• Strange
  • Aircraft Spotlight
  • Commercial Airlines
  • Military
  • Aerospace
  • Videos
  • Damage & Crashes
Headline News
  • Airbus vs. Boeing: An Analysis October 8, 2014
  • Antonov An-225 Mriya May 28, 2014
  • Boeing 747 May 20, 2014
  • Turkish Armed Forces Receive Second Boeing Peace Eagle Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircraft May 20, 2014
  • Boeing 787 Dreamliner May 20, 2014

Wondering How You Will Fly to Space for $250,000?

May 14, 2014 Ian Stephens 0

Do you often wonder how you will fly into space for $250,000? Virgin has the dream of putting everyday men and women into space. It has been a dream for the last 10 years, and plenty of people have signed up for it. However, they never quite knew the type of craft they were going to fly in.

Virgin Galactic's Spaceshiptwo

Virgin Galactic’s Spaceshiptwo

The SpaceshipTwo has finally been released. Well, a replica has finally been released, so people finally get the chance to see what their quarter of a million dollars is buying them. The Virgin Galactic Special Projects Vice President Will Polerantz had the chance to speak about the SpaceshipTwo and how it will feel to go to space within it. Despite other big names like Astronaut Mike Massimino and Bobak Ferdowsi, an engineer for NASA, being there, it was Polerantz who caught the attention of all at the Intrepid Air and Space Museum.

Inside the Space Craft

Unlike NASA’s space shuttles, the SpaceshipTwo will be relatively small. Well, small compared to them. When compared to most vehicles it will be large. There is room to fit two pilots and six passengers within each craft. With the room inside, there will be plenty of space to move around and enjoy the journey into the skies.

There will be plenty of windows, which means passengers really get to feel like they are in space. There is no need to worry about a view being blocked, as there are more windows than there are passengers on the flight.

The Process of Taking Off

Taking off is not going to be like anything you have seen on TV. It is time to forget about the launch pads, and the blasts into space. That may be disappointing for those who have always dreamed of being an astronaut, but it is going to be much more comfortable for everyone else.

The SpaceshipTwo will be attached to a plane’s belly. That will allow it to take off on a normal runway and then be released in the air. The spaceship will be released at around 50,000 feet, which is slightly higher than a normal aircraft flies at. This is required for the freefall that the plane needs to do before the rocket motor can be fired up, and the journey into the stars begins.

This could be a scary thought for some, but liberating for others. Consider it as a safer version of parachuting.

It only takes a minute of the engine burning before you will accelerate at the speed of sound. It is an experience nobody will have felt before. After that, you will reach a speed of three times the speed of sound, which is Mach 3.5 in space terms.

The Floating Around the Cabin

The cabin of Spaceshiptwo

The cabin of Spaceshiptwo

It is clear that very little moving around can be done during the taking off. The main benefit of the extra space is once you get out of the Earth’s gravity. You will be able to unbuckle your seatbelt and feel just what it is like to move around without gravity pulling you down. Have fun twirling in the air, and swimming without the need for water. With only six of you in the main body, there is plenty of space to try everything you want.

You will get to experience life as an astronaut for about five minutes. However, you do get some specialist training. It’s time to find out how to manoeuvre around without hitting each other.

Once you’ve had your training, you’ll spend about 90 minutes in space, getting the chance to look around and feel what it is like to be an astronaut. The only thing you don’t get to do is go outside on a space walk!

Is It Worth $250,000?

Many people really believe that the price of going into space is worth it. In fact, 701 people believe that it is worth it. But it is certainly not something everyday people can do. The good news is the ticket prices will likely reduce over the next 10 years. Pomerantz wants to see the prices reduce “significantly” for everyone to get the chance. He would like to get it to the point where someone can go into space for the price of a new SUV.

The need is for the money to build the vehicles. One they are built, they will be cheap to fly considering an aircraft does the majority of the work. The initial investment into the designing and testing is the bit that needs paying back, and that means the current prices.

The first Virgin Galactic flight is just around the corner. The 701 passengers who have already bought their tickets finally get to know how they will fly into space and live their dream.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ian Stephens
  • ABOUT ME
  • OTHER ARTICLES
Ian Stephens is a keen aviation enthusiast with many years of experience in the aviation industry. He holds a full private pilots licence and regularly takes to the skies. He also writes for the popular flight simulation website, Fly Away Simulation.

Airbus vs. Boeing: An Analysis

October 8, 2014 Ian Stephens 2

Antonov An-225 Mriya

May 28, 2014 Ian Stephens 0

Boeing 747

May 20, 2014 Ian Stephens 0

Turkish Armed Forces Receive Second Boeing Peace Eagle Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircraft

May 20, 2014 Ian Stephens 0
PREVIOUS

Sun Flares Cause Temporary Communication Blackout

NEXT

NASA Mars Space Suit Unveiled as Voted for by the Public

RELATED POST

NASA Mars Space Suit Unveiled as Voted for by the Public

May 12, 2014 Ian Stephens 0

UK Space Agency Confirms Brazilian Space Debris Find

May 12, 2014 Ian Stephens 0

The X-37B May Change National Security As We Know It

May 2, 2014 Ian Stephens 0

Space Terrorism a Major Concern for the United States

May 1, 2014 Ian Stephens 0

All comments are moderated before being published.

No Comment

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Comments

  • Bill on Airbus vs. Boeing: An Analysis
  • ben on Swiss Pilots Test Next-generation Gripen
  • Caleb Varcoe on Lockheed C-130 Hercules
  • Khay on Garuda Purchases 11 Airbus A330-300s for $2.54 billion
  • Vivora on Cessna

News Categories

  • Aerospace
  • Air Travel
  • Airbus
  • Aircraft Spotlight
  • Boeing
  • Commercial Airlines
  • Damage & Crashes
  • Manufacturers
  • Military
  • Strange
  • Videos

Categories

  • Aerospace
  • Air Travel
  • Airbus
  • Aircraft Spotlight
  • Boeing
  • Commercial Airlines
  • Damage & Crashes
  • Manufacturers
  • Military
  • Strange
  • Videos
 
 
 
 
Copyright Aircraft-Info.net
Contact Us