Experience Space Travel

As at December 2009, 300 people around the world have already signed up to be Virgin Galactic Astronauts – including 5 Kiwis!

Launch Site
Virgin Galactic will operate its space flights and training from Spaceport America, the world’s first purpose built commercial spaceport. Spaceport America is located in New Mexico, USA.

Pre-flight Experience Program
• 3 days of pre-flight preparation, bonding and training onsite at the spaceport.

• You will learn how to maximise your space experience through tips on how to be most comfortable in microgravity, and how to get the most out of your time in microgravity.

• Training is expected to be conducted in the WK2 carrier aircraft.

• Training is included in the price of the flights
.

The Space Experience
• After you have completed the pre-flight training you will be suited up raring to go.

• You will climb to 50,000 feet where a countdown to release begins. Once released, you will be pinned back in your seat as you travel at almost 2500mph – over three times the speed of sound!

• The rocket motor is switched off. You are released from your seat to enjoy the weightless of space and the astrobatics we have all dreamed about.

• Once you are back in your reclined seat, the feathered wings of the spacecraft allow for gentle re-entry into the earth’s atmosphere.

Your pre-flight and flight experience will be recorded so you can share the experience with friends and family.

Safety
The pre-flight preparation will make sure you are physically and mentally prepared. Basic emergency response training will be conducted as well as activities to familiarise yourself with the spaceflight environment.  Virgin Galactic has specially designed spacecrafts that are safer by design; air not ground launched, carbon composite construction, wing feathering for re-entry and hybrid rocket motor technology.

Cost of a Space Flight
The starting price for flights is $200,000, with refundable deposits starting from $20,000.

Reservations
Reservations can be made through House of Travel Accredited Space Agents

 
Environment
The launch system is cleaner, cheaper and safer by design then the previous privately manned spaceships.

• Air launch avoids the need for large, dirty ground-based rocketry.

• Carbon composite construction gives four times the strength of steel, but not the weight.

• Hybrid rocket motor - benign and non-toxic fuel with a high altitude and short burn time.

• Unpowered descent and landing

• Fully reusable

• Carbon foot print - current calculations suggest that emission per passenger, per trip will be approximately 0.8 tonnes. Less than a one-way flight from London to New York.