Access Quote by Burt Rutan
“To allow public access to orbit, we would need breakthroughs that would lower the cost by a lot more than an order of magnitude and increase safety by a factor of 100 as compared to every launch system used since the first manned space flight. I think airborne launch will be a significant part of the safety solution.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview on Space Access, 2015
Achieving affordable, safe public orbit requires massive cost reductions and huge safety improvements beyond existing rockets; airborne launch could help.
In simple terms: Space travel must become far cheaper and far safer; airborne launch may help.
Key Takeaway
Focus on cost and safety breakthroughs.
Themes
space engineering
innovation
risk management
Mood
optimistic
technical
strategic
Type
technical
visionary
policy
When to use this quote
- government policy
- private launch companies
- research labs
- insurance underwriting
Key Concepts
orbital access
airborne launch
cost reduction
system safety
Questions to Reflect On
- What safety improvements are most critical for public orbit?
- How can airborne launch reduce launch risk?
A Different Perspective
Current technology may not meet the required safety factor without new materials.
