14 minute read
THE FINAL FRONTIER
The Final
Words: Sam Kessler
Frontier
WHEN WILL COMMERCIAL SPACE FLIGHTS BECOME A REALITY?
Back in July, Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos became not just the richest man on the planet, but the richest man off it too, as he, his brother, a Space Race veteran and a random 18-year-old student jetted into space. It was a groundbreaking, historical event that proved that even your average multi-billionaire can achieve their dreams.
Yet before Bezos blasted off in his mid-life crisis incarnate, the unsubtly phallic New Shepherd, rival would-be spaceman Richard Branson was already cruising slightly lower at the edge of the stratosphere via the longer established competition to Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic. It’s honestly inspiring to see ubermench of such Randian proportions contribute to the real crises of the world.
Yet for us humble citizens of Earth, rooted to terra firma, it does beg the question: when oh when will we get a go? Well, unfortunately, it might be a little while yet.
While both Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic are getting ready to offer bookings for potential spaceflights, the former has yet to announce pricing and the latter starts at £250,000. If you own a couple of hedge funds and a Cayman Islands bank account, that might seem attainable but for most people, it’s not even close.
The best parallel is also an obvious one: air travel. Back in the early days, air travel was a novelty rather than the necessity it is today, with a handful of dubious aircraft complete with fewer passengers than an entry-level Cessna.
That made it expensive. It wasn’t until more airlines started running more flights, larger aircraft and a multitude of routes that prices came down to the point where you can book a trip to Italy for £50 via Easyjet.
Unfortunately, going straight up and down, no matter how exhilarating, isn’t quite as useful. At the moment it’s a glorified joyride. Add in the intense fuel costs involved and the fact that reusable rockets, while cost-cutting, are still very much in their infancy. So how can we change things?
Richard Branson (above) won the multi-billionaire race with Jeff Bezos, as he reached the edge of the stratosphere in Virgin Atlantic’s Blue Origin days before the Amazon founder and you could one day join him there... if you have a spare £250,000 to hand
Well, by scaling things up. At the moment, long-haul flights can take upwards of 10 hours. Instead, by shooting up out of the atmosphere, an aircraft could travel in the vacuum of space at supersonic speeds where there’s far less air resistance. Fly against the curvature of the Earth and not only are you travelling faster, but your relative speed to the planet is even greater, reducing flight times drastically.
It sounds like a far-fetched plan, but it’s one that’s already in the works. SpaceX is already working on using their suborbital Starship rocket to cut down the 15-hour New York to Shanghai flight down to 39 minutes. Virgin Galactic also have ideas in the arena, though not being led by Elon Musk they’re a bit less vocal about what they’re aiming for.
It’s a theory that UBS believes in, which valued the sector at roughly $20 billion back in 2019, if only 5% of long haul fliers decided to opt for it. And its not hard to see where that faith comes from, given that Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo actually lands on a runway. It’s more than a reusable rocket; it’s a stratospheric jumbo jet in its infancy.
There is however the problem of mass. Bezos took up three other passengers and Branson a total of 11. The more people you take up that high, the larger the energy costs, the most expensive, dangerous and potentially out of reach it gets. So far these have still very much been test flights.
Fortunately, it’s not just the spacefaring triumvirate of Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic and SpaceX that are getting in on the act, either. Taking up the mantle of Concorde, Aerion and Boom Supersonic are two companies working on insanely quick supersonic aircraft with sweeping, parabolic flight paths right to the edge of space.
Better yet, they might not be far off from becoming affordable, if Boom CEO Blake Scholl is to be believed. He reckons that by 2026, we’ll be able to fly anywhere in the world in under four hours for less than £100. That’s a bold prediction. Here’s hoping it’s true.
Of course, in all these instances what goes up must come down. There are a few concepts on the horizon where that might not be the case. Axiom Space are
Before we get trips to space for less than a business class ticket, we’ll have to put up witha lot more billionaires taking a lot more rocket-fuelled publicity stunts
among a handful of firms on the way to building commercial space stations in orbit, and aside from interiors designed by Philippe Starck (no joke) construction seems to be well underway.
There are plenty of reasons behind such projects of course, ranging from a hotel with a view to vital research to a worrying lack of governmental oversight, sometimes a bit of all three.
Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo (left) lands on a runway like a plane and is competing for supremacy of the stratosphere with Boom Supersonic (above) whose CEO believes that by 2026, we’ll be able to fly anywhere in the world in under four hours for less than £100
But progress has been slow and will continue to be until at least a couple of these projects – be they Axiom or competitors Bigelow Aerospace and the Gateway Foundation – are complete.
