TOP TIER-SPACE FOR THE MASSES?

摘要

Scaled Composil es was founded in 1982 by legendary aircraft designerBurt Rutan and the company has gone on to design, build and flight-test 23 unique manned research aircraft types. On April 18, 2003, Rutan unveiled the Tier One programme to I he world. It had one very simple goal, namely to demonstrate that non-government funded manned space flight operations are not only feasible, but can be carried out at very low cost. "Safely, of course, is paramount," said Rutan. "but minimum cost is critical. We look to the future, hopefully within ten years, when ordinary people, for the. cost of a luxury cruise, can experience a rocket flight into the black sky above the Earth's atmosphere, enjoy a few minutes of weightless excitement, then feel the thunderous deceleration of the aerodynamic drag on entry."