Wednesday, December 14, 2005

The Proverbial Jetpack

Way back in the earlier parts of the last century, Isaac Asimov predicted that just about everybody would have jetpacks.

Some of his predictions came true, but a great many did not. One that did not was the jetpack. At the end of the last millennium, I wondered many times, "Where the heck are the jetpacks? Where are the flying cars? THIS is the 21st century???" Could it be that some of the films of the 70s and 80s with their bold visions of what the early 21st century would look like were dead wrong? That we would not be so advanced? Heck, James Bond had a jetpack as early as 1965 in Thunderball!!!!

Well, jetpacks aren't here yet, but something even cooler is close to fruition: commercial space travel. Virgin Galactic recently reached an agreement with New Mexico to build their first spaceport there.

Although this may not be the first time you've heard of Virgin Galactic and its offer to send folks into space for $200,000 a ticket, this agreement means that they could be flying out of New Mexico as early as 2009.

THAT'S the kind of stuff I want to see in the 21st century. Although I can't afford a ticket on that first flight, the thought that I might be able to tour space in my lifetime is just about as cool as it gets.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Dude... for $200k, only 10% of which is necessary now to secure your ride, think about it. You could *absolutely* afford it with reasonable investing and lifestyle. I honestly believe that in the near-decade until this is viable, a person of decent means can do this. If it's something truly important and something you feel worthwhile, you could absolutely begin planning for it.