Yes you are reading this correctly, just a few weeks after the showing of the Burj Khalifa we hear that its already facing competition. Plans for a new superscraper in our own backyard of Miami could win the title of the worlds tallest building. Forget about the Burj Khalifa??? WOW i would love to see this happen!

According to Miami herald, Kobi Karp has submitted designs for Miapolis, a ‘city within a city’ planned for Watson Island. If built, the 160 storey building will be 183 meters higher than the Burj Khalifa. What is more, the Miapolis will boasts of an amusement park, observatory, restaurants, 1.96 million sq ft of shops, over 1000 apartments, 1 million sq ft office space and a 792 room hotel.

Besides being a rival to the Burj Khalifa, the new building if built will function as an economic engine creating 5,000 permanent jobs, paying off $39 million debt owed to the City and injecting $2.5 billion annually into the local economy.

The project is currently looking for funding from investors. With Miami’s current financial woes including a reported 100,000 plus properties in foreclosure, wonder if this project is the right defense to promote economic growth.

Miapolis

On Monday 7th December Virgin Galactic unveiled SpaceShipTwo to the world at Mojave Spaceport, California. 800 press, future astronauts and VIP guests gathered in the desert for a press conference and to view the roll out of the world’s first commercial spaceline.

Sir Richard Branson and Burt Rutan led the press conference, special recognition went to the team at Scaled Composites whose hard work and dedication have made this happen. Governors Bill Richardson and Arnold Schwarzenegger both contributed at the press conference, celebrating this huge milestone and also joining Holly, Richard’s daughter in naming the spaceship, VSS Enterprise.

Despite gale force winds and stormy weather, guests gathered on the runway after the press conference to see SpaceShipTwo for the first time. The spaceship was carried down the runway by her mothership, VMS Eve, to a spectacular display of lights, music and snow which only helped increase the anticipation of her arrival and excitement and awe as she appeared before the crowds.

Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic

Luxury aircraft: From LA to NY in just over two hours? Very soon, you and 11 of

your closest friends or business partners will be able to do just that. The QSST by

Supersonic Aerospace International is a supersonic business jet that is expected to

revolutionize the aviation industry upon its arrival. The 12-seat luxury aircraft, which is

formally known as the Quiet Supersonic Transport, will be the only jet that is capable of

flying at supersonic speed over populated continental areas. Imagine all airplanes flying

nearly twice the distance in the same amount time, and the significance of the QSST

taking flight is a palpable event of positive impact. It is a major step toward quiet

supersonic flights becoming commonplace worldwide.

Supersonic Aerospace International commissioned Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works design team to build the

QSST, because it is among the most experienced in aircraft design and production. The team responsible for

the aerodynamic advancements that could lead to all aircraft flying at supersonic speed is also the developer

other precedent-setting aircraft. Skunk Works is the builder of one of the first business jets, Jetstar, the SR-71,

the F-117 Stealth Fighter, and the F/A-22 Raptor.

The QSST will travel between Mach 1.6 and Mach 1.8. Mach 1 is 768 mph; so the maximum cruising speed

of the business jet will be as fast as 1,188 mph. While it is not quite as fast as the Concorde, its sonic boom

is 99 percent quieter or 1/100 of the boom generated by the Concorde. Due to its limited usage and

cost-ineffectiveness, the Concorde was officially retired from service in November 2003.

According to SAI, the sound heard from ground level made by the QSST flying overhead is equivalent to that

of a car passing by. The sound reduction occurs due to increasing the ration of length to wingspan. T

he boom itself is longer but substantially less audible. Skunk Works spent six years and more $40 million

in bringing its patented sonic-boom-suppression technology to fruition. In 2010 the engine of the QSST will

be selected from one of three bidding manufacturers. The engine will be produced either by General Electric,

Pratt & Whitney, or Rolls-Royce.

The supersonic-aircraft project with Skunk Works began in 2001.The QSST will be flight ready in 2014

and available for customers by 2016. Along with being in compliance with current and anticipated sound

and environmental regulations, the size of the QSST will enable it to be use most major airports worldwide.

The price of a Quiet Supersonic Transport business jet will be around $80 million. For more information,

visit SAIQSST.com.

I really don’t agree with what Nasa is going to do to the moon!

According to Nasa on Friday morning, an unmanned spacecraft launched in June will crash into the moon’s surface. This is going to cost us taxpayers an outrageous $79 million.

This is so not cool! What do you think?

moon