The chart was effectively an ad, and it put a very fine point on one key perk of space tourism: bragging rights. Just before Branson’s flight, Blue Origin posted a little chart listing the differences between its offering and Virgin Galactic’s, including the size of the windows, the availability of an escape system, and the peak altitude of the journey. Branson and Bezos built their companies in part to fulfill their personal dreams, but they’re also competing for customers. But for anyone who buys a very expensive journey with Bezos or Branson, it might matter quite a bit. Until now, this definition was the subject of obscure and somewhat geeky debate. Read: Guess who’s going to space with Jeff Bezos? This second altitude, known as the Kármán line, is the most-well-known definition for the edge of space-but not an inarguable fact of nature. Blue Origin claims this is where it really counts. The World Air Sports Federation, or the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), which maintains standards for aeronautical activities, puts the line at 62 miles (100 kilometers). military, and the Federal Aviation Administration, which approves licenses for space launches, put the boundary at 50 miles (80 kilometers) above the ground.
There is no universal standard, let alone a legal definition, for the region high above the ground, where Earth’s atmosphere thins and gives way to space. Isn’t this designation-the edge of space-something two men and, really, all other residents of planet Earth should be able to agree on? Remarkably, no, and the division doesn’t originate with Bezos and Branson. Just before Branson’s flight earlier this month, Blue Origin tweeted that it flies higher than Virgin Galactic, “so none of our astronauts have an asterisk next to their name”-suggesting that Virgin Galactic passengers don’t become “real” astronauts.
But on one very basic point they disagree: Where does space begin?īezos’s Blue Origin is designed to take passengers to a higher altitude than Branson’s Virgin Galactic. The dueling space billionaires share a lifelong fascination with space travel and aspire to sell customers a few glorious minutes of weightlessness, high above Earth. Days after Richard Branson flew to space and back, Jeff Bezos is preparing for his turn.
0 kommentar(er)
