Wondering if anybody else noticed...

Is it just me, or does each startup keep pushing up the deadline for when they'll start running flights? Virgin Galactic was saying late 2007, maybe into 2008 sometime; Pioneer Rocketplane and a couple of others were hoping to beat them out of the gate by a few weeks in 2007; and now Aera is saying that they'll be starting flights by 2006. On top of all that, Falcon I just underwent its first hardstand test, so Falcon V should be ready for flight, and possibly man-rated, in the next few years -- and she's designed for orbital work.

I voted 2008. Virgin is delaying due to technology transfer regulation problems. Rocketplane will not have that problem, but their announced 2007 date will probably slip for some reason or other. Are any other companies fully funded yet? I don't believe any flight announcement from a company that does not even have funding yet.

Very late 2007 I gotta say, who ever it will be but i reakon it will be about then.


Iain