Sea Launch Rocket a Loud Dud

Tue Jan 30 19:13:51 -0800 2007
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A mission to launch a commercial satellite by the private Sea Launch company ended in failure, when the rocket exploded on or near the floating launch platform.


"A Sea Launch Co. rocket carrying a commercial communications satellite exploded Tuesday during launch from an oceangoing platform in the equatorial Pacific."..more tough breaks there

It's the wild days all over!

Tue Jan 30 23:31:21 -0800 2007
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In the early days of aviation, there were many casualties.

In the early days of automotion, there were many casualties.

In the early days of locomotion, there were many casualties.

What we have here is technology in its infancy - that of space travel. It's sorta like the wild west all over again! Enjoy watching history unfold - by the time your kids are adults, it'll be all over...
It's the wild days all over!
Wed Jan 31 01:00:07 -0800 2007
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> by the time your kids are adults, it'll be all over...

That has an ominous ring to it... :-)

Half-joking aside, I differ. There is a large gap between the size of the market for space launch technology and the size of the market for the other three technologies you have chosen to compare with it. It seems to me that this slows the development of space technology to the extent that it may take several generations until it comes of age.

OTOH, you have the acceleration of technological advancement to offset this. I'm still skeptical if it's going to be enough to make launch technology as safe for my adult kids as taking off in an airplane is for me.
It's the wild days all over!
Wed Jan 31 10:09:13 -0800 2007
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those other technologies also took several generations to come of age, longer than more people realize. First steam engines that did useful work were in late 1600's (we won't talk about when the first steam engine was made or we'd make progress look *really* slow, heheh)
Sea Launch Rocket a Loud Dud
Wed Jan 31 10:30:13 -0800 2007
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The system has had 23 previous launches since its first in 1999.

So, this is not a case of a failed first attempt.