Virgin Galactic founder, Sir Richard Branson, unveiled the new spaceflight system, composed of the WhiteKnightTwo carrier plane and the SpaceShipTwo spacecrafts.
"2008 really will be the year of the spaceship," said Branson when he unveiled the 1/16th-scale model spacecraft at the American Museum of Natural History. "We're truly excited about our new system and what our new system will be able to do."
Both crafts were designed and built by aerospace pioneer Burt Rutan and his firm Scaled Composites. The first spaceflights are star-dated for 2009, tickets aboard the SpaceShipTwo space liners are available from Virgin Galactic for an initial price of about $200,000.
Richard Branson's Spacecraft Revealed
Virgin Galactic Spaceflight Systems
Trend Themes
1. Space Tourism - The availability of space tourism through Virgin Galactic's new spaceflight system presents opportunities for disruptive innovation in the travel and hospitality industry.
2. Commercial Space Exploration - The development of new spaceflight technologies for commercial purposes, such as Virgin Galactic's WhiteKnightTwo carrier plane and SpaceShipTwo spacecrafts, creates opportunities for disruption in the space industry.
3. Private Spaceflight Industry - Virgin Galactic's unveiling of their new spaceflight system highlights the potential for disruption in the private spaceflight industry as more companies enter the market and new technologies are developed.
Industry Implications
1. Travel and Hospitality - The emergence of space tourism through companies like Virgin Galactic could disrupt traditional forms of travel and hospitality as consumers seek out new and unique experiences.
2. Aerospace - The development of new spaceflight technologies for commercial purposes, such as Virgin Galactic's WhiteKnightTwo carrier plane and SpaceShipTwo spacecrafts, presents opportunities for innovation and disruption in the aerospace industry.
3. Space Exploration - The private spaceflight industry, as demonstrated by Virgin Galactic's new spaceflight system, presents potential for disruption in the space exploration industry as more companies enter the market and develop new technologies.