The Bite Magazine - Spring 2016 - Issue 15

VIRGIN FRONTIER Virgin Galactic Virgin Galactic unveiled their new spaceship that will provide flights to space for ordinary people. Jada Brookes finds out how. T his year Sir Richard Branson went boldly where others have not been before by unveiling Virgin Galactic’s newly completed Space- shipTwo. The joint venture with Abu Dhabi Aabar Investments PJS saw the Virgin spaceship named ‘VSS Unity’ by Professor Stephen Hawking who said via a recorded speech, “I would be very proud to fly on this spaceship.” He went on to say, “I have always dreamt of space flight. But for many years, I thought it was just that - a dream. Confined to Earth and in a wheelchair, how could I experience the majesty of space except through imagination and my work in the- oretical physics? I never thought I would have the opportunity to see our beautiful planet from space or gaze outward into the infinity beyond.” Praising Sir Richard, he added, “A man with the vision and persistence to open up space flight for ordinary, earth-bound citizens, Richard Branson made it his mission to make space flight a reality for those intrepid enough to venture beyond the bounda- ries of the Earth’s atmosphere. I have had ALS for over fifty years now and while I have no fear of adventure, others do not always take the same view. If I am able to go – and if Richard will still take me, I would be very proud to fly on this spaceship. Space exploration has already been a great unifier – we seem able to cooperate between nations in space in a way we can only envy on Earth.Taking more and more passengers out into space will enable them and us to look both outwards and back, but with a fresh prospective in both directions. We are entering a new space age and I hope this will help to create a new unity.” The roll-out ceremony in California was attended by Sir Richard, his mother Eve, son Sam and his wife Isabella and their daughter Eva alongside Virgin Galactic’s Future Astronauts and partners. It was a special occasion for little Eva who celebrated her first birthday by ‘launch- ing’ the spaceship in the traditional way but with milk in place of bubbly. Staff and guests watched a congratulations video from Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai who emphasised the importance of space to science and technical education. Speeches at the opening ceremony were given by Stephen Attenborough, Virgin Galactic Commer- cial Director who said the statement “together, we open space, to change the world for good” united the team in “service of something bigger than ourselves.” George Whitesides, Virgin Galactic & The Spaceship Company CEO revealed that their aim is to become the world’s first commercial spaceline. “For us that means, for the first time, democratising access to space motivated strongly by a desire to use that access to benefit life here on Earth.” Sir Richard concluded the line of speeches by saying, “I have always believed that having the best looking planes and trains in the bitetravel