First off, congratulations to SpaceX for Penetrating Space with their ideally shaped rocket, with stag music playing in the background. It was not lost on everyone.
[citation][nom]JonnyDough[/nom]So wait, they put launch some space junk and it's supposed to drop out of the sky sometime within the next decade but they really don't know when? Is it space travel amateur hour? 3 failures and a dummy satellite? I want to go to space as a tourist! Where do I sign up? How can they even do this? As far as I'm concerned "getting to space" probably isn't all that hard, especially when NASA gives away tons of data to help out. Shouldn't it be considered successful once they successfully bring their ship BACK from space intact? I would think that would be a bit more important to anyone considering traveling to space. Why don't we just put certain people (ie certain "authors" on DT [J.M.?]and maybe those from Space X who decided it would be a good idea to create more space junk) on a rocket and send them to space and then pat ourselves on the back if they don't blow up on the way. Then we'll call it a success if they remain floating around earth for 5-10 years.[/citation]
Wow. I'll just go one at a time, because this is a mess:
1: They put junk there, just like NASA and the Russians did the first time, because doing test flights with expensive satellites or people on board is stupid and a waste of money, and bad publicity.
2: Space Amateur hour? How can they do this? They can do it because no one owns space, and the fact that this is the first non-government body to achieve this mark is not because there are anti-space laws, it's because it's not cheap or easy to do, which is why there are so few space-faring nations of earth, let alone space-faring companies.
3: If you want to go to space as a tourist, do you think the government is more likely to sell you a ticket, or a corporation? SpaceX will pioneer the industry and create the competition that will, someday, allow you to go into space as a tourist.
4: "As Far As Your Concerned" is correct because it means you are singularly uninformed on this point, and other people know it's not simple. I could tell you how to build a car and give you the parts, but that does not mean your going to actually make a car. Space is an unforgiving environment, and the reason SpaceX is important is they have a NEW type of engine, nothing like what Nasa uses, to keep costs down. It makes it economical for commercial launches, because it's not just spending tax dollars.
5: They didn't launch a ship, they launched a rocket to deliver payload. Therefor, there is no ship to get back, and the reason is that you don't need the costs of a ship if your going to make money on launching things to start a business, and expand later. The Space Nasa space shuttle is the only "ship", the Russians use a capsule to get back down. Later, SpaceX will be able to launch people on the Falcon9, and have them also land in a capsule.
6: I would rather dummy-payload space junk instead of expensive equipment or dead people type space junk, which would have happened 3 times by now in the failed launches. The earth has an 11 year cleaning cycle for LEO orbit, and it takes care of itself.
What scares me is that you actually posted your comment whilst fully convinced you were correct. The staggering level of ignorance, and the belief that you posses the skills and intellect to mock what SpaceX has done is truly scary. It reminds me of VenomFangX on Youtube...which I am sure if you watch his videos, you'll fall instantly in love with them.
PS: I'll be watching Thunderf00t or Pat Condell, in case you were wondering. Cheers.