Virgin Galactic Readies Tourist Spacecraft for 2009 Flights

Virgin Galactic entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson displayed SpaceShipTwo's (SS2) interior and other aspects of the highly touted space vehicle that will launch test flights from the Mojave Spaceport in 2008 and commercial tourist flights of America's Spaceport in Upham, New Mexico in 2009.

"It's strange to think that in 12 months we'll be unveiling the actual plane, and then test flights will commence right after that, Branson said in New York City today. The SS2 is an air-launched vehicle designed to seat eight people – six passengers and two pilots. Commercial passengers will be charged $190,000 and 7,000 people have already expressed serious interest in a suborbital flight.

Video: "Let the Journey Begin" is an animation of the SS2 Enterprise best viewed in FULL SCREEN option and a video report from the BBC.