Photos of Virgin Galactic’s White Knight Two unveiling; commercial spaceflight soon?
This morning, I went to the press event for the unveiling of Virgin Galactic’s White Knight Two (WK2). We boarded a Virgin America plane near the Los Angeles Flight Path Learning Center & Museum and headed over to the Mojave Desert. Virgin America names all its planes, and this one had a really fun one: “My other ride’s a spaceship.”
Richard Branson (left) and Burt Rutan (right) wave from the WK2 after the curtain is raised on the “mothership” that will attempt to launch SpaceShipTwo into sub-orbital space flight.
Richard Branson christened the mothership “Eve” after his mother, who joined in the official naming ceremony. The image of the woman on the side of the plane, Galactic Girl, is based on photos of his mom as a young woman.
Richard Branson and Burt Rutan discuss future plans for the WK2 and how it aims to be part of the first commercial spaceflight.
Former NASA astronaut Buzz Aldrin and his wife, Lois, also attended the unveiling.
Here are more L.A. Times photos of the WK2, Richard Branson and Burt Rutan, by Al Seib.
Does US$200,000 sound like a reasonable fare for a sub-orbital flight and a chance to float weightless in space?
[Editor's note: Stay tuned Tuesday for a follow-up post on other ways you might afford to get aboard the White Knight II.]
— Post and photos by Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times Travel deal blogger
16 Comments on “Photos of Virgin Galactic’s White Knight Two unveiling; commercial spaceflight soon?”
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July 29th, 2008 at 12:20 am
Great photos!
While I have no way of raising $200,000 for a flight, I am *very* interested in their target price of <$50,000 that they hope to reach in less than a decade.
July 29th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
it appears that buzz has married an alien
July 29th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
This idea will get little to no passengers except the filthy rich such as Donald Trump. It would be too expensive for most people and die out within a few years. Neither Rutan nor Branson bathes regularly.
July 29th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
A frivolous waste of petroleum.
July 29th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
The White Knight looks like a skinny BAE146…
I agree that only the very rich would be able to take advantage of a sub orbital flight but one never knows when I’ll win the lottery.
Cheers
George Jr.
July 29th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Nopes
Sounds like a good waste of money for just 1 day of fun.
Instead by a sports car and have year worth of fun by driving it!!!
July 29th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Buzz’s wife Lois needs to stay away from the plastic surgery! Yowsir!!!
July 29th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
I too am one of the legions who will probably never be able to afford the trip on WK2. But I am suprised by people’s comments on the waste of time/money/fuel. This is spirit of adventure is what dreams are made out of and there isn’t anything in our lives today that didn’t come from this place. We must also remember that this is a starting point. Who know what can happen once this concept if proved possible. Cruise liners and airplanes were once considered strictly for the rich as well.
Besides, if we were all Billionaires, who wouldn’t want to behave like Brandson. I’d build a light saber myself - wanted one since SW part 5!!
July 29th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Im a pilot and have allways admired
Burt Rutan for his genius and vision in aerospace.Most peolple dont realise that in the process of solving the problems related to space flight many advances are made in technology. Sir Richard Branson is a genious in his own right. His business know how and willingness to take risks that most of his peers would never contemplate have made him the success he is today.
July 29th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
What a lot of sour people in the comments list. It may be expensive now, but the more who use it, the more the price will come down. I remember when a DVD player was $2000 and now you can get one for less thank $50. I am sure these same people complained about the price of those!
July 29th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
i have always been a great admirer of Sir Richard Brandson’s invention. He always thinks beyond, what a normal human being think about doing in life and thus he succeeds. My sincere prayers and wishes for him to make it a a success and hoping to travel atleast once in wk2 in my lifetime.
July 31st, 2008 at 6:29 am
It looks like Buzz picked up a Hottie from Area 51…meps!
July 31st, 2008 at 6:35 am
You have to start somewhere. Remember the Pony Express?
Best wishes to Branson.
August 1st, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Buzz, do you remember my good mate, Tony Rafty, who sketched you many years (decades) ago? Tony and I hope to meet you, Sir Richard and the crew in the near future to do some more caricatures, and these could be used for a fundraiser like Virgin Unite for example.
Best Regards from Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia
August 4th, 2008 at 12:11 am
Bryce Bermingham, Blaine Fewkes are talking sense. Sorry, but the others are a waste of time. Not money, fuel, etc. Everything begins expensive, and hopefully when commercialised is cheap. But in order for it to reach 10000 and 5000 dollars and below, it has to start high. Remember Video Recoders in the 80’s? At least in Europe they were VERY EXPENSIVE! 1 32″ TV 12 years ago went for 5 times current prices. So stop whining, and greet the future, and greet the man. And if I had money, I’d sure jump on Richie’s plane and into the future. Destination Cosmos.
September 24th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Bravo Charles Branson, Burt Rutan!
I am awaiting a Virgin Galactic University (VGU) for technology and know-how transfer, as it would necessitate a trained professional infrastructure: pilots, engineers, spaceport managers, business graduates, R&D personnel, avionics, electronics and computer experts, to face the challenges of a suborbital operation. Let’s greet the future with Richard and Burt who are empowering our great nation’s space initiatives! China is not wasting time articulating ridiculous and infantile comments: let’s watch their spacewalk ,let’s hope the best to Richard Branson and Burt Rutan, the two superdaring visionaries.