Space News
space history and artifacts articles

Messages
space history discussion forums

Sightings
worldwide astronaut appearances

Resources
selected space history documents

Forum:Commercial Space - Military Space
Topic:Virgin Galactic and Spaceport America (NM)
Want to register?
Who Can Post? Any registered users may post a reply.
About Registration You must be registered in order to post a topic or reply in this forum.
Your UserName:
Your Password:   Forget your password?
Your Reply:


*HTML is ON
*UBB Code is ON

Smilies Legend

Options Disable Smilies in This Post.
Show Signature: include your profile signature. Only registered users may have signatures.
*If HTML and/or UBB Code are enabled, this means you can use HTML and/or UBB Code in your message.

If you have previously registered, but forgotten your password, click here.

New Mexico is on track to become one of the very few places on this beautiful planet which regularly launches humans to space.

We made the decision to move spaceline operations to Spaceport America after two successful spaceflights, which also created five new commercial astronauts. The most recent spaceflight in February saw Chief Astronaut Instructor, Beth Moses, become the first commercial astronaut to unstrap and float free in the cabin of a commercial spaceship.

This week, the mothership left The Spaceship Company headquarters in Mojave, California, piloted by Kelly Latimer and myself. In the vicinity of Spaceport we carried out a number of tests of the communications systems, and coordination with the FAA at Albuquerque Center, White Sands Missile Range, Holloman AFB and NMSA, before landing at Spaceport. VMS Eve has become the first Virgin Galactic flight vehicle to permanently call the Land of Enchantment its home.

The team has been busy getting Spaceport America ready for commercial service, installing the ground infrastructure and then conducting ground tests of all the systems to ensure they are flight-ready. The arrival of VMS Eve in New Mexico signifies the start of the next important phase – mothership operations prior to SpaceShipTwo's own flight operations.

In the coming days, the team will use VMS Eve to fly simulated spaceship launch missions, with pilots and Mission Control ensuring that all in-flight communications and airspace coordination work as planned. The pilots will replicate some of SpaceShipTwo's low altitude flight profile and familiarize themselves with the New Mexico airspace and landmarks.

VMS Eve will return to Mojave later this year to pick up Spaceship Unity. When both vehicles are in place in New Mexico, we will continue Unity's flight test program. Following the completion of that program, we will move to the start of commercial service and begin flying our future astronauts into space.

Robert PearlmanVirgin Galactic release
Virgin Galactic Opens the Doors to the 'Gateway to Space'

Virgin Galactic today (Aug. 15) revealed the first look at the interior fit-out of its "Gateway to Space" building at Spaceport America in New Mexico. The work completed showcased two floors of the building primarily focused on spaceflight operations, which also incorporates communal spaces designed for use in the future by Virgin Galactic customers, along with their friends and families. Completion of this interior work means the spaceport facility is now operationally functional and able to support Virgin Galactic's flight requirements.

One of the hallmarks of the Virgin brand for over nearly half a century has been the use of inspired and bold design to transform customer experiences. It is an ethos that has been successfully applied across industrial sectors and design disciplines. From aircraft cabins to hotel bedrooms and from fitness classes to bank accounts.

Virgin Galactic has striven to remain faithful to that tradition by choosing an elegant, experience-focused concept for the space launch system itself. Similarly, the company's choice to operate from Spaceport America in New Mexico was due in no small part to the state's decision to commission landmark architecture for the world's first purpose-built commercial spaceport. The Foster + Partners Gateway to Space facility pays homage to the past in its respect for the ancient surrounding landscape while powerfully embracing the future through energy efficiency and sustainability. It was also specifically designed to enable Virgin Galactic to create an unparalleled experience as its customers prepare for journeys of a lifetime before graduating as astronauts.

The first floor is focused on our home planet, and is named Gaia, representing the point of departure and return, as well as the purpose of each astronaut's journey. The color palettes and the use of natural materials aims to bring the stunning landscape which surrounds Spaceport inside. The floor design, furniture and fittings promote social interaction and human discourse – a sense of togetherness and unity. An elevated, interactive digital walkway will heighten the departure experience for the Future Astronauts and their friends and family as they set out from Spaceport to VSS Unity on the day of flight. The Earth-focused design will provide a fitting welcome to those newly-graduated astronauts returning from space with a new appreciation and understanding of our home planet.

Gaia is subtly and unobtrusively zoned into practical, formal and informal spaces which will host the space operations team, Future Astronauts and their family and friends. It serves as the social hub of the building, where everyone is part of the Virgin Galactic family; Future Astronauts will share breakfast with spaceship pilots, grab coffee with rocket