Still Waters Posted May 13, 2015 #1 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Famed soprano Sarah Brightman will not become the first professional singer in space this September. Brightman was scheduled to launch Sept. 1 on a self-funded 10-day mission to the orbiting lab aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. But Brightman announced today (May 13) that she won't be making that trip to orbit. https://uk.news.yaho...73.html#Vuzhbmb Previous Thread: http://www.unexplain...howtopic=277025 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozfactor Posted May 14, 2015 #2 Share Posted May 14, 2015 I wonder why she cancelled ? after all the attention and effort Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maximusnow Posted May 14, 2015 #3 Share Posted May 14, 2015 It could have something to do with rocket malfunctions and stranded astronauts recently. It would make you think twice about living the dream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foil Hat Ninja Posted May 14, 2015 #4 Share Posted May 14, 2015 How can a singer I've never heard of afford to throw away $54million? Something has gone terribly wrong with our species. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkfish Posted May 14, 2015 #5 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Does that mean she will never find her Starship Trooper. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVxmdhpZ5bA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Hammerclaw Posted May 14, 2015 #6 Share Posted May 14, 2015 She's waiting for a safer ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zalmoxis Posted May 15, 2015 #7 Share Posted May 15, 2015 That's unfortunate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Hammerclaw Posted May 15, 2015 #8 Share Posted May 15, 2015 I'd rather wait a couple of years for a modern spacecraft that can safely abort its mission at any point in the launch, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Noteverythingisaconspiracy Posted May 15, 2015 #9 Share Posted May 15, 2015 (edited) I'd rather wait a couple of years for a modern spacecraft that can safely abort its mission at any point in the launch, too. While the Soyuz spacecraft is getting old, it is still very safe. It has been updated a lot and there hasn't been a fatal accident since june 30 1971. 44 years years without a fatality is really as good as it gets. What other means of transport can boast a similar safety record ? The Space shuttle had 14 fatalities in the same time frame ! There has been numerous efforts by the Soviets and later Russians to replace Soyuz, but it allways come down to this: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Anyway as long as Andreas Mogensen gets to fly on the mission I am happy. He is going to be Denmarks first man in Space. Edited May 15, 2015 by Noteverythingisaconspiracy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted May 15, 2015 #10 Share Posted May 15, 2015 I'd rather wait a couple of years for a modern spacecraft that can safely abort its mission at any point in the launch, too. Rather than a tried and tested vehicle which has not had a fatal accident since 1971 and has successfully undergone TWO launch aborts which both crews survived? The Soyuz may be based on sixties technology but so is the Boeing 747. Just like the 747 it has been modernised. Just like the 747 it is a rather different vehicle to the first one that flew. The Soyuz is about as safe as manned spacecraft can be. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted May 15, 2015 #11 Share Posted May 15, 2015 (edited) I wonder why she cancelled ? after all the attention and effort Back in January Brightman postponed some of her training, citing "family reasons". It subsequently turned out that she had returned home from Russia because her mother was ill. She has now postponed her spaceflight and is, once again, citing "personal and family reasons". I may be putting two and two together to make five but I suspect that these two events are related. It seems to me highly likely that her mother's illness could be the reason she has delayed her spaceflight. If that is the case then my best wishes go out to her. Multi-millionaire or not, the serious illness of a parent is something that should have the sympathy of all right-thinking human beings. Edited May 15, 2015 by Waspie_Dwarf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Hammerclaw Posted May 15, 2015 #12 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Rather than a tried and tested vehicle which has not had a fatal accident since 1971 and has successfully undergone TWO launch aborts which both crews survived? The Soyuz may be based on sixties technology but so is the Boeing 747. Just like the 747 it has been modernised. Just like the 747 it is a rather different vehicle to the first one that flew. The Soyuz is about as safe as manned spacecraft can be. No. it's as safe as a spacecraft was in the twentieth century. This is the twenty-first century. You ride that antique if you want to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Noteverythingisaconspiracy Posted May 15, 2015 #13 Share Posted May 15, 2015 No. it's as safe as a spacecraft was in the twentieth century. This is the twenty-first century. You ride that antique if you want to. I am not sure what you mean by that ? Would you really rather be a passenger on a new system, rather than one with a proven safety record, just because it is more modern ? The Space shuttle was more modern than the Soyuz, but in 30 years of service it lost 14 lives, compared to Soyuz's 4 lives in 44 years (none since 1971). You do the math ! In manned spaceflight safety allways comes before cutting edge technology. The next US manned spacecrafts (Orion, Dragon V2 and CST-100) are all going to use the same tried and tested configuration as Soyuz, Vostok, Voskhod, Shenzhou, Apollo, Mercury and Gemini use/used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Hammerclaw Posted May 15, 2015 #14 Share Posted May 15, 2015 I am not sure what you mean by that ? Would you really rather be a passenger on a new system, rather than one with a proven safety record, just because it is more modern ? The Space shuttle was more modern than the Soyuz, but in 30 years of service it lost 14 lives, compared to Soyuz's 4 lives in 44 years (none since 1971). You do the math ! In manned spaceflight safety allways comes before cutting edge technology. The next US manned spacecrafts (Orion, Dragon V2 and CST-100) are all going