Virgin Galactic to test flight in space this year

Photo By Courtesy of Sonja Rohde

Virgin Galactic, the space suborbital passenger flight offshoot of Richard Branson's Virgin Group, expects to test fly its first spacecraft beyond the Earth's atmosphere this year, with commercial suborbital passenger service to follow in 2013 or 2014, company officials said. Passenger are encouraged to be among the first 430 passengers on the company web site, however Reuter's reports that 500 passengers have been reserved.  Ticket prices are $200,000 with deposits starting from $20,000  Flights can be booked directly or through one of Virgin Galactic's Accredited Space Agents around the world, specially selected and trained  to handle all aspects of spaceflight reservations.

In October 17, 2011  Branson and New Mexico Governor, Suzana Martinez dedicated the first commercial spaceport, The Virgin Galactic Gateway to Space. A five-ship fleet is planned. According to William Pomerantz, Virgin Galactic's vice president of special projects in his speech to the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference in Palo Alto, CA, Virgin Galactic's first ship, SpaceShipTwo, has completed 31 atmospheric test flights - 15 attached to its carrier aircraft WhiteKnightTwo, and 16 glide tests.

1. Photo By Mark Lennihan, Associated Press