On the Eve of civilian space travel

On the Eve of civilian space travel

Posted 07-31-2009 by Bill Andrews

WhiteKnightTwo 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)

Comments (2) | Tags: space tourism, destinations, Bill Andrews

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freebirdjr said:

All I know is that this is ingenious. I've been excited about this development for sometime and have watched with much enthusiasm. The idea of sustainable flight travel above 30, 000 feet is incredible. Especially when it's high enough to enter into the thermosphere of Earth. We're on a new path of discovery here and if the Constellation Project follows through with their endeavor to put man on the moon in a permanent home base in the Polar regions, then we're on our way to interstellar space travel. Good Job to ALL the companies who have fought for the right to get into commercial space travel. I want to see the Earth from 55,000 miles in space, what about you??? The more they build, the more chances the lower classes have to visiting space with a Civilian Space Travel company. Support this! Follow this! This will be our future! This is the future of travel!

August 1, 2009 5:17 PM
Bill Andrews said:

Exactly! It's so exciting to think what we may be on the verge of, with practically existing technology too. Let's hope we can keep up the pace.

August 4, 2009 9:43 AM