Topic: =/\= falcon htv2 hits mach 20! balloon to space, darpa funds interstellar study

[stoneyface]

so a new vehicle called the falcon hypersonic technology vehicle 2 had a minor glitch and aborted flight and splashed down in the ocean on it's test flight aug 11th. while that seems pretty mundane and even par for the course in experimental technology, it did have a significant event other than that. the vehicle hit mach 20! yes 20, that is not a typo. i find it amazing (yes i know the shuttle went really fast to) so read these two articles. first is the abort and the second is info on the vehicle...
http://www.darpa.mil/NewsEvents/Releases/2011/2011/09/11_DARPA_HYPERSONIC_VEHICLE_SPLASH_DOWN_CONFIRMED.aspx
http://www.darpa.mil/Our_Work/TTO/Programs/Falcon_HTV-2.aspx

next up is an unusual approach to near space flight... balloons!!!! as silly as it sounds, a company called zero2infinity is planning to do just that. carry people in a high altitude balloon to 22 miles up! if it is significantly cheaper than virgin galactic's flight, i will go!
read here: http://www.gizmag.com/bloon-space-balloon/19553/

finally darpa comes to the rescue. at least that is my opinion. i have been very worried and nervous about the future of our space program since the ending of the shuttle period of our history. well darpa is funding a new research study to look into interstellar flight! thank you darpa!
read here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/18/science/space/18starship.html?_r=2

[marstone]

mach 20 is very fast, IIRC the Space shuttle only flew around at around mach 14.  But nice to hear they found out what happend to the little craft.  Last I heard it just disappeared on them.

[Kreeargh]

Blloon to space is not just an idea it can be fact. Goverment crapola rules end the game in the USA. Once past this issue the public will rise but untill then