Riders should feel the equivalent of about four times Earth's gravity during the climb into the sky and during the steep descent back to the ground, but that is well within what a normal person -- "not even a particularly healthy person," Graham added -- can handle. "Flying with XCOR is going to be more like 'The Right Stuff,'" said Searfoss, referring to the Tom Wolfe book, later adapted into a movie, about NASA's original Mercury Seven astronauts. "This is not like ultra-first class on Virgin Atlantic." Initially, XCOR plans to fly from the Mojave Air and Space Port, which also houses Scaled Composites, now owned by Northrop Grumman, and other space launch services and rocket companies. "We believe … it's almost a philosophical change that happens once you've seen the Earth from this level. It will be a life-changing experience," Graham said. Searfoss, who has been flying passengers aboard aircraft for years, doesn't see it is much of a stretch to ferry novices into space. "There will be a level of preparation so people know what to expect," Searfoss told Discovery News. "It's really just an extrapolation of flying," he added. "Maybe a few other astronauts will be looking at this for their post-NASA careers." Related Links: |
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