LAS
CRUCES, New Mexico - For Virgin Galactic--the passenger-carrying spaceliner company--plans
are rapidly taking shape to offer suborbital space flights in the near-term but
also to eventually offer point-to-point rocket travel around the globe, as well
as to space hotels, and trips to the Moon.
While
the business case for public space transportation has yet to be proven,
sections of Virgin Galactic's spaceliner already dot the factory floors at
Scaled Composites in Mojave, California--all under the watchful eye of aerospace
designer, Burt Rutan.
Rutan
and his team built and flew the piloted SpaceShipOne on a trio of suborbital
treks in 2004, winning the $10 million Ansari X Prize purse in the process. Now
they are hard at it fulfilling the Virgin Galactic order for commuter-class
spaceliners.
The
company's founder, British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson entered into a
partnership last year with Rutan creating The Spaceship Company to build a
fleet of commercial suborbital spaceships and launch aircraft.
At
Virgin Galactic, ticket sales for suborbital flights at $200,000 a seat are
tallying up. And here in New Mexico, the design of Spaceport America is underway to
handle the space-bound public traffic by 2009-2010.
The
business plan is for 50,000 people to visit space over a ten year time period,
explained Alex Tai, vice president, operations for Virgin Galactic. Tai is
trained as a pilot in the Royal Air Force and started at Virgin as an airline
pilot for Virgin Atlantic before embarking on special projects for Branson.
Working
on the Virgin Galactic project from its conception, Tai plans to fly the first
commercial flight of the firm's spaceship as one of the pilots. Among current
tasks, he is supervising the design and construction of the new passenger-carrying
SpaceShipTwo.
In
this exclusive interview, SPACE.com caught up with Tai during the 2nd
International Symposium for Personal Spaceflight, held here prior to the
October 20-21 Wirefly X Prize Cup festivities.
Maximize the experience
"What
this is about is some seven minutes of black sky; about four minutes of
zero-gravity and about training to become an astronaut," Tai explained. There's
no doubt in his mind that the experience will be first-rate and a full-service
package--akin to the luxurious pampering already given Virgin travelers, he
noted.
"You
can sit somewhere in a box strapped into an ejection seat and give them zero
view," Tai said. "That's no way to go into space. We'll be giving them a really
sexy training experience. We're providing large windows that maximize the
view...the freedom to float around in zero-gravity...to maximize the experience. I
don't think we're in danger of under-delivery."
For
the $200,000 a person receives an all-accommodations three-day package, hotel,
training and transport to and from the spaceport site. "We'll throw in meals
and champagne," Tai added.
Early adopters
Tai
said that he's aware that there is still skepticism in some circles about
public space travel. More stunt than a stable business. Branson is keen, he
responded, on developing a legacy and becoming the first-ever spaceliner
operator and owner.
Beyond
high-priced seats--those early adopters of spaceliner travel that are booking
and spending big time dollars--look for the cost of access to space to drop.
"There
will be incremental improvements to the technology," Tai predicted. Initially, SpaceShipTwo,
like its predecessor, will utilize the oomph of a hybrid rocket motor. But once
the industry is underway, Virgin Galactic will look for other types of motors
to plug in the back of spaceliners.
"Then
the seat prices will tumble," is the forecast from Tai. Branson plans to plow
back money gained from early flights into extensions of space tourism, he
added.
Banking
on Virgin Galactic's progress, watch for more manufacturers to pop up with
other types of space vehicles. "There will be fuel to fan the invention...and the
fuel is money," Tai said.
Safety in the front seat
It
would be wrong to think of SpaceShipTwo as a "scaled-up" SpaceShipOne. While
larger in size--both the suborbital rocket plane as well as the White Knight
carrier mothership--extra margin must be built in for safety systems to be
implemented. Redundant and backup systems are to be employed too.
Lofting
six passengers and two pilots up to the edge of space means putting safety in
the front seat and a rigorous testing and shakeout program of hardware is
envisioned, Tai said.
"From
a business perspective," Tai suggested, "I would very much like him to spend
the least amount of money and do it in the shortest period of time. But that's
not the fundamental requirement. It's producing the safest, best-performing
ship. If I have to wait an extra year for that, I'll take the pressure from
everyone...to make sure that we get the best possible product."
Dreamy job
Tai
said by the time the first systems are delivered to Virgin Galactic, something in
the range of $150 million will have been spent.
Then
an operational structure must be put in place. Facilities are required to
handle early operations in Mojave, California and at Spaceport America in New Mexico. A team of
exceptionally competent and skilled personnel to operate the spaceliners are
also needed.
"And
that's going to cost money as well. I believe we'll spend between $225 million
and $250 million" to reach that operating point, Tai said, perhaps staring in
2009 but also depending on how the testing program goes.
There
will be a Virgin Galactic cadre of spaceliner pilots. They are being drawn from
Virgin's network of airlines. "We pay top dollar. And that attracts some of the
best pilots," Tai said, with those selected for space travel duty picked after
a meticulous training and preparation course.
"We'll
ensure that we get the best possible pilots. It'll be a dreamy job," Tai
emphasized.
Passionate passengers
Tai
speculates that hundreds of spaceships might be needed to handle passionate
passengers from around the world that hunger for space travel.
Beyond
the New Mexico spaceport--once the case for safety and turnaround time is made with the SpaceShipTwo
system--rhaps semi-permanent facilities, even local municipal airports, could
handle space travel operations, Tai suggested.
"It's
clearly a goal of Virgin Galactic of being a spaceline operator, not just for
same-point-to-same-point space tourism," Tai said. "We want to go
point-to-point on the planet ...with exceptional style and safety."
Getting
cheap access to low Earth orbit, Tai continued, will be leveraged from the
ability to globally hop about. "That's where the real market is. It will be
done off the back of point-to-point...not off going straight to low Earth orbit."
With
that technology in hand, it's onward to orbital destinations, space hotel
stopovers, and to the Moon and beyond, Tai said. "That's the big step, to break
free of the surly bonds of Earth."
advertisement
