Virgin Galactic Will Launch Its Test Suborbital Flight This Year
The suborbital flight, which costs around $200,000 is designed in such a way that it reaches the altitude of about 68 miles that makes the fliers to experience zero gravity and glimpse the Earth against the space blackness.
Virgin Galactic, which is a part of Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, expects its first flight test later during this year, along with the commercial suborbital passenger service to follow during the year 2013 and 2014. After the announcement made from the company, around 500 customers has registered to join the test ride on the SpaceShip Two, which is a six passenger and two pilot spaceship. This spaceship is built and tested by the Scaled Composite, which is an aerospace company founded by Burt Rutan, an aircraft designer. Currently, this concern is owned by Northrop Grumman.
The suborbital flight which costs around USD 200,000 is designed in such a way that it reaches the altitude of about 68 miles that makes the fliers to experience zero gravity and glimpse Earth set against the space blackness.
There are many things to be done in the suborbital areas. Neil Armstrong has said about this area that this area is been absent for about four decades. Neil Armstrong was a test pilot during the 1960’s era X-15 research plane, before he became a US astronaut and the commander of the first mission of landing on the moon.
Armstrong also told that there are various opportunities to the people, who are attending the next generation Suborbital Researchers Conference in Palo Alto, California. The astronaut also added that various new approaches would prove to be useful as well as profitable.
Virgin Galactic is one of the companies that develop spaceships for various purposes such as research, tourism, education, and business purposes. SpaceShip Two has already completed around 31 atmospheric test flights. Some of the preparations for the ship are under construction from Scaled Composites, and it would be expected to take place during this year.
The chief test pilot of the Virgin Galactic, David Mackay has announced in the conference that the company hopes for the rocket motor in the SpaceShip, and get ready for its official fly test. He also added that Virgin Galactic will be the first to do the test, and the company is not in a race with anyone. Moreover, this is not a Cold War space era. Later on, Mr. Mackay spoke to the reporters that SpaceShip sooner will be in the test flight. After that the first official and commercial service could begin during the year 2013 or 2014, depending upon the test flight results and other factors, such as pilot training, and so on.
