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0 Gravity
Only a handful of space tourists have actually made it to the outskirts of our planet, but with companies like Virgin Galactic already taking down payments on seats, it’s only a matter of time before the cosmos become a sought-after vacation destination (for those who can afford it, of course). This project aims to offer riders a quick trip where they can briefly experience zero-gravity and get a peek of our planet.
The unmanned XLDron, equipped with an ultra high-bypass turbofan engine, carries a separate module (appropriately named Zero-Gravity) to an altitude of around 35,000 ft before the module’s rocket engine launches riders and crew beyond the atmosphere to an altitude above 100km.
Designer: Oscar Viñals
14 Comments »
Quintin says
So, does the designer of this spaceplane have any qualifications? Or is this just another drawing that looks like something from a movie?
It might just be me, but I really don’t care about how the outside of a space transportation system looks. The interesting part is the cost per kilogram (or other unit if mass) that a ‘design’ can achieve. That is what makes it affordable or unaffordable…
Form follows function, especially in this case… There is absolutely no information here about how this works (let alone if it works…). Just pretty renderings..
MDesigns says
I agree with Quintin.
Tyler says
Yeah I have to agree with Quintin too. Pretty bogus article full of fluff and none of the information that might make this design actually interesting. I guess it looks “pretty”?
erick says
I’m an industrial designer, I agree with part of what says Quintin. But all the important things today, began in a concept like this … . No is impossible to perform, so I’ve seen in the few pictures out there. What I can say is, that is different from what seen so far … decided by aeronautical engineers,mathematicians, etc … without forgetting the capital investment to develop it. To me it “ok” …”do the impossible, possible” …
AirAusquin says
I agree with Quintin too, but have other reasons to add. Erick, I agree with you also. Indeed, one of Virgin Galactic mottos is “Dreams inspire reality”
The concept was already demostrated in 2004, with SpaceShipOne, the concept in which Zero Gravity is clearly based, including a replication of its re-entry system. Where is the diference? The only one that I see, is that the launcher is a drone and not a manned plane, and that the launch height is 35k feet, not 50k ft, which implies a more powerful booster. Not really ‘efficient’…
That is the major issue with the article, it shows this as something totally new: “This project aims to offer riders a quick trip where they can briefly experience zero-gravity and get a peek of our planet.”
If it becomes real (I will applaud it) it is just a new competitor to Virgin.
AirAusquin says
Which is the source of the info?
All web searches i did pointed back to Yanko.
Would you please give me an URL? THANKS!
AirAusquin says
Meanwhile…
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/12/13/microsoft-founder-announces-spaceflight-company-promises-airport-like/
afi says
Mamaaaaaaaaaaaaa
erick says
***I found more images and diagrams at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ovis_design/sets/
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