One step closer to actual space tourism for Virgin Galactic by Zuzana Zelenakova

Virgin Galactic´s tourism space ship rocket SpaceShipTwo completed successfully its first solo glide flight yesterday. For the company belonging to Richard Branson´s Virgin Group it is a big step forward in its efforts to provide sub-orbital, and later also orbital spaceflights to paying public. SpaceShipTwo was carried to an altitude of 45,000 feet by its mothership dubbed WhiteKnightTwo and then released over the Mojave Desert, California. The rocket flew on its own for 11 minutes before landing on an airport. It took 25 minutes to complete the whole test flight. "It's a very big deal," Virgin president Sir Richard Branson told The Associated Press. "There are! a number of big deals on the way to getting commercial space travel becoming a reality. This was a very big step. We now know that the spaceship glides. We know it can be dropped safely from the mothership and we know it can land safely. That's three big ticks." "The next big step will be the rocket tests actually on the spacecraft itself," he added. "We've obviously have done thousands of rocket tests on the ground, the next big test is in the air. We'll be doing gentle rocket tests in the air, ultimately culminating into taking the spaceship into space." Compared to its predecessor SpaceShipOne this rocket is able to fly higher, up to 110 km, thus surpassing the defined boundary of space (100 km). All in all, it means that customers will able to experience the weightlessness for a longer period of time. SpaceShipTwo can carry two members of the crew and six passengers. The rocket was introduced to the world on 7 December, 2009. Up to now, several hundred people have alre! ady signed up for the flight which will cost them about $200,0! 00.
related story (sgx18379): http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101011/ap_on_sc/us_space_touris...

by Zuzana Zelenakova for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

Cantell TV is the fastest growing provider of digital broadcasting coupled with telecommunications, allowing people to easily control, view, upload and share digital content through proprietary interface coupled with free phone calls. Cantell TV is committed to delivering infinite choices to your world of entertainment at! the tip of your fingers.

Ancient trees as important as ancient architecture by Milota Sidorova

Trees have always been mementos for ancient people. Their importance was great and they influeced the life pace of whole communities. According to story from Middle East, the legendary king, Xerxes went on his war journey. Along the road he found beautiful and large sycamore tree – and he ordered to hang beautiful and precious jewellery on it. He said that the tree was as beautiful as a woman, so that he had to be gifted like a beautiful woman. In another story a Persian King went on another war journey with his army. They made it to mountainous cities, but the cold weather caught them. Although a group of sycamore trees stood quite close, soliders refused to cut the! m down. They were afraid, but the freezing wind was unbearable. Half dead, finally the King himself got the courage and cut down the first tree. Due the fire soldiers were able to survive the night. In another story soldiers who attacked and conquered the city showed their ultimate dominance over original inhabitants with one cruel way – they cut down every tree in the city. Cutting down the tree was like erasing a memory and put a person into the shame.- it was equal to later period of shaving off the head before death penalty. Trees symbolized a relationship with the country, particular society and the presence of that community on particular area. Sycamores were especially worshiped – they were great, old and beautiful. They made a center of the village very often. And it´s not a coincidence that one sycamore has been found today in ancient Jericho. And according to research it should be the exact tree from Biblical story of Zacchaeus and Jesus. In o! rder to see Jesus in a huge crowd, the tax collector climbed o! n a tree and waited there. Jesus then turned and spoke to him. They had a common dinner in Zacchaeus´s house. The tree once again played a crucial role in the story. And now the exact more than 2,000 years old tree was found. Palestine officials plan to make it a part of exposition – not only for common tourists, but also for pilgrimers.

related story (sgx18315): http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap_travel/20101001/ap_tr_ge/ml_trave...

by Milota Sidorova for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

Cantell TV is the ! fastest growing provider of digital broadcasting coupled with telecommunications, allowing people to easily control, view, upload and share digital content through proprietary interface coupled with free phone calls. Cantell TV is committed to delivering infinite choices to your world of entertainment at the tip of your fingers.