RGRs (Rich Guy Rockets)

[Kirsten]

Okay, so it is becoming quite the fashion for rich guys to develop their own space transportation. Who do we have so far and how are they doing?

John Carmack (Doom and Quake)- he's actually doing rather well in spite of some recent test failures and is one of the leading contenders for the X-Prize

Elon Musk (PayPal)- has he built anything?

Brian Walker (toy maker)- he seems to be progressing as well and has some neat home video of his work

Jeff Bezos (amazon.com)- has he built anything?

Paul Allen (Microsoft)- rumored to be connected with the Scaled Composites effort but refuses to comment either way

I also heard that Richard Branson is hooked up with some project, but I don't know what. Anyone heard of this?

Kirsten

[K6-III]

From what I've heard of Branson, he's much more likely to devour a drowning company with good ideas for pennies than start anything from scratch himself...

[PhysBrain]

Elon Musk started up Space Exploration Technologies with a very aggressive time table (from clean sheet to launch in eighteen months), and price point (approximately 1/3 the cost of present launchers). The company was put together in June 2002, and started to design their rocket from scratch. In March they test fired their first engine and they are on track for a launch of their single stage rocket, Falcon, by the end of the year.

http://spacex.com/

[K6-III]

Should the Falcon be successful per the timetable perscribed, it will be interesting to see its successor devour the Delta IV and Atlas V, if not the Ariane 5...

[K6-III]

Not much on Bezos's site: www.blueorigin.com

[K6-III]

From his job postings section:

Jobs

Blue Origin is hiring a small number of highly qualified and dedicated individuals who meet the following criteria:

You must have a genuine passion for space. Without passion, you will find what we're trying to do too difficult. There are much easier jobs.

You must want to work in a small company. If you can happily work at a large aerospace company, you're probably not the right person.

Our hiring bar is unabashedly extreme. We insist on keeping our team size small (measured in the dozens), which means each person occupying a spot must be among the most technically gifted in his or her field.

We are building real hardware -- not PowerPoint presentations. This must excite you. You must be a builder.

Blue Origin invites applications from aerospace engineers with expertise in the following areas:

Flight structures and mechanics

Propulsion

Avionics

GNC software

Systems integration and testing

To apply, please send a cover letter and electronic resume in text or PDF form to jobs@blueorigin.com. Thank you.