SpaceShipTwo rocket for space tourism (VIDEO)

In the United States on the eve of a presentation of the first rocket SpaceShipTwo, designed for space tourism. Ship presented personally billionaire Richard Branson, owner of Virgin Galactic, which is engaged in the development of the ship. The ceremony, which the company describes as “world premiere, held at a private launch site in the Mojave Desert in California. The solemn event was attended by governors of California and New Mexico, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bill Richardson, ITAR-TASS.

Guests at the ceremony were able to see, looks like SpaceShipTwo, mounted on a special plane WhiteKnightTwo, designed for launching suborbital spacecraft to an altitude of 35 km. “Is it not the most attractive space ship?” – Proudly said Branson, who was involved in the creation of the apparatus with a group of engineers led by the famous aviator Bert Rutana.

After separation from WhiteKnightTwo 18-meter spacecraft, which will accommodate two pilots and six passengers, with the help of a rocket engine rises to a height of 110 km. There, tourists will be able to unfasten their seat and within 4-5 minutes to be in a state of weightlessness.

SpaceShipTwo is designed to reduce self-mode-free planning and landings using traditional aircraft. Despite the fact that tourists will experience overload of 6 units, spacecraft designers claim that in special chairs overload hardly be felt, and it will not affect health.

As stated by Branson in his speech, standing next to raketoplanom, his company wants the program to send tourists into space was the beginning of a new era of space tourism, RIA Novosti. As promised Branson, travel into Earth orbit to begin a half years or by mid-2011 after a series of training tests and obtain a license. In the space fleet of Virgin Galactic, says the billionaire intends to spend up to $ 400 million.

Every tourist who wants to fly in space for about 3 hours, the journey will cost 200 thousand dollars. The price includes a two-day training and hotel accommodation with luxury apartments.

Already tickets for flights booked about 300 people. For future travelers eager to make her pay travel agents about $ 40 million. In particular, among those who have already paid for the ticket into space – Formula One racer Michael Schumacher, his colleague at the shop Niki Lauda, physicist Stephen Hawking, designer Philippe Starck. Some sources have even known the name of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Also among the main contenders for the flight as a space tourist Russians 11. It’s known to pay the ticket, introduced the president of one of the advertising companies, Igor Dotsenko, another the next space tourist – Russia’s businessman Timur Artemyev. How Artemyev said last year, he made a gift to himself and his wife, paid in advance two rounds into space, $ 200-thousand dollars each.

Age restrictions for those wishing to fly in space does not exist – among tested in the space center there are people from 17 to 88 years. The cost of prepayment increases in direct proportion to the hundreds of tourists, among which wants to enter the future “astronaut.”

As previously reported, the first ship SpaceShip Two after 30 test flights will experience himself, Richard Branson and his family and spacecraft designer Burt Rutan. This information Branson has confirmed once again in his speech on Monday.

Note that 32% of Virgin Galactic has recently acquired an Arab company Aabar Investments. The deal amounted to 280 million dollars. Since the establishment of Virgin Galactic in 2004 investment in the business of the company amounted to only $ 100 million.