SpaceShipTwo Revealed

[theotherguy]

Virgin Galactic unveils designs for new spacecraft
Plans for a new commercial suborbital spacecraft were presented this week by Virgin Galactic, the space tourism arm of Virgin Atlantic, and Scaled Composites, maker of the first privately funded manned spacecraft. Sir Richard Branson and Burt Rutan, the heads of the respective organizations, revealed models, artists' conceptions and construction photos of the eight-seat SpaceShipTwo, designed to carry six paying passengers to the edge of space for four and a half minutes of weightless awe. The Associated Press reports that 200 customers have already paid $200,000 apiece to reserve a ride, and Branson has set aside two seats for his elderly parents. The companies said they hope to begin test flights this summer, just a year after one of the craft's experimental engines exploded during a routine ground test, killing three employees. (Virgin Galactic)

Sir Richard Branson holds a model of WhiteKnightTwo, the aircraft being built to carry SpaceShipTwo (middle fuselage) to the edge of space with six paying passengers on board.

http://www.virgingalactic.com/htmlsite/news.php

The dawn of real commercial space tourism is almost here.

 

[<RJMC>]

is 3 planes pluged into one

why not make something more cool and stylish?

 

[Gargantou]

Who cares about space TOURISM!? All I want is my O'Neill Cylinders, and I want them NOW!

 

[comoxer]

The companies said they hope to begin test flights this summer, just a year after one of the craft's experimental engines exploded during a routine ground test, killing three employees. (Virgin Galactic)

It would be a dream come true to be aboard when it launches, but hearing something like that would have me a tad worried.

 

[Russian Mafia]

http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?t=137901

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

I'm sceptical. I just don't think we're going to find that many giant Bransons to send them up into space.

 

[Krynn72]

Thats not as expensive as I imagined it would be.

Damn, if thats the cost, i may be able to go one day.

Holy shit. I may be able to go into space at some point in my life.

D:

 

[theotherguy]

Thats not as expensive as I imagined it would be.

Damn, if thats the cost, i may be able to go one day.

Holy shit. I may be able to go into space at some point in my life.

D:

That's still the same cost as my house, also slightly less expensive than the four years I'll be spending in Carnegie Mellon.

Still, significantly less than it has been in the past. As more companies produce such vehicles it should start to become much cheaper. We may see the day when people routinely travel into suborbital space to make trans-continental flights very quickly quite soon.

 

[lePobz]

I didn't hear about the guys being blown up by an experimental engine ... remind me to search liveleak later.

They did well to sweep that one under the carpet.

Welcome to Virgin Space ... If we don't blow your mind, we'll blow you. Up.