Virgin Galactic unveils next generation of commercial space flight

July 30, 2008

Virgin Galactic unveiled the next generation of commercial space flight with its White Knight Two. The mothership is designed to tuck SpaceShipTwo, yet to be completed or tested, under the center of its wing and release it at 50,000 feet. After separation, SpaceShipTwo will fire its hybrid rocket and climb some 62 miles above Earth, the internationally recognized boundary of space. Virgin says 250 wannabe astronauts have already signed up to pay $200,000 a head for the 2 1/2 hour flight including about 5 minutes of weightlessness. Seems to me the torque and sheer between the two fuselage booms would land a flight in the ocean before near space.