Roll-out for Richard Branson's Spaceliner

[jimmy olsen]

Sweet! If I hit a $100 million jackpot I'll do it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8400353.stm

Roll-out for Richard Branson's spaceliner

By Jonathan Amos
Science correspondent, BBC News

Sir Richard Branson is unveiling the rocket plane he will use to take fare-paying passengers into space.

SpaceShipTwo is being presented to the world in Mojave, California.

The vehicle will undergo testing over the next 18 months before being allowed to take ticketed individuals on short-hop trips just above the atmosphere.

Sir Richard, who heads the Virgin Group, intends to run the first flights out of New Mexico before extending operations around the globe.

Built from lightweight carbon composite materials and powered by a hybrid rocket motor, SS2 is based on the X-Prize-winning SpaceShipOne concept - a rocket plane that is lifted initially by a carrier vehicle before blasting skywards.

"We want this programme to be a whole new beginning in a commercial era of space travel," Sir Richard told reporters before the official unveiling.

SS1 became the world's first private spaceship with a series of high-altitude flights in 2004.
Infographic (BBC)

Its successor, however, is twice as large, measuring 18m (60ft) in length. And whereas SpaceShipOne only had a single pilot (and the ballast equivalent of two passengers), SS2 will have a crew of two and room for six passengers.

"This is a very big space ship so you have got a lot of room to float around, lots of windows to looks out," the AFP news agency quoted Sir Richard as saying.

About 300 individuals are reported to have signed up for a flight. They are all willing to pay about $200,000 (£121,000) for the privilege of experiencing six minutes of weightlessness during what will be a two-hour end-to-end flight.

Many of those future "astronauts" are expected to attend the VIP unveiling at the Mojave Air and Spaceport.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson will christen the spaceliner Virgin SpaceShip (VSS) Enterprise.

The New Mexico authorities are investing almost $200m (£121m) in a purpose-built facility in Upham. It will have a 3,000m (10,000ft) runway and a suitably space-age terminal and hangar building designed by Foster and Partners.

Sir Richard's Virgin Galactic enterprise will have competitors but he is almost certain to be the first to market, barring any problems arising in the test campaign.

SpaceShipTwo's carrier plane is called WhiteKnightTwo. It was finished last year and has already begun its own trials.

[Ed Anger]

I'll enjoy the explosion on the pad when its on TV.

[Neil]

It's a shame that nothing will ever come of space travel.

[MadImmortalMan]

I thought about posting about this, but I figured Tim would do it eventually.

[Admiral Yi]

About 300 individuals are reported to have signed up for a flight. They are all willing to pay about $200,000 (£121,000) for the privilege of experiencing six minutes of weightlessness during what will be a two-hour end-to-end flight.

Can't you get the exact same effect by going up in an airliner and going into a dive?

[Maximus]

Can't you get the exact same effect by going up in an airliner and going into a dive?

If I recall my kinematics correctly that would require a 400 mile drop with a final velocity of 2800 miles per second.

[ulmont]

Can't you get the exact same effect by going up in an airliner and going into a dive?

If I recall my kinematics correctly that would require a 400 mile drop with a final velocity of 2800 miles per second.

The Vomit Comet only gets about 25 seconds of weightlessness, yes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vomit_Comet

[Maximus]

Can't you get the exact same effect by going up in an airliner and going into a dive?

If I recall my kinematics correctly that would require a 400 mile drop with a final velocity of 2800 miles per second.

Actually that should be 2.2 miles per second 

[Sheilbh]

My little brother won a science competition to go and see this at the Mojave launchpad

[jimmy olsen]

My little brother won a science competition to go and see this at the Mojave launchpad

Holy crap that sounds awesome! What kind of project did he  make?

[Sheilbh]

Holy crap that sounds awesome! What kind of project did he  make?

Him and his friends had to make a toy that would demonstrate a principle of science.  They built a rocket that always lands on its belly or possibly right way up.  Something like that.  But yeah he did well and is very hyped about it.

[Warspite]

Holy crap that sounds awesome! What kind of project did he  make?

Him and his friends had to make a toy that would demonstrate a principle of science.  They built a rocket that always lands on its belly or possibly right way up.  Something like that.  But yeah he did well and is very hyped about it.

It can hit Israel?

[Crazy_Ivan80]

About 300 individuals are reported to have signed up for a flight. They are all willing to pay about $200,000 (£121,000) for the privilege of experiencing six minutes of weightlessness during what will be a two-hour end-to-end flight.

Can't you get the exact same effect by going up in an airliner and going into a dive?

that's so passé. Ever onward and upward, and twirling to the future.