in handy write downs etc etc. By the way, you too will experience delays at the causeway unless you become willing to overcome your malinformation.
Posted 16/08/06 at 8:49 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Patrick Fennell from Halifax(Cape Breton Born), Canada writes: I cannot WAIT for the day when another fuel source pushes oil to the dark ages. Then when Alberta doesn't have its oil revenues to prop itself up lets see how smug they are... coal was king before oil and Cape Breton was one of the most well to do places in the british empire. Why do you think Nova Scotia annexed us back then? For our money. What happened to us can happen to you Alberta so get off your high horse. You were a poor province once and it could happen again... so don't always take shots at those less fortunate than yourself.
Posted 16/08/06 at 9:08 PM EDT | Link to Comment

Phil G from Ottawa, Canada writes: Naysayers, naysayers... always the naysayers (oh, and Luddites, too). Every time Canada organizes something that's anywhere close to forward-thinking, the naysayers (and Luddites) show up to gripe. Wasn't Canada the third country to develop its own satellite back in the day? Now that the Cold War era space race is gone, the world political climate is primed for great collaborative efforts, with Canada playing an important role. Let's do it.
Posted 16/08/06 at 9:14 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Steve S from Halifax, Canada writes: If this is for real, where do I send my resume?
Posted 16/08/06 at 9:35 PM EDT | Link to Comment

