In true Richard Branson flair, the founder of Virgin Galactic has a multimedia plan in place for when he and his adult children, Holly and Sam, take the first planned tourist spaceflight next year. Virgin Galactic and NBCUniversal signed a “multi-platform partnership” for the network’s affiliates to transmit the flight all over the place.
Disclosed platforms so far include CNBC, MSNBC, NBCNews.com, Syfy and The Weather Channel. They also plan a “primetime special” on NBC on the launch’s eve, and to host a live event for three hours on NBC’s Today show. Financial terms were not released.
“Virgin Galactic is thrilled that NBCUniversal will join us on our exciting first journey to space,” stated Branson. “In this first chapter of commercial space travel, we will help make space accessible and inspire countless more people to join us in the pursuit of space exploration and science innovation.”
Virgin’s SpaceShipTwo is in the midst of powered flight tests and the company has hundreds of people signed up for flights. The company is one of several American contenders to run space tourism flights regularly, with XCOR Aerospace and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin among the most cited competitors.
i WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHEN THAT FLIGHT TAKES PLACE, AND THEN BE ON- BOARD ONE OF IT’S LATER FLIGHTS TO SPACE.
When can we expect it?
Tighten your launch harness’ and lower your visor… “SpaceShipTwo to White Knight… commencing drop sequence in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.. Drop – drop….four, three, two, one disarm safeing… Iignite engine and HANG ON! YIPPEEEEEE~~~~~~~~*
Tighten your launch harness’ and lower your visor… “SpaceShipTwo to
White Knight Two… commencing drop sequence in ten, nine, eight, seven,
six, five, four, three, two, one.. Drop – drop… Commence rocket
ignition in four, three, two… ABORT, ABORT… NASA satellites report an Earth directed X-class hyperflare released from Sol six minutes ago. E/M wavefront impact in two minutes… begin emergency descent protocol!”
US only? other countries? don’t care? America the only country in the world?