Virgin Galactic Time Line
The Birth of a Dream, July 1969 Surrey UK
A 19 year old Richard Branson watches the moon landings on TV with his parents and sisters and determines that he too will one day experience the wonder of space.
Inspiration from The Past, December 1995, Marrakesh, Morocco
While waiting for the right weather conditions to attempt a hot air balloon circumnavigation record, Richard Branson discusses with Buzz Aldrin the challenges involved in building a commercial manned space launch system. Both agree that to launch a spaceship from the air rather than the ground in much the same way as the US X15 project, could overcome some of the safety and cost issues. Richard asks the Virgin team to keep a watching brief on new space launch technology.
Competitive Innovation, May 1996 – Santa Monica CA
Dr Peter Diamandis announces the X Prize (later the Ansari X Prize) of $10m for the first non-government organization to launch a reusable manned spacecraft into space twice within two weeks. Peter took as his inspiration the early 20th-century aviation prizes, and aimed to spur development of low-cost spaceflight.
One Small Step, March 1999, London, UK
Following a visit to the Rotary Rocket Company project in Mojave CA, Richard Branson decides not to back the project but that it is time to formalise Virgin’s interest in the area, so registers Virgin Galactic at Companies House in London.
The Search is Over, July 2002 – Mojave CA
The Virgin team visit Burt Rutan’s Scaled Composites to plan the building of the Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer – an all carbon composite plane designed for Steve Fossett to circumnavigate the globe non-top on a single tank of fuel. The Virgin team learnt that Burt Rutan is competing for the Ansari X Prize with an air launched space plane named SpaceShipOne. The project, named Tier One by Scaled Composites, is being financed by Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen. A short discussion with Burt and a quick phone call to Richard Branson is enough to convince the team that this could be the technology they have been waiting for.
Preparing the Ground, July 2002 – Mojave CA
Virgin agrees with Paul Allen’s company, Mojave Aerospace Ventures, to licence the key SpaceShipOne design technologies with a view to building and operating a commercial version should the Tier One project win the X Prize.
The World’s First Commercial Space line, September 27th 2004, London UK
Sir Richard Branson announces to a packed press conference at the Royal Aeronautical Society, that Virgin will be sponsoring SpaceShipOne’s X Prize flights and that, if successful, Virgin Galactic will finance the design and build of a fleet of commercial spacecraft by Scaled Composites that will be capable of taking thousands of people safely into space. The Virgin Galactic website is launched and future astronauts invited to register their interest. The site crashes - overwhelmed by a tide of global enthusiasm and interest.
Spaceship Won! September 29th and October 4th 2004, Mojave CA
SpaceShipOne makes two successful competitive flights, X1 on September 29, 2004 piloted by Mike Melvill to 102.9 km and X2 on October 4, 2004 piloted by Brian Binnie to 112 km. The $10m Ansari X Prize won is awarded on November 6, 2004 – and of course Virgin Galactic is finally born.
Gearing up for Commercial Operations, July 2005, Oshkosh WI
Sir Richard Branson and Burt Rutan announce the formation of The Spaceship Company, a Virgin Galactic majority owned joint venture with Scaled Composites which will be the manufacturing company for the new fleet of spaceships (SpaceShipTwo’s) and launch aircraft (WhiteKnightTwo’s). They also announce that rather than build commercial replicas of SpaceShipOne, the new spaceships will be able to accommodate six passengers and two pilots and be big enough to allow for an out of seat zero gravity experience as well as plenty of large windows for the amazing views back to Earth. SpaceShipOne also makes its last flight attached to WhiteKnightOne before taking pride of place at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington DC.
A Spaceport in the Desert, December 2005, Las Cruces, New Mexico
At press conferences in London and New Mexico, Virgin Galactic and officials from the State of New Mexico announce an agreement which will see the building of a State funded $200m spaceport in the southern part of New Mexico on a 27 square mile area of State land to be named Spaceport America. Virgin Galactic will locate its world headquarters and Mission Control at Spaceport America in a landmark architecture facility.