Bruce MacCormack from Nova Scotia, Canada writes: I hope this gets used more than the Space Port that was actually built in Churchill Manitoba. Not a lot of rockets have left there in the last few years.
Posted 16/08/06 at 11:41 PM EDT | Link to Comment
r b from calgary, Canada writes: Vernon 26 - do you park your own flying car, or does your robot maid from the Jetsons do it for you?
Posted 17/08/06 at 12:11 AM EDT | Link to Comment
Anthony B from Sydney, NS, Canada writes: I wonder how many posters like #4, #7, #8, #9 and #21 would ridicule this idea if it was being proposed for their communities. Me thinks there's a touch of 'sour grapes' here. Perhaps they have forgotten that the first manned flight in British Commonwealth (by Alexander Graham Bell) occurred in Cape Breton. Centres like Halifax (which sucks money from the rest of NS) and Calgary (which sucks money from the rest of Canada) are not the only communities capable of stimulating economic development.
Posted 17/08/06 at 6:25 AM EDT | Link to Comment
A G from the eastern part, Canada writes: The main focus of this venture is cargo - not people. The launch site in Cape Breton is more efficient than Florida because of the orbit of the International Space Station. It would use less fuel to get a payload to the ISS than it does from Cape Canaveral. The 'space tourism' part is just to get people's attention. Bragging about bringing food and water to the space station doesn't garner headlines like a $250,000 trip to space for the average joe - assuming the average joe has 250gs to spend on a 10 minute vacation.
Posted 17/08/06 at 7:37 AM EDT | Link to Comment
Les Budden from Newfoundland, Canada writes: Carries 15 passengers and costs $250,000 per trip. Sounds like this is a plot by Marine Atlantic to take pressure off them for the low capacity and high costs of the gulf ferry service to Newfoundland!!
Posted 17/08/06 at 7:40 AM EDT | Link to Comment
Les Budden from Newfoundland, Canada writes: #5 As for thowing in a lobster special with advanced booking....hope they serve it after the flight or I suspect there would be a lot of throwing UP of the lobster special.
Posted 17/08/06 at 7:42 AM EDT | Link to Comment
Vernon John from Canada writes: 33 rb: 'Vernon 26 - do you park your own flying car, or does your robot maid from the Jetsons do it for you?' You could use a bit more warm and fuzzy. Anyway, despite the smallness of your perspective, kudos for finally coming round to using one of those newfangled computing machines.
Posted 17/08/06 at 8:53 AM EDT | Link to Comment
Vernon John from Canada writes: Cynicism(*tm): keeping the second largest country in the world small for 139 years.
Posted 17/08/06 at 9:07 AM EDT | Link to Comment
Roberto P from Canada writes: How will Canada ever soar like an eagle, when we're pecking with pigions. Are you afraid to lead humanity into space. The USA and Russia dropped the torch, and no one wants to pick it up. Pick up the torch, point to the furthest star in the sky tonight, and say 'Hello Mr. Star. Canada's running the show now. We'll see you soon.'
Posted 17/08/06 at 9:10 AM EDT | Link to Comment
Graham Jeffery from Waterloo, Canada writes: #37 Les: In a weightless environment, there is no gravitational up or down, so you cannot 'throw up'! You simply puke. That seems to be a common reaction to weightlessness among astronauts, so it would be a shame to pay $250,000 and feel nauseous for the whole trip.
Posted 17/08/06 at 9:11 AM EDT | Link to Comment
Jeff T from Toronto, Canada writes: Doesn't weather enter into this at all? I love Cape Breton, but I would have assumed a space station launch site should be situated somewhere with more predictable weather. We all know how it long it seems to take to launch a shuttle in sunny Florida.
Posted 17/08/06 at 9:21 AM EDT | Link to Comment
James CHIPMAN from Canada writes: Here we go again , The Fiddling Premier ,thinks its a good idea , can you say John Buchanon , there is no bottom to the pit of money this flakey will sink into cape breton , at the expense of Nova Scotia , time to move out or pay more taxes to keep the welfare state of Cape Breton going , its true you know , the only good thing to come out of Cape Breton , WAS AN EMPTY BUS.
Posted 17/08/06 at 10:55 AM EDT | Link to Comment
Guillaume Afleck from Ottawa, Canada writes: A lot of confusion in the original story and the follow ups. 'Sub orbital fights' are straight up and down like shooting a bullet in the sky. Latitude doesn't matter for those kinds of launches. Now supplyinga space station of anythign else in orbit requirs an orbital launch. Latitude matters a lot for those types of launches, you want to be as close to the equator as you can to take advantage of the rotation of the earth. Ship borne/floating platform borne launches take the most advantage of this and locate on the equator. Countries have had to compromise, to find the southern most point of their countries that they can keep safe and secure. The Russians most of all. So Canada would select a site not anywhere near the southern most point of our country - that is coincidentally at the latitiude where the USSR had to build, because their country's geographic shape? So it's not the best site for launches of orbital missions (satellites, space station visits/resupply and so on) and for sub-orbital it's far, far away from any population centres, with lousy weather. Tell us again why this site was chosen? As to you posters who suggest that an opening announcement that only/mostly private sector money will be used... we've heard that so many times, it's the first step to saying to governments look what we've done you can't let this fail, give us money (come by chance refinery, sprung greenhouse, heavy water refineries, Air Canada, Bombardier.. the list is so long it takes more than 2000 characters) And there's one place in Canada where that has been the only song for fifty years. As to the speculative comments about what Alberta would be without oil, a can-do entreprenurial attitude with a government that supports those values - and attracting people who share those values - create a certain kind of place that thrives with or without natural resources - look at Ireland, England, Japan, Korea, and most regions of the US. Loser gimmee attitudes keep CB falling behind.
Posted 17/08/06 at 11:06 AM EDT | Link to Comment
Cecil Terwilliger from Canada writes: To # 3 G. Sam from PEI, Canada: You obviously don't know anything about what you are commenting on. But that is to be expected from someone from a province which relies mostly on the ficticious character (Anne), and Stompin' Tom bragging about the potatoes for their livlihood. # 28 Vern McPherson from Toronto, has it right when he writes 'Former CB coal and steel personell are retired men in their 50's 60's or already working in Alberta driving your bulging carbon fuel based economy.' And that is a FACT.
