Billionaire Richard Branson’s Space Tourism Company Virgin Galactic has unveiled the interior of its flagship spaceplane.
In a virtual tour for paying customers and journalists, the cabin with new custom seats and a “space mirror” was showcased giving the passengers an idea of what to expect on these flights that take you to the edge of space.
Custom made teal-colored seats and a chance to gaze out of the 12 circular windows lining its cabin as the space plane climbs 60 miles above the Earth awaits the passengers who have paid $250,000. There are huge, circular mirrors in the interiors that allow the passengers to see themselves in space in a way “that has never really been done before”.
The firm has 600 customers who have signed up for flying and more than 400 who have shown interest. The first commercial flight is expected to have the brand’s British founder Branson on board while the exact date for the same has not been fixed yet.
George Whitesides Chief Space Officer Virgin Galactic
“We have amazing seats that will be tailored to each person, and that move during the flight to maximize people’s comfort. He added that passengers can unbuckle themselves at peak altitude and experience the zero-gravity conditions that let them float around in the cabin.”
The plane intends to take off from the company’s New Mexico Space Airport, attached to a larger carrier aircraft. It will detach mid-air to take off further into a 90-minute flight to the edge of space.
Virgin Galactic is well on the way to meeting the final evaluation milestones to secure a U.S. commercial operating license, upon performing “a minimal number of flights” carrying four test passengers, told Whitesides in a media briefing.
Though there is a chance that Virgin Galactic may temporarily raise the ticket prices from the current $250,000, Whitesides says that the company hopes to make the experience more accessible for “as many people as possible” in the future.
