How Richard Branson will ride own rocket to space
Virgin Galactic boss part of crew for Sunday launch
Virgin Galactic will become the first rocket company to launch the boss when Richard Branson straps into one of his sleek, shiny space planes this weekend.
The self-described tieloathing adventurer and troublemaker will join five company employees for Sunday’s test flight from New Mexico’s southern desert.
Branson assigned himself to Virgin Galactic’s first full-scale crew, jumping ahead of Blue Origin’s Jeff Bezos. Bezos’ liftoff is set for July 20.
A brief look at Branson’s ride and company:
Boss on board
Just a week shy of turning 71, the London-born founder of the Virgin Group says he’s “not apprehensive at all and it is the dream of a lifetime” to ride into space. The longtime fitness fanatic put in extra effort to prepare for the flight. His wife, children and grandchildren will be there as he climbs aboard the rocket plane that’s attached to a dualfuselage aircraft for takeoff. During the three to four minutes of weightlessness, “I’ll be looking back at our beautiful Earth and taking it all in and realize that only 500 other people have done this.”
Who else is flying
Two pilots are needed to fly the rocket plane from the time it’s released from the mothership until it glides down to a runway. It will be the third trip to space for chief pilot David Mackay, a Scottish-born test pilot for the Royal Air Force who went on to fly for Branson’s Virgin Atlantic, and the second for chief flight instructor Michael Masucci. Chief astronaut instructor Beth Moses, a former NASA engineer, is also launching for the second time. Joining Branson as space rookies are lead operations engineer Colin Bennett and Sirisha Bandla, a vice president. The six will grab a lift from mothership pilots C.J. Sturckow, a former NASA astronaut, and Kelly Latimer.
Rocket plane
Virgin Galactic’s space plane, Unity, will take off attached to a specially designed double aircraft nicknamed Eve after Branson’s late mother.
After reaching nearly 50,000 feet, the plane will be released and drop for a moment or two before its rocket motor ignites to send the craft on a steep climb toward space. The motor will shut off once the craft reaches space as everyone but the pilots unbuckle, float and gaze out the 17 windows at Earth. After a few minutes, the occupants will strap back in as the plane reorients itself for entry. The rocket plane will glide back, NASA space shuttle style, to conclude about 15 minutes of free flight.
Track record
Founded in 2004, Virgin
Galactic got its start when Branson teamed up with aircraft designer Burt Rutan to provide the necessary spaceship technology.
What’s next
After Branson’s launch, Virgin Galactic plans two more test flights this summer and fall before inviting paying customers on board. The next one will include company employees, and the last will have Italian Air Force members conducting research. If all goes well, the first of the more than 600 confirmed ticket holders will climb aboard next year.