So back to that original question of when. When will all this become affordable to the non-billionaire layperson? The fact is, we don’t know and estimates vary wildly. The least conservative suggest the 2030s, which doesn’t seem too implausible. Still, next time you take the Red Eye, that’ll seem like forever.
The bottom line however is that they need demand and in order to build demand they need money and those willing to part with it. So before we get trips to space that cost less than a business class ticket on BA, we’ll have to put up with a lot more billionaires taking a lot more rocket-fuelled publicity stunts out of the atmosphere first.
Can I buy you a drink?
Words: Aidy Smith
This year really has just flown by. It seems odd to say, but in just two months it will be Christmas again. I know, I know, it makes no sense - so allow me to touch upon a couple of things that do. Welcome back to your personal drinks corner where I seek out the best imbibes for your glass - and what a treat we have this week. From martinis and sparkling (which isn’t champagne!) to heart-warming reds - take your pick and wet your lips, my friends.
POTHECARY GIN
Handcrafted in small batches in a microdistillery, the founders of Pothecary make sure everything that goes into their product is perfect. The five botanicals of juniper, tilia flowers, black mulberries, lemon, and lavender are all either wild-foraged or organic, and each ingredient is distilled separately. As a testament to their dedication, the founders fill, cork and seal each bottle by hand. If the word martini makes you happy, then you’re in for a real treat here. £37 from Master of Malt
BALCONES TEXAS RYE 100 PROOF
In case you didn’t know, Texas is producing some kick-ass whisky. This addition to the Balcones range is one of my favourites. Rich in aroma you’re hit with a freshly cut leather, tobacco and cracked black pepper on the nose, held together by a Ceylon tea and sweet cedar oak. The palate offers toffee popcorn, sugar coated macadamia nuts and a touch of white pepper. As the nuttiness fades, a dark chocolate and charred caramel find their way onto the palate for a long harmonious finish. Easy now, cowboy. £43 from The Whiskey Exchange
GRAND MARNIER CUVÉE ALEXANDRE
Originally created as a tribute to the Founder of Grand Marnier, this stunning orange liqueur and VSOP cognac will be the heavenly addition to some of the best cocktails you’ll ever make (I’m looking at the Sidecar here). The blend of 82% VSOP Cognac and 18% bitter, aromatic bigaradia orange liqueur intertwines candied orange, vanilla and a zesty citrus caramel with rich oak and an incredibly smooth and rich palate. When I get this excited about things, you know they’re going to be good. £52 from The Whisky Exchange
DISTILLERY NO. 209 BARREL RESERVE
A beautiful peachy-brown colour rests in each glass, the colour being a product of this gin being aged in French Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Barrels. There’s a growing number of such gins, but this is one of the best. Sticky caramel, juniper and peach hit you on the nose while the palate offers sweet citrus, a spice-rich black pepper, ginger and cloves. The finale erupts into a sensation of dark chocolate, interlaced with oak and vanilla. All in all this is a sensational gin which deserves to be sipped entirely on its own. £57 from Distillers Direct
CA’ DEL BOSCO ANNAMARIA CLEMENTI 2010
Welcome to the world of luxury Italian sparkling wines. This is Franciacorta. Lauded by critics as the very best wine available from Lombardy, a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot blanc grapes is expertly hand-selected and processed using a traditional Champagnestyle method and bottleaged for six years on their lees. The resulting semi-sweet sparkling wine is enticing in its complexity; unlike a straightforward Prosecco this is a sparkling wine to make you think. With an aroma of peaches, citrus, and dried fruit and a palate of Golden Delicious apples and bright citrus notes that is all at once creamy, fruit-forward, and beautifully refined. Grazie mille, Maurizio and Annamaria £101 from VINVM
WARWICK TRILOGY 2017
A credit to South African wine making from one of the most renowned wineries in the country. In my opinion, this is one of Warwick’s finest. Freshly wrapped cigar and tobacco with milk chocolate cocoa, plums, red berries, a little liquorice. Slight tannins and heaps of oak that balance to create the perfect finish. If you’re into those bigger bolder wines as we creep into autumn, say hello to your new best friend.
