Seems like a common thing but perhaps a bit more experience will improve how things go and there won't be any performance problems next time...quite fitting though for something called Virgin Orbit. 😛 EDIT: Space anything does seem like a really entertaining field but I suppose it's going to be a long time before things go back to the old space race type of development of the 1960's let alone doing anything more than closer exploration or unmanned flights or discovery probes. Probably plenty of things to resolve here first before going back for another take on the moon, Mars and the the classic of launching probes at the planet with the funny name. Costly too and a ton of rare materials being required for even smaller scale operations. EDIT: Think there was plans on hotels and orbital tourism, space elevators and all sorts of fun stuff at a point back in time too, just remembering a few things though but it's nice to see things aren't entirely on hold whatever this could lead to and that isn't some military weapons project again.

Space race lead to the moon just for politic propaganda (both USA and CCCP)... Where would we be right now if everyone have put ressource together, or at least without politic interest.

rl66:

Space race lead to the moon just for politic propaganda (both USA and CCCP)... Where would we be right now if everyone have put ressource together, or at least without politic interest.

We would have an international space station. Wait, we do have an international space station. Although China is not a part of it because back when it was built, China wasn't quite up to the task, I suppose. I guess you are correct about the politics getting in their way of joining now, much later. But then again, maybe they also wouldn't want to join anymore because the decommissioning of the old ISS is already a relevant topic.

And yet, only a few short weeks ago, RB was asking for tax payers to give him 500million...yet, during that time burnt space fuel and bought another mobile network for 1,400 million... I hope it crashes every time there is an unmanned attempt because whiny multi-millionaires do not deserve to go into space.

...To seek out new worlds. To boldly exploit where no man has exploited before.

0blivious:

...To seek out new worlds. To boldly exploit where no man has exploited before.

Either that or to create the worlds most expensive glorified taxi and delivery service for the ISS.

Loobyluggs:

... because whiny multi-millionaires do not deserve to go into space.

Like Musk? 😀

The Laughing Ma:

Either that or to create the worlds most expensive glorified taxi and delivery service for the ISS.

... like Space X? 😀 But you guys are right, I don't necessarily have many emotions about this. Why should they not have their failures along the path to mastering this tech. As long as they only burn money and not people with their issues, I couldn't care less, progress will be made anyway.

Eh... although they're not wrong to say that a failure is to be expected from a first launch, that's also a really bad attitude to have, because it basically gives the engineers "permission" to be less certain of their work. Failure really ought to be treated as not-an-option, but even if all the simulations and math lines up, nobody should lose their jobs if a failure were to happen either.

fantaskarsef:

Like Musk? 😀

Is Musk whiney?...a little bit...but I'm not a fan of Musk as people know, but that's a whole OT conversation.