SpaceX has a concept for getting to space.

[Swampy]

The Dragon-X capsule can take off and land like a helicopter, apparently. I'm more comfortable with the shuttle concept, which works like an airplane, and that's the approach taken by Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser.

[Sir John]

I have a much cheaper idea.

First you get this BIG trampoline......

[Swampy]

It's going to be a reusable capsule, and, as far as I know, the first privately-owned vehicle that can carry astronauts into space. Once again, the free market comes to the rescue.

[Sir John]

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[dry]

May 31, 2014 9:46:15 GMT -5 Swampy said:

It's going to be a reusable capsule, and, as far as I know, the first privately-owned vehicle that can carry astronauts into space. Once again, the free market comes to the rescue.

The free market always was the winner -- even according to a talk on the Finnish TV by Mikhail Gorbachev, (!!!) when he admitted publicly that Communism only was a costly experiment -- costly in terms of money, and costly in terms of human lives.

AJY

[Swampy]

I'm a space enthusiast, but I have also always known about the horrendous cost of getting people off the planet. The technology hasn't really made any real changes since the 1950's, because all we're doing is using force to overcome gravity, and we need a paradigm shift before the space age can really begin.

I have faith that, in some form or other, there will be a cheap anti-gravity mechanism that will be that paradigm shift - but, as of now, that's just faith.

[Sir John]

"Beam me up Swampy"

[Swampy]

Teleportation would be a good way to get off the gravity well, but would it be cheaper? We'll have to wait till then, I guess.

[Premierme]

Swamp your reference to "helicopter" reminded me of a Mexico 60 Minutes video and part referring to The Bible story about Ezekiel, and references to a NASA engineer who had studied the description of a flying machine and after consideration said it was a possibility. Searching for more information I came across this, you might find it interesting;

www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sitchin/spaceships_ezekiel.htm

[Swampy]

I am open-minded about the ancient astronaut theory.