Virgin Galactic Boarding Call August 2005, London
Virgin Galactic starts to accept refundable deposits from Founder customers at $200,000 a ticket and collects $10m in a matter of weeks. The deposits will not be used to fund the project but are vital proof that a large and vibrant market for space tourism exists. The first appointments of Accredited Space Agents are made – fast to become a global network of premier travel professionals with exclusive rights to market and sell Virgin Galactic reservations.
September 2007, Las Cruces, New Mexico, September 2007, Las Cruces, New Mexico
Uk’s Foster Partners wins an international competition to build the world’s first private spaceport - Spaceport America. The sinuous shape of the building and its interior spaces seek to capture the drama and mystery of space flight itself. Designed to have minimal embodied carbon and few additional energy requirements, the scheme has been designed to achieve the prestigious LEED Platinum accreditation.
Welcome Aboard, January 2006, New York
Wired Magazine's NextFest annual technology and innovations exhibition in New York provides the setting for the unveiling of the conceptual interior of SpaceShipTwo to the worlds press in a blaze of media coverage.
The Right Stuff, December 2007, Philadelphia PA
Sir Richard Branson completes his G-Force training at the NASTAR centrifuge facility in Philadelphia along with his son Sam – both will be on the inaugural commercial flight of SpaceShipTwo.
Their “flights” are part of a unique training exercise involving around 100 of Virgin Galactic’s first customers to better understand the health and fitness requirements that will be required for the spaceflights themselves. The group ranged in age from 18 to 88 and covered a wide variety of medical histories and conditions. The results show that the Right Stuff is more common than we had been led to believe - age is not a consideration and the vast majority of reasonably fit and healthy people will be able to take the trip to space and back without any problem.
The Year of the Spaceship, January 2008, New York
Sir Richard Branson and Burt Rutan unveil large models showing the final designs for Virgin Galactic’s space launch system now in an advanced state of construction at Scaled Composite’s facility in California. The radical and ambitious designs will maximise the customer experience and extend the range of applications available from space tourism, to space science and small satellite launch.
The Dawning of “Eve”, July 2008, Mojave CA
Several hundred press, Virgin Galactic customers and VIP guests make their way to the Mojave desert to see the dawning of a new age and milestone in aeronautical history, as the first WhiteKnightTwo air launch vehicle is unveiled for the very first time. Christened Virgin Mother Ship (VMS) Eve by Richard Branson’s mother, this is the largest all carbon composite aviation vehicle ever built and the most fuel efficient of its size. It has a unique capability to carry heavy payloads to high altitude and can carry out high G manoeuvres which will make it an ideal training platform for prospective astronauts.
Up and Away! December 2008, Mojave CA
In the early hours and clear skies of a Mojave morning, VMS Eve leaves the runway for the first time and climbs easily and gracefully away over the snow clad mountains. Test pilot Pete Seibold is ecstatic with her performance and reports back a flawless first flight.
The Netscape Moment for Private Space, July 2009, Oshkosh WI
Sir Richard Branson prepares for his first flight aboard VMS Eve and announces a new partnership with Abu Dhabi based Sovereign Wealth Fund, Aabar Investments.
The deal will see Aabar investing $280m and taking a 32% stake in Virgin Galactic’s business. An option on a further $100m is allocated by Aabar for the development of a small satellite launch vehicle pending a feasibility study.
SpaceShipTwo Roll Out – VSS Enterprise, December 7th 2009
On Monday 7th December Virgin Galactic unveiled SpaceShipTwo to the world at Mojave Spaceport, California. 800 press, future astronauts and VIP guests gathered in the desert for a press conference and to view the roll out of the world’s first commercial spaceline.
The spaceship was carried down the runway by her mothership, VMS Eve, to a spectacular display of lights, music and snow which only helped increase the anticipation of her arrival and excitement and awe as she appeared before the crowds.