Posted 17/08/06 at 11:10 AM EDT | Link to Comment
Guillaume Afleck from Ottawa, Canada writes: Phil G 'Wasn't Canada the third country to develop its own satellite back in the day?' Ya, sure (and they did a good job) But without a real space program Alouette 1 was a giant paperweight. The United States agreed to provide the launch vehicle, launch facilities, and a world-wide network of ground stations to receive the data. They fit our little job into their launch schedule. Kind of like sending a package by air cargo and then claiming that you run an airline. The firm offering parabolic launches is in Ft Lauderdale with good weather most of the year and dozens of millions of people a year within four hours drive every year. Do you think that they took those factors into account when they chose the location? Duh. You can book a flight at gozerog.com Tony from Sydney 'Halifax (which sucks money from the rest of NS) and Calgary (which sucks money from the rest of Canada)' Priceless! Calgary sends net millions upon millions of dollars of their taxpayers and corporations money to the rest of Canada. If you are talking about paying the going price for oil, most of your east coast gasoline comes from Arab and Venezuelan oil. Complain to them. Halifax I'm not sure, but someone complaining from Sydney NS, where billions in other peoples money have been spent for no residual positive effect except an expectation that more will be coming. Where ideas and ambition go to die. Look to Ireland for your inspiration, they have broken that cycle, get off the teat.
Posted 17/08/06 at 11:33 AM EDT | Link to Comment
R. Hamilton from Fredericton, Canada writes: #3, 20, and 28 well done - some people can only see the headlines. I'm pleased to hear this announcement for Cape Breton - a very deserving people.
Posted 17/08/06 at 11:34 AM EDT | Link to Comment
Timothy Nessus from Somewhere, Canada writes: To 13#: BINGO! If the head of the project has venture capital know-how (as he seems), if there are people willing to fork $$$ for joy rides (as it seems), if the government won't be forking any $$$ (as it seems) then I say GO! Do you people actually have ANY ideas of HOW much good this could do to Canada? It's NOT the project itself. It is the know-how and the technology that counts. If this is a Canadian project, where do you think that the vast majority of the high-tech contracts will go to? This is GOOD for the economy and GOOD for the country (if the above menitoned conditions hold true).
Posted 17/08/06 at 11:42 AM EDT | Link to Comment
Gabriel Solomon from Shi-jr, Taiwan writes: High speed trains are still the best choice. For a space plane to carry the odd handfull of passengers at a quarter of a million each is absurd. A high speed train can carry upwards of 500 people for a couple of hundred dollars each. How long do you think it would take a high speed train going from Vancouver to Toronto at 300km/h (but maybe 400km/h over the praries) If you live in a densely populated place like Korea or Taiwan, it is much cheaper.
Posted 17/08/06 at 11:51 AM EDT | Link to Comment
tttttt tttttt from Calgary, Canada writes: #25 makes a good point. Alberta should be credited for sharing their wealth will Eastern Canada seeing that we hire so many of them.
Posted 17/08/06 at 12:00 PM EDT | Link to Comment
18 Line from Canada writes: Huh? Somebody has to explain this to me....first, the main reason they chose Cape Breton is because it is on the same lattitute as the Baikonur space facility, but they only plan to pop people up in the air and have them land in the ocean. What's the relevence of Baikonur, then? And maybe somebody could help me witht he physics....even if they were to go into orbit, the only satellites (including space shuttles) that orbit over a fixed lattitude are the geo-stationaries; the ones that orbit the equater. Again, what's the relevence of Baikonur, then? Don't mean to be overly skeptical, but this sounds WAY to shifty for me....
Posted 17/08/06 at 12:06 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Cecil Terwilliger from Canada writes: Its amazing how many people comment without reading (or understanding) the article. Many posters are commenting about the craft flying to Vancouver and how high-speed trains would be better. The reference to Vancouver was simply to show the speed of the craft. ''We're not really planning to fly to Vancouver, it's just an example of the capabilities of these vehicles,' Mr. Sheerin said, adding that the first flights will basically shoot straight up, and descend for an ocean recovery within an hour.' Try reading the articles. Sheesh!
Posted 17/08/06 at 12:06 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Joe Canadian from Victoria, Canada writes: Awesome news! This is the kind of thing we need happening in Canada and I am sure that there are a ton of people with the cash willing to step up to the plate. (I would if I could)
Posted 17/08/06 at 12:40 PM EDT | Link to Comment
pete stone from summerside, writes: If i ever have that much money, even if its my last quarter mill (by selling home, car, and everything else) i will take a trip, would be worth to be homeless afterwards
Posted 17/08/06 at 2:00 PM EDT | Link to Comment
R C from Canada writes: #32 - The space port you mentioned in Churchill Manitoba was built because NASA originally planned to Lauch the space shuttle into polar orbits from Vandenburg California. The Trans Oceanic Abort Site would have been Easter Island, and the Abort Once Around Site Was supposed to have been Churchill Man. If all had gone according to plan, Vandenburg would have been Disovery's Home Port. The first flights out of Vandenburg would have been 2-3 launches after the Challanger Accident. The whole plan to lauch out of Vandenburg was scrapped after the Challenger Accident and the ensuing investigation
Posted 17/08/06 at 2:13 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Michael Jahonneson from Vancouver, Canada writes: Everyone knows that spaceships are the #1 cause of galactic warming so I am against this idea. In addition, the engines of a spaceship will quite likely injure the eardrums of the spotted mushroom mollusk, indigenous to the area. It would be more in our national interest to develop sustainable organic crops in those areas. Besides, I am thoroughly against developing ANY technology that will enable a Western country even the possiblity of colonizing space. Humanity out of space now!
Posted 17/08/06 at 2:29 PM EDT | Link to Comment
Michele K from Ottawa, Canada writes: Well, I sure am glad that the government money going this drain will be Nova Scotia's and not my federal tax dollars. Nope, we can't be bothered to invest our limited dollars in moving regular people around this country efficiently, but toys for millionaires - yippee!
Posted 17/08/06 at 2:56 PM EDT | Link to Comment

