Virgin Galactic unveiled the first aircraft from its Spaceship III range, the VSS Imagine.
With the VSS Imagine unveiled, Richard Branson’s dream of developing suborbital space travel is finally coming to fruition. More than 600 passengers have registered for this much-anticipated trip, and it seems they won’t have to wait too much longer.
The VSS Imagine will have its first test flight this summer, with more evaluations following throughout the year. In fact, if all goes well, the VSS Imagine could travel to space by the end of 2021!
Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier said that releasing the Spaceship III Class marked the creation of the Virgin Galactic fleet. Further on, he commented that the VSS Imagine and the upcoming VSS Inspire reflect the aspirational nature of human spaceflight as we’re waiting for them to take the first tourist astronauts to space.
Now, let’s get back to the VSS Imagine. Its chromatic finish makes it a proper eye candy, but that isn’t exactly what the engineers were after. Silver and its sister shades are very effective at reflecting heat produced during liftoff. Consequently, the shiny exterior will help stabilize cabin temperature. However, Virgin Galactic also claims that it wanted the aircraft to mirror the surrounding environment, constantly changing the body’s color.
Worth mentioning, each passenger will have to pay $250,000 for the trip and will be escorted to their flight in a bespoke Range Rover. Well, big money does set luxury standards, right? Interestingly, Virgin Galactic plans to achieve 400 commercial flights per year, and the VSS Imagine has been specifically designed for frequent flight demands without a need for regular maintenance.
“Virgin Galactic spaceships are built specifically to deliver a new, transforming perspective to the thousands of people who will soon be able to experience the wonder of space for themselves. As a Spaceship III class of vehicle, Imagine is not just beautiful to look at, but represents Virgin Galactic’s growing fleet of spaceships. All great achievements, creations, and changes start with an idea. Our hope is for all those who travel to space to return with fresh perspectives and new ideas that will bring positive change to our planet,” stated Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Galactic.
The next aircraft to be added to the Spaceship III lineup will be the VSS Inspire, and we’re surely looking forward to how that one’s gonna pan out.
