Space Tourism, Virgin Galactic
Posted on 07. Dec, 2009 by Chuck Rocker in Dis & Dat, Lifestyle, News, Tech
“NASA spent billions upon billions of dollars on space travel and has only managed to send 480 people,” Sir Richard Branson said. “We’re literally hoping to send thousands of people into space over the next couple of years. We want to make sure that we build a spaceship that is 100 percent safe.”
In Los Angeles Monday, the first public appearance of a commercial passenger aircraft was revealed, named SpaceShipTwo (for such a huge venture I expected a way cooler name). The project has been funded by Virgin Galactic founder, British billionaire Sir Richard Branson. Flights are on schedule to begin in 2011 and Branson, his family and aviation designer Burt Rutan would be the first passengers to reach space aboard the craft.
Rutan designed the prototype called SpaceShipOne in 2004 and won the $10 million Ansari X Prize by becoming the first privately manned craft to reach space.
SpaceShipTwo, built from lightweight composite materials and powered by a hybrid rocket motor, is similar to its prototype cousin with three exceptions. It’s twice as large, measuring 60 feet long with a roomy cabin about the size of a Falcon 900 executive jet. It also has more windows including overhead portholes. While SpaceShipOne was designed for three people, SpaceShipTwo can carry six passengers and two pilots.
So get in line cause I have a feeling that these seats are gonna sell out fast!
