According to preliminary market surveys, there are 10,000 would-be space tourists willing to spend $1 million each to visit the final frontier. Space Adventures in Arlington have taken more than 130 deposits for a two-hour, $98,000 space tour tentatively set to occur by 2005. This may sound great, but there are a few hurdles. Putting a simple satellite into orbitwith no oxygen, life support or return trip necessaryalready costs and astronomical $2,200/kg. And that doesnt include the cost of insuring rich and possibly litigiouspassengers. The entire group of entrepreneurs trying to corner the spacetourism market has between them just enough money to blow up one rocket.
The U.S. space agency has plenty of money but zero interest in making space less expensive for the little guys. So the little guys are racing to do what the government has failed to do: design a reusable launch system thats inexpensive, safe and reliable. Kelly Spaces prototype looks like a plane that has sprouted rocket engines. Rotary Rocket in California has a booster with rotors to make a helicopter-style return to earth. The first passenger countdowns are still years away, but bureaucrats at the Federal Aviation Administration in Washington are already informally discussing flight regulations. After all, you cant be too prepared for a trip to that galaxy far, far away.
62. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
【12月英语四级全真预测试卷及答案-阅读】相关文章:
最新
2016-10-18
2016-10-11
2016-10-11
2016-10-08
2016-09-30
2016-09-30