£28 from Vivino AU BON CLIMAT PINOT NOIR 2018
Straight from Santa Maria in the heart of California. Au Bon Climat have created a sublime reputation for themselves, and with very good reason. The 2018 vintage offers vibrant notes of toffee and cherry, deep dark black and red fruits with that oaky vanilla touch, bursting with a ‘jammy’ boldness. This is no light Pinot, you can expect complexity like a baked pie, it’s almost like a young Zin bursting with flavour. Leave this beauty to sit for 20 minutes before diving into a glass, you’ll be incredibly thankful. £34 from Harvey Nichols
CASTELLO FONTERUTOLI GRAN SELEZIONE 2015
The Castello Fonterutoli Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2015 is a sensual treat. A luscious dark red hue sits in the glass, bursting with lightly baked cherry and plum pie. There’s a delightful 60% dark chocolate caramel that lingers amongst the red berry freshness on the nose. On the palate you experience a lovely dry earthiness with a perfectly balanced acidity that really brings this Chianti to life. The mid-palate offers you a sumptuous velvety tannin, with layers of milk chocolate that erupt into a finale of red and black meadow fruits, as if reenacting the concluding the final note of a symphony. £55 from Vivino
EDITED BY MICHAEL SONSINO
RESTAURANT &BAR NEWS
It’s impossible to tell what’s around the corner and while international travel is still largely off the table, within the UK a wary sense of normality is starting to creep in. After almost two years, perhaps we’re finally adjusting to whatever this ‘new normal’ is. And a large part of that feeling has been thanks to the launch of many new restaurants that let us get out of the house and enjoy good food and better company. Here are some recent and upcoming openings that have us excited right now.
↓ KASE AND KIN
52-53 Poland Street, Soho, W1F 7NQ
Kase and Kin is the second venture of Filipino foodie Rowena Romulo in London, the mind behind the multiaward winning Romulo Café and Restaurant. The new Soho-based establishment, which was consulted on by Michelin-star chef Pat McDonald of The Savoy, hones in on Filipino and southeast Asian cooking. There’s an extensive array of food available throughout the day, including its own patisserie and bakery and I already want to try their Chocolate & Banana Bad Boy dessert!
Opens 20 October, follow them at instagram.com/kasaandkin to stay up to date
↑ EL PIRATA
5-6 Down Street, Mayfair, W1J 7AQ
Ok, so, El Pirata is not exactly a new opening, having been a staple of London streets for over 26 years… However, following lockdown it feels like we’re seeing all these restaurants for the first time so why not use this excuse to visit an old favourite. And El Pirata’s Spanish tapas is the perfect food to reconnect with people over. The menu is also as fresh as ever coming off the back of a month-long gin festival.
Open now, book at elpirata.co.uk
↑ GUNPOWDER SOHO
20 Greek Street, Soho, W1D 4EF
Gunpowder is a small collection of Indian restaurants inspired by the private members and golf clubs of Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi. They actually managed to thrive during lockdown thanks to their popular home delivery service, which means they’re now ready to open their landmark third site in London. You can be sure all the favourite dishes from the other venues will be making their way to Soho, including their city-wide famous Kashmiri lamb chops.
Open now, find out more at gunpowderrestaurants.com
↑ IL BORRO TUSCAN BISTRO
15 Berkeley St, Mayfair, W1J 8DY
The whisperings of a new high-end Italian restaurant opening in Mayfair have been circulating for a few months now, but as we finally approach opening night, more details have finally emerged. Named Il Borro Tuscan Bistro it’s a fine dining farm-to-table concept from the Il Borro estate in Tuscany, Italy with ingredients such as vegetables, olive oil and wine taken straight from the estate. It’s fresh, it’s Italian, it’s in Mayfair, I’m already salivating.
Opens 11 October, for more details check out ilborrotuscanbistro.co.uk
[POP OUT] ELSEWHERE IN THE UK ↓ CASABLANCA COCKTAIL CLUB
233 Cowgate, Edinburgh, EH1 1JQ
Set inside the immensely successful House of Gods hotel in the Scottish capital, the Casablanca Cocktail Club promises one of the most decadent and over the top dinning experiences that you could ever wish for. All I need to say is ‘24 carat gold Wagyu burger’ and you’ll understand the type of cuisine we’re talking about. That luxury expands to the mirrored ceilings, pinot noir velvet chairs and gilded artworks that create an unparalleled atmosphere.
Open now. Learn more at houseofgodshotel.com
→ HOME RUN HOUSE
Westfield, Stratford, London, E20 1EJ
Our style shoot this issue leans heavily on its funky Philly location, Cleveland Street’s Passyunk Avenue, home to the best cheesesteaks in London. I mean it. Their homemade cheese whizz is the stuff of comfort food dreams. Yet if you’re looking for a more physical ode to Americana, then we’d definitely recommend Home Run House, the restaurant’s batting cage venue.
As authentic as Passyunk’s faithful Philadelphia specialities, the food instead takes on classic ballpark fare – nachos, hot dogs and the like – with plenty of decent beer. As we not-so-patiently wait for the chain’s Leak Street venue to finally open, Home Run House is a decent way to work off all that delicious, delicious cheese.
Find out more at passyunkavenue.com
