We’re one step closer to taking vacations in space, it seems, after Virgin Galactic showed off its latest launch vehicle Tuesday at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual AirVenture event in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Named WhiteKnightTwo but nicknamed Eve, the plane resembles the hull of a catamaran, with the space between its booms intended to carry the still-in-development SpaceShipTwo, and its paying customers, into space as early as 2011. (Presumably Virgin will come up with a good nickname for SpaceShipTwo as well.)
Of course, it’s not cheap, with tickets costing $200,000 for what might be minutes in space. But according to Virgin Galactic President Will Whitehorn, they’ve already received $40 million in deposits and will need five more spaceships just to meet demand. The company also made a deal Tuesday with an Abu Dhabi investment firm to build a spaceport there by 2014 in exchange for stake in Virgin Galactic.
The spaceship will also be able to act as a mother ship to launch satellites, as well as allow scientists to conduct experiments in space. It’s the successor to WhiteKnightOne and SpaceShipOne, which under aircraft designer Burt Rutan’s direction 4 years ago won the X Prize for sending a civilian into space.
I don’t know about you, but easy space travel can’t come soon enough for me. Perhaps it’s because I love science fiction so much, but I’ve always wondered just what the heck was wrong with us that we possessed the ability to explore space, but not so much the desire. Even NASA, which I admire as much as the next space geek, has sent people no farther than Earth orbit for more than 35 years. Sure, it might be more feasible to send robots or unmanned ships in many cases, but the symbol of sending mankind to another celestial body is huge! We owe it to ourselves to keep striving for more.
Along with flying cars and laser guns, casual space travel represents the future to me. Presuming I can get my hands on $200,000, you can bet I’ll be a part of it.
What about you? Can’t wait for space vacations either? Or will Virgin Galactic go the way of Virgin Express and Virgin Blue?
(image credit of WhiteKnightTwo: Mark Greenberg)