Good. Would love to see emissions laws that basically outlaw these bullshit vanity trips to "the edge of space". Get a fucking skateboard, Sir Dick, if you want an adrenaline rush. Or go downhill on a bicycle.
Uhm....ok, but would you ban the flight even if Sir Branson wasn't on it? Because if yes, then you've effectively banned any kind of space research and private development.
Also....not sure about the emissions impact as those rockets don't burn normal carbon based fuel. Space Ship Two burns HTPB specifically. Someone else would need to comment what the emissions impact of that is.
It's very well possible to support space research and private development while at the same time wanting flights of this kind stopped. All Branson will achieve is shutting down of space research and private development with his ill conceived contraption. This has gone too far already, and there is zero output here from an applicable technology point of view other than in the 'things we shouldn't be doing' department.
Blue Origin is on more solid footing and they in turn are toddlers compared to SpaceX.
Would I ban them if Branson wasn't there? Absolutely. Unless it's a one way trip. What does the human race get out of Branson's vanity project? He wants to be able to send bunch of rich folks to the edge of space for a fee. All for kicks. Are helicopter rides not cool enough anymore? Fuck all of them.
Forgetting about fuel in the rocket for just a second, what about the vessel that them to launch altitude?
But anyway, I'm willing to bet that no matter what magic dust is used to propel the rocket, there's a co2 cost. If not in the burn, then in the production of the fuel.
