It's been 50 years since the first American astronaut flew into space, back when JFK was president. It's not too late, however, to become an astronaut yourself aboard SpaceShipTwo, the world's first commercial spaceship. All you need is a fearless attitude, and $200,000.
The offer comes from Virgin Galactic, which recently tested out SpaceShipTwo --- described by the company as "an air launched glider with a rocket motor and a couple of extra systems for spaceflight."
Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic also offered up a stunning video (advertisement/publicity generator) of the craft returning to Earth on its first feathered flight. SpaceShipTwo, aka the VSS Enterprise, has now flown seven solo flights since December 2009.
The "feathering" refers to the ship's re-entry mechanism. In the video, SpaceShipTwo takes off attached to a carrier aircraft, known as the VMS Eve. When it gets to 51,500 feet, the SS2 is released and glides back down to a runway in California's Mohave Desert.
See below. When its time to make the full flight, the ship will fire its engine for just over a minute to reach a height of 68 miles.
Testing the feathering system was a safety thing. But you have to be pretty fearless, like I said, to climb aboard a spaceship in the first place. You need to learn and be prepared for a lot more the typical 'fasten your seat belt/look for your exit' lesson that comes before taking off from a regular airport. The Virgin Galactic site has more information on the training involved.
George Whitesides, CEO and President of Virgin Galactic, calls the recent flight a milestone, and the re-entry system "probably the single most important safety innovation" of SS2.
So, are up for a ride?
Space is at a premium, in more ways than one. SS2 will carry six passengers and two pilots. There are no snacks or drinks.
But ... passenger-nauts will get the ultimate experience, to float in zero gravity, and look out on the globe from two large windows.
So far, more than 400 people have signed up for the space tickets. You can book a flight here. You "only" need $20,000 as a down payment. The flight lasts two hours, with 4 minutes in space, according to a Washington Post report.
A pdf brochure quotes Mark Twain: "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didnt do than by the ones you did do."
The first flights are due to begin sometime next year from Spaceport America, in New Mexico.
Spaceport America. Photo Courtesy Virgin Atlantic
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