Mojave-based Scaled Composites are the rocket scientists developing both of Sir Richard Branson’s spacecrafts. The VSS Enterprise is a six-seat spacecraft that will offer suborbital space flights to the general public in the not too distance future. The captive-carry flight is the first of three-step countdown to the launching of commercial space travel. An independent glide and a powered flight also must be logged before the VSS Enterprise is cleared for takeoff. Mr. Burt Rutan is the founder of Scaled Composites, which received the $10-million Ansari X prize for developing the world’s first privately developed manned spacecraft, the SpaceShipOne.
Virgin Galactic reported that around 330 individuals have laid their money down to experience a suborbital flight that will include an out-of-seat zero gravity experience along the way. Virgin also stated it has collected $45 million from those aspiring space travelers eager to board the VSS Enterprise.
That divides out to about $136,364 per ticket to experience a once unfathomable journey. For this one, I would pull out my credit card and be thinking “priceless” all the way.
www.virgingalactic.com
Photos by Mark Greenberg