Virgin Galactic takes a step closer to beginning space tourism as its SpaceShipTwo ignites its rocket motor in mid-flight for the first time
British billionaire Richard Branson's commercial space venture Virgin Galactic has been planning on starting Space tourism for some time now. The company took one step forward in the right direction when their supersonic flight SpaceShipTwo ignited its rocket motor in mid-flight for the first time and achieved a speed of Mach 1.2, faster than sound, reaching about 56,000 feet in altitude.
"We never thought it would take this long, but it was worth the wait," Branson said in an interview. "Now that we have accomplished supersonic flight, we feel ready to take the next step. There are an awful lot of exciting things to come."
Earlier this year, the company revealed its Space tourism plans and hopes to take the first of its passengers to Space sometime in 2014 from Spaceport America in New Mexico. After that the company wants to introduce frequent trips into its schedule.
Branson first expressed his desire to indulge in SpaceTourism in 2004 but the dates were constantly postponed. Experts still speculate if 2014 is also being too ambitious.
"What they're doing isn't easy by any stretch," Marco A. Caceres, space analyst for the aerospace research firm Teal Group Corp. of Fairfax, Va., said. "This is a pioneering business. They can't afford to have a pilot and tourist killed on a flight. That would set the program back years, so they need to make sure they get it right."
