SFS News: Rocket Racing Inc., Armadillo Aerospace And New ..

New York, NY— (Spaceport America) — Space took a giant leap closer to earth today, following the launch of a new joint venture between Rocket Racing, Inc. (RRI), Armadillo Aerospace and the government of New Mexico.

With a goal of sending adventurers into suborbital space with a target price of $100,000 per ticket or less, the three companies unveiled plans to field a fleet of reusable Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) vehicles (RLV) that will take flight from Spaceport America near Las Cruces, New Mexico. Each ship is slated to provide a cabin where passengers can float weightless with a 360-degree view of space. To date, other companies in the commercial space industry have promised rides to similar altitudes featuring small porthole-sized views for more than $200,000.



“I am honored that Rocket Racing, Inc. and Armadillo Aerospace have chosen New Mexico to set up shop,â€

I know this is a minor point, but if you are going to be in a bubble riding into space for maximum visibility, why would you be wearing a flight helmet that only has a face plate to see through?

Please update your pics to show passengers with bubble helmets!

So sayeth the 'Magic Helmet.

For that matter, why do you need a special suit? If the rocket depressurizes, you can just wear an oxygen mask. And if you are already in space, you'll need a heavy space suit to survive. So it's everything or nothing.

The idea is that those are supposed to be something along the lines of an Orbital Outfitters suit, and that one is specifically meant for suborbital emergencies.