VG Spaceport Opening
23. October 2011Greetings All
Small update on the Virgin Galactic adventure
I attended the opening of the Spaceport America near Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA on Monday 17th October.
A fantastic well organised event as one would expect from Virgin.
An early start with transportation to the spaceport and a superb breakfast served on the hangar apron as the morning warmed.
While a commentary of the aircraft and programs development was broadcast WhiteKnight Two with Spaceship Two attached taxied out and the pilots then treated us to some flybys.
Fantastic visuals of these futuristic commercial space flying machines against a clear deep blue sky.
We were all hoping for a demonstration of Spaceship Two being released and gliding back to earth but unfortunately this was not part of the days programme.
For some background on the VG Space programme click on the link on the right of my home page or google Virgin Galactic.
After speeches and lunch it was champagne all round as we were treated to the Bandaloop dancers who had abseiled down the glass front of the new Spaceport hangar.
The man himself, Sir Richard Branson, and his two children abseiled down to join the party and then Richard popped the cork from a champagne bottle and officially declared the Spaceport open, naming it The Virgin Galactic Gateway to Space.
Back to the hotels, time to scrub up and conclude a great day with a party courtesy of Aston Marton; and no, Bond didn’t make a dramatic entry. In fact he didn’t make an entry at all.
Met some great people which for me was one of the highlights of the event. From VG pilots who will fly us, other VG staff making the event happen, agents who book customers and of course other “future astronauts” as VG call us.
Some great life stories and very noticeable just how friendly and well grounded folk were.
Qualities that seem to personify Richard Branson himself.
So the question everyone asks; WHEN??
Latest hot goss is that testing will hopefully be completed end of 2012 and flights starting 2013. I’m still No. 279
Cheers
Ross
Posted on: Sunday, October 23, 2011 at 09:26 