Space tourism appears to see the light of the day in near future as Virgin Galactic has introduced the passenger cabin of its SpaceShipTwo.
The new information suggests how the passengers, only rich ones as its return ticket is around $250,000, will be able to offer orbital flights around the earth in this rocket-powered spacecraft.
Richard Branson had founded Virgin Galactic back in 2004, and the initial hope was to make space tourism a reality by 2009.
However, the formation of the passenger spacecraft proved more complicated than the makers had expected. Particularly, it proved more costly, and the experimental flight in 2014 was fatal as it involved the death of one pilot, and the injury of the other.
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The past six years have been employed by the makers of the SpaceShipTwo to make it as safe as a passenger plane.
However, after the unceasing efforts of 16 years of hardship, the company now expects to gain desirable success. So far, Virgin Galactic has sold out tickets to 600 enthusiasts between the range of $200,000 and $250,000.
The scientists and the tourists from the US state of New Mexico will be sent to space through this spacecraft, where they will experience a few minutes of the spectacle of earth from outer space.
The company’s chief space officer and former CEO, George Whitesides, said that the company’s preparations for commercial service are well underway under the supervision of the new CEO, Michael Colglazier.
He further said in the quarterly result statement that “So far, as many as 600 people have forked out $250,000 to reserve their space journey,” and added that “At least, another 400 have expressed their keenness.”
Whitesides expressed hope that the new technologies represent the future of aviation, adding that the company looks forward to working with exalted entities like NASA, Boeing, and Rolls Royce to explore further how they can revolutionize the way of traveling.
This passenger spaceship will have many round windows in the cabin, enabling travelers to spectacle space.
This spacecraft will be attached to a huge carrier craft that will launch from New Mexico’s spaceport. It will help spaceship in catapulting to space where six passengers will alternatively experience the outer space journey for 90 minutes.
