Richard Branson
The ceremony took place at Mojave Spaceport in Mojave Desert, California. The aircraft, called ‘the sexiest spaceship ever’, is designed for six people and is going to send people into space from 2011. It is estimated that 2.5 hour journey would cost you £122,000 ($200,000).
The aircraft would firstly be carried by its mothership, and then move at supersonic speeds until it goes almost 62 miles away from Earth's surface. It would allow passengers to experience weightlessness, making them feel like professional astronauts. After spending several minutes in outer space, SpaceShipTwo would return back to Earth.
“This is truly a momentous day. The team has created not only a world first but also a work of art. The unveil of SS2 takes the Virgin Galactic vision to the next level and continues to provide tangible evidence that this ambitious project is not only moving rapidly, but also making tremendous progress towards our goal of safe commercial operation,” said Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Galactic.
The event was attended by future astronauts and VIP guests, including two governors: Arnold Schwarzenegger (California) and Bill Richardson (New Mexico). The aircraft would use Spaceport America, the first commercial spaceport in the world, located in southern New Mexico.
by Zair Kashek
Tagged in Sir Paul McCartney