Virgin Galactic 'will be available to the masses'

Wednesday, March 29, 2006 - 02:39 PM

Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic space tourism programme could eventually be “available to the masses”, it was disclosed today.

From late 2008 Virgin is planning to send passengers into space for 15 minutes, in a specially-designed craft that will allow them to experience weightlessness.

But although the journey, travelling at 3,000 miles an hour, will initially cost $200,000 (€166,000) Virgin Galactic organisers reckon this cost will soon come down.

Virgin Galactic president Will Whitehorn said today that people had to bear in mind that just before the Second World War a London to New York flight cost the equivalent of $80,000 (€66,616).

Now such transatlantic flights could be as low as £300 (€433), he said, adding: “It is feasible that we will see space travel generally become available to the masses.”

Virgin Galactic has so far received deposits from 157 people to go on flights when they become available following a strenuous test programme.

Announcing progress of the project in Dubai today Richard Branson said that former Dallas star Victoria Principal, French designer Philippe Starck and British film director Bryan Singer, who is directing a new Superman movie, were among those who had paid deposits.

Others who have put money down already include a Dutch woman in her 80s, Americans, Britons, South Africans and Australias.

Branson, his children Holly and Sam, and even, if possible his elderly parents Eve and Ted, are planning to be on the first commercial flight in late 2008 or early 2009.

Branson said today that his father would be 91 by then but was “determined to go”.

About 45,000 people have expressed interest in becoming passengers and Virgin Galactic hopes that as many as 50,000 customers can take it into space in the years up to 2019.

The spacecraft will be attached to a “mothership” that will be similar to a passenger Boeing 757 plane. The whole journey will take two and a half hours with the spacecraft being propelled away from the mothership giving passengers a 15-minute flight at a height of about 400,000ft.

The craft will then be able to land back on earth like a conventional aircraft.

Mr Whitehorn said today that the design of the craft – to be known as SpaceShipTwo – had been created with the fact in mind that by far the most important aspect of the journey for would-be travellers was being able to experience weightlessness.

He said full details of the design were expected to be released early next year.

Virgin announced today that any of Virgin Atlantic Airways’ 700 pilots could apply to become fully-fledged astronaut pilots who would take tourists on the trips on SpaceShipTwo.

The first three of these pilots were announced today in Dubai and include two former Red Arrows pilots, now working for Virgin Atlantic – Steve Johnson and Alistair Hoy.