Commonly referred to as suborbital space transportation A lucrative market for suborbital spacecrafts would be intercontinental flights. These flights could travel between the furthest two points on the earth in less than 90 minutes. Due to the high cost, this would be initially limited to high value cargo such as courier flights, or as the ultimate executive jet. Because of the significant reduction in travel time, the carbon emissions from fuel would provide for a more eco-friendly mode of long distance travel.
This topic has been ballyhooed by Sir Richard Branson.
Students From The International Space University</references> presented a lengthy detailed video on this topic titled "ISU Masters Program 2008 - TP1 Presentation Great Expectations"Point to point sub orbital transportation
Realistic passenger flights could become offered around the year 2020.
On 29 October 2008 John Sloan of The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) gave a speach on this topic on behalf of the department for COMmercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC)
- the source
References
edit- ^ http://www.isunet.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=124&Itemid=361
- ^ www.space.com/news/080123-virgingalactic-ss2-design.html
- ^ www.flightglobal.com/blogs/hyperbola/2008/11/faa-plans-for-suborbital-point.html