Unveil Mother Ship

Virgin Galactic Unveils New Mother Ship
"Everyone should desire to do one special, unforgettable thing in their lives... and I must say, this could be it."
Sir Richard Branson


While the Dark Knight is breaking box–office records, this year’s real blockbuster was the unveiling of WhiteKnightTwo (WK2), Virgin Galactic’s new mothership. Christened "Eve" in honor of Virgin Group owner Sir Richard Branson’s mother, WK2 will ferry Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo (SS2). The launch vehicle marks yet another milestone for the world’s first commercial spaceline, which will allow individuals to embark on a sub–orbital travel experience that, up until now, has been reserved for the very privileged few.

Using groundbreaking aerospace technology, WK2 represents the world’s largest all–carbon composite aircraft and will launch SS2 at 50,000 feet. WK2 has a U.S. coast–to–coast range that allows the spaceship to be ferried on long–duration flights. The mothership also signals a new era of aerospace fuel efficiency, using the most powerful and economic engines available, along with an advanced type of fuel that has minimal environmental consequences.

The first passenger flights are expected to begin as early as 2010, and tickets are available exclusively in North America through your Virtuoso travel advisor. Working together with a Virtuoso "Accredited Space Agent" your travel advisor can make your dream of space travel a reality!

This "democratization of space" says Branson, heralds a new era in mankind’s history. "Instead of being citizens of a country, we’ll be citizens of the world." And while the $200,000 price tag may limit the first space flights to a small group of discriminating travelers, Branson believes that the costs will soon be within reach for many adventurers. "The day is not far off when someone will be thinking, ‘Hmm, do I take my family this summer to Africa or Australia for holiday, or do I take them into space?’"