mithridates

Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency

Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:46 pm Post subject:

Here's the article they're talking about:

Quote:

Canada's Cape Canaveral
SCOTT DEVEAU

Globe and Mail Update

It may soon be possible to fly from Cape Breton to Vancouver in 45 minutes � the only catch is it's going to cost about $250,000 a person and there will still be three-hour wait at the airport.

PlanetSpace, a consortium of international companies and stakeholders, have announced a "team agreement" with the province of Nova Scotia and are in talks with the Canadian Space Agency that would see Cape Breton become the launching site for Canada's first commercial manned space program.

"That's the future of suborbital vehicles, any place on earth is really only 45 minutes away," said Geoff Sheerin, the Ontario-based CEO of PlanetSpace, which aims to launch Canada's first suborbital space flight by 2008 and its first orbital flight by 2010.

The program is expected to cost about $200-million and will primarily be funded by private investors, although the province of Nova Scotia has shown some interest in investing, according to PlanetSpace.

It's because it's on the same latitude as the Russian space station, the Baikonur Cosmodrome, which supplies many of the parts for the International Space Centre and is better positioned to save fuel flying to the site than the Kennedy Space Centre. NASA is intending to put out contracts for those wishing to fly there by 2010.

"If you put your finger on the globe at the Russian space centre and rotate it around, you'll come to Cape Breton," Mr. Sheerin said, adding that there is also a lot of coastal space available in the area. "It's not like trying to find a launch site down the U.S. East Coast."

The spacecraft is a hypersonic glider named the Silver Dart and was originally designed by the U.S.'s military space program in 1962, before it was disbanded in favour of a civilian program.

The Silver Dart weighs 6,300 kilograms, is 15 metres long, and carries up to eight passengers and some cargo. It's powered by 28 rockets. Initially, the program will see space tourists taken on a sub-orbital ride that would last only 15-minutes, and cost each passenger roughly $250,000.

"We're not really planning to fly to Vancouver, it's just an example of the capabilities of these vehicles," Mr. Sheerin said, adding that the first flights will basically shoot straight up, and descend for an ocean recovery within an hour.

"It's an extraordinary view, you're weightless for 4 1/2 minutes, you see the Earth from the same view that the shuttle astronauts do, and it doesn't cost millions of dollars to go into orbit," Mr. Sheerin said. "I know it doesn't sound like a bargain price from a regular price stand point, but there are plenty of people around the world willing to do it."

PlanetSpace's chairman, Chirinjeev Kathuria, whose MirCorp launched the first privately funded manned space program in 2000, said there are plenty of people interested in taking the trip. Virgin Galatic, billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson's space tourism venture, reportedly already has 50,000 people lined up.

"The interest in space tourism has grown phenomenally," Mr. Kathuria said. "That's why you have a lot of entrepreneurs going after this market."

The economic impact in the area will almost certainly be felt as well. The State of New Mexico Economic Development Department estimated in 2005 that a similar program to the one planned in Nova Scotia would generate $450-million (U.S.) in new economic activity in the region and more than 3,400 jobs.

Those figures are expected to jump to $552-million and more than 4,300 jobs by 2020.

In addition, the rocket is run on ethanol, which is a burgeoning industry in the East, as well as in Canada as a whole.

"There's a large movement in the Maritimes to produce a lot of [ethanol] for gasoline, so we will become a major customer for that," Mr. Sheerin said, adding that besides the economic reasons for using alternative fuels, it's also very "Canadian."

"When we're taking you for a ride into space, you can look back and see this very thin atmosphere, but you know you didn't wreck it just to get up there for the view."

canuckistan
Mod Team

Joined: 17 Jun 2003
Location: Training future GS competitors.....

Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:54 pm Post subject:

I think it's kewl.

Octavius Hite

Joined: 28 Jan 2004
Location: Househunting, looking for a new bunker from which to convert the world to homosexuality.

Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 9:54 pm Post subject:

Having lived in CB for three years and having all of my family from there I can tell you a few things. You can bet your ass the only way that thing is going to be built in CB is if there are massive tax breaks and government giveaways to get it there (although there maybe a federal election early next year so you never know). Then it will have to be union built so you can be sure that it will be over schedule and over budget so much so that it will never be profitable. But hopefully it employs enough Capers that the government will be obligated to keep it going in yet another famous CB example of a government based make work program that costs the rest of Canada billions. Some past examples: Sydney Steel, DEVCO, ACOA and the giant waterfront fiddle! Give me a break!

Octavius Hite

Joined: 28 Jan 2004
Location: Househunting, looking for a new bunker from which to convert the world to homosexuality.

Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 11:57 pm Post subject:

Oh, I also forgot the $100 million plus tar ponds incinerator that never worked a single day.

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