Virgin Galactic may be able to start launching its first trips as early as the next five years as indicated by its head Will Whitehorn. Lossiemouth Royal Air Force Base in Moray, Scotland will be used as a base from 2011.



Weightless experience for only 5 minutes today costs as much as £110,000.



Trips would involve passengers sent up in a spaceship attached to a separate aero plane, which will detach at an altitude of 49,000 feet. The Virgin spacecraft would then leave the Earth’s atmosphere for approximately 15 minutes, which will include five minutes to float with weightlessness.



The key base for the Virgin Galactic team is in Mexico, United States, test flights are scheduled to commence in California next year with commercial flights due to start in three years. Richard Branson’s company has already got an advance booking for 200 for the for the return trip to the outer atmosphere.



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Via: Scenta