to use the same tried and tested configuration as Soyuz, Vostok, Voskhod, Shenzhou, Apollo, Mercury and Gemini use/used. I'm more concerned with their launch and abort systems than the capsule and their present quality control issues. http://www.americaspace.com/?p=2407 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted May 15, 2015 #15 Share Posted May 15, 2015 I am not sure what you mean by that ? I don't think he does either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted May 15, 2015 #16 Share Posted May 15, 2015 I'm more concerned with their launch and abort systems than the capsule and their present quality control issues. http://www.americaspace.com/?p=2407 The abort systems that have been needed twice and have saved Soyuz crews twice you mean? The abort systems which have worked PERFECTLY both times they were needed? I tend not to waste my time worrying about things which are PROVEN to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Hammerclaw Posted May 15, 2015 #17 Share Posted May 15, 2015 The abort systems that have been needed twice and have saved Soyuz crews twice you mean? The abort systems which have worked PERFECTLY both times they were needed? I tend not to waste my time worrying about things which are PROVEN to work. Their abort system is jettisoned after launch and it has failed at least once that we know of. The new Dragon abort system works all the way to orbit. http://www.space.com/29329-spacex-tests-dragon-launch-abort-system.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Noteverythingisaconspiracy Posted May 15, 2015 #18 Share Posted May 15, 2015 We don't really know the safety record of the Dragon spacecraft, because of the minor fact that it hasn't flown yet ! So it is not really fair to compare the known safety record of Soyuz with a system that haven't even flown yet. Is the Soyuz perfect ? Certainly not. No rocket launched system will ever be perfectly safe. A rocket is basically a (barely) controlled explosion. As astronaut John Glenn put it: “I guess the question I'm asked the most often is: "When you were sitting in that capsule listening to the count-down, how did you feel?" Well, the answer to that one is easy. I felt exactly how you would feel if you were getting ready to launch and knew you were sitting on top of two million parts -- all built by the lowest bidder on a government contract.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred_mc Posted May 16, 2015 #19 Share Posted May 16, 2015 (edited) A pity that she won't go I think. She's quite popular among older people, my almost 80-year mother likes her for example (and actually I like her too, she has sung many beautiful songs). It could get up interest for space exploration among older people if she went. Edited May 16, 2015 by fred_mc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted May 16, 2015 #20 Share Posted May 16, 2015 A pity that she won't go I think. From reading around my understanding is that she has postponed, rather than cancelled, the trip. At the moment opportunities for paying, "spaceflight participants," (as the Russians call them) are rare. That should change however once the US starts flying astronauts on it's on craft again. That should happen around 2017 and will free up seats on the Russian Soyuz craft. That should happen around 2017-18, so we may see her fly sometime after that... if she still wants to, and is able to pass the tests of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted May 16, 2015 #21 Share Posted May 16, 2015 Their abort system is jettisoned after launch and it has failed at least once that we know of. When has the Soyuz abort System ever failed? The only time the escape rocket was needed, during the Soyuz T-10-1 launch pad explosion, it operated perfectly (albeit with a little delay as it need to be manually fired). As for being jettisoned before reaching orbit, so what? Two of the three new US spacecraft, the CST-100 and the Orion will both do the same. Don't buy too much into Elon Musk's spiel, he is a salesman above all else. Escape rockets are ejected before reaching orbit because they are no longer required for an abort at that altitude. An abort can take place using other methods... which is EXACTLY what happened on the Soyuz 18-1 mission. After the second and third stages failed to separate properly an in-flight abort occurred. This was AFTER the launch escape tower had been jettisoned. The new Dragon abort system works all the way to orbit. As does that of Soyuz (see above). Soyuz... doing since 1975 what Elon Musk promises for 2017!! Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, they are not entitled to their own facts. Now are you going to put foward an informed argument or are you going to keep arguing from a factually incorrect position? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Hammerclaw Posted May 16, 2015 #22 Share Posted May 16, 2015 (edited) When has the Soyuz abort System ever failed? The only time the escape rocket was needed, during the Soyuz T-10-1 launch pad explosion, it operated perfectly (albeit with a little delay as it need to be manually fired). As for being jettisoned before reaching orbit, so what? Two of the three new US spacecraft, the CST-100 and the Orion will both do the same. Don't buy too much into Elon Musk's spiel, he is a salesman above all else. Escape rockets are ejected before reaching orbit because they are no longer required for an abort at that altitude. An abort can take place using other methods... which is EXACTLY what happened on the Soyuz 18-1 mission. After the second and third stages failed to separate properly an in-flight abort occurred. This was AFTER the launch escape tower had been jettisoned. As does that of Soyuz (see above). Soyuz... doing since 1975 what Elon Musk promises for 2017!! Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, they are not entitled to their own facts. Now are you going to put foward an informed argument or are you going to keep arguing from a factually incorrect position? Point taken, except that SpaceX won't be able to "sell" NASA on anything involving the safety of the flight crew that doesn't work. You'll have to excuse my enthusiasm for the prospect of my country resuming manned missions. As for our private sector embarking on it's own space programs, I like the idea of not putting all our eggs in one basket, this time. Edited May 16, 2015 by Hammerclaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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