Virgin Galactic - Space Travel
Space Holidays - The Ultimate Travel Experience
Can you imagine floating in zero gravity, looking at a thousand-mile view of planet Earth below and infinite space all around? What has, until now, been a science fiction fantasy for civilians is set to become reality when Virgin Galactic launches its first commercial sub-orbital space flight. With fewer than five hundred people having ever been into space, take a Virgin Galactic space flight and you'd be joining a very select group of individuals.
Elegant Resorts is proud to be the first appointed Virgin Galactic Accredited Space Agent in the UK back in 2006, and our space team have all been to the NASTAR Center. Before going on to experience for themselves the dynamics of space and the effects of G-force during their sub-orbital space flight simulation, each team member had to undergo the prerequisite medical examinations and practice some of the techniques used by real NASA astronauts that help them handle the effects of space travel . Happy to share their personal experiences of the training, each of the space team are also available to arrange all the elements of your booking. Feel free to call them on 01244 897 003 or email them at space@elegantresorts.co.uk for more details.
What to Expect:
The Virgin Galactic space experience starts with three days of medical checks and training, covering safety procedures and all aspects of space travel, including G-Force acclimatisation. The training is held at Spaceport America in New Mexico. The day before your space flight, having been issued with a Philipe Starck-designed space suit, you'll board WhiteKnightTwo (WK2), to watch SpaceShipTwo (SS2), carrying the astronauts for that day, launch into space.
On the day of your flight, you will board SS2, berthed into the mother ship WK2 (affectionately known as Eve, named after Richard Branson's mother) with five fellow passengers and two pilots. Whilst your friends and family await your return in the spaceport's lounge, you will fly to 50,000 feet and listen to the countdown for launch. SS2 will then be released and its hybrid rocket motor fire up, vertically accelerating to a speed of Mach 1 in 10 seconds (the speed of sound) and in just 30 seconds to Mach 3.4 (faster than a speeding bullet). After just 90 seconds, the pilots will cut the motor and the spaceship will continue to climb to its peak altitude of 360,000 feet, 68 miles above Earth. At this point you may leave your seat and experience the total silence, float in zero gravity and enjoy views of space and the Earth below from the large windows, for approximately 4-5 minutes. Once everyone has returned to their seats, the spaceship will embark on a thrilling 90 second re-entry, peaking at nearly 6 G's. The spaceship's wings, which have been neatly feathered-up throughout the flight, will rotate back to their usual position to glide everyone safely back to Earth.
The Latest News:
17 October 2011
Virgin Galactic is today another step away from becoming the first commercial space airline in the world, when they officially named their first ever purpose-built spaceline terminal at Space Port America 'Virgin Galactic Gateway to Space'.
"Today is another history-making day for Virgin Galactic," said Sir Richard Branson. "We are here with a group of incredible people who are helping us lead the way in creating one of the most important new industrial sectors of the 21st century. We've never wavered in our commitment to the monumental task of pioneering safe, affordable and clean access to space, or to demonstrate that we mean business at each step along the way".
19 September 2011
Today, The Spaceship Company, Virgin Galactic and Scaled Composites achieved a significant milestone in making commercial space travel a reality, with the opening of its brand new assembly facility (Final Assembly, Integration and Test Hangar), or FAITH, at Mojave Air and Space Port. The $8m, modern and energy-efficient hanger will support the final stages of production for Virgin Galactic's WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo, and will add new jobs to the commercial space industry at spaceports in Mojave and New Mexico.
Commenting on the grand opening, Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson said, "Today marks another important step along the road to opening space for everyone. We're extremely proud of the new FAITH building, which is the world's first facility dedicated to producing private, commercial manned space vehicles. From this hangar, the talented team at The Spaceship Company will be at the forefront of making space access safe, reliable and affordable".
4 May 2011
SpaceShipTwo completed a successful test flight which involved the spacecraft being taken up to 51,500 feet by the mother-ship VMS Eve, before being released to glide back down to Earth. By rotating the tail section of the spacecraft upwards at an angle to the main body, SpaceShipTwo managed to descend almost vertically – falling in a similar way to a shuttlecock. Once the spaceship reached 33,500 feet, glide mode was reinstated to execute a runway touchdown around 11 minutes after being released from VMS Eve.
22 October 2010
UPHAM, NM – The New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) dedicated the nearly two-mile long spaceport runway “Governor Bill RIchardson Spaceway” at Spaceport America, representing significant progress toward launching commercial customers into space from the desert of New Mexico. Governor Bill Richardson, Sir Richard Branson and approximately 30 of more than 420 Virgin Galactic future astronauts attended the event along with guests from around the world and watched a flyover and landing by Virgin Galactic’s WhiteKnightTwo, in a captive carry with SpaceShipTwo.
10 October 2010
Galactic's SpaceShipTwo, VSS Enterprise, has successfully completed the world's first commercial manned spaceship flight on 10 October 2010. The spaceship was released from its mothership (Eve) at an altitude of 45,000 ft (13,700 metres), and successfully glided for 11 minutes to land at Mojave Air and Spaceport, California.
During its first flight the spaceship was piloted by Pete Siebold, assisted by Mike Alsbury as co-pilot. The two main goals of the flight were to carry out a clean release of the spaceship from its mothership and for the pilots to free fly and glide back and land at Mojave Air and Space Port. Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, who was present to witness the flight later described it as "one of the most exciting days in the whole history of Virgin". He went on to say "The sky is no longer the limit. We will now begin the process of pushing to the final frontier of space itself over the next year".
VSS Enterprise was described by Scaled Composites pilot Pete Siebold as "a joy to fly" and the company confirmed that all objectives of the flight were successfully completed. To view this exciting moment in history, click here
As safety is of paramount importance, flights to the public will only launch when deemed safe to do so. WK2 is the epitome of 21st century aerospace design and technology, representing a giant leap for material technology and has broken all moulds for carbon efficiency. SS2's design has the environment's best interests at heart too and it is expected that C0² emissions per passenger, per space flight will be the equivalent of 60% of that of a return commercial London/New York flight.
Find Out More:
Over 350 reservations for the Virgin Galactic flight have been confirmed with over 85,000 people from 125 countries registering their interest. The Virgin Galactic Experience costs US$200,000 per seat (flights, accommodation and transfers are extra), a modest sum for a truly once in a lifetime trip with the added satisfaction of knowing that you have helped pioneer environmentally-aware, civilian space travel.
Not sure if it's for you?
Why not try before you buy, on a simulated flight - a fabulous experience in its own right- at the NASTAR Center in Philadelphia. The NASTAR Sub-Orbital Space Flight Introduction Programme with Elegant Resorts costs from £2450 per person, including three nights accommodation at the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia, one day at the Sub-Orbital Space Flight Introduction Programme, return economy flights, return private car airport transfers and return private car transfers between the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia and NASTAR.
Elegant Resorts is proud to a Virgin Galactic Accredited Space Agent in the UK. To book your Virgin Galactic or NASTAR Center experience, or for further information about space travel with Virgin Galactic click to register for email updates, or contact the Elegant Resorts Space Team on 01244 897 003 or space@elegantresorts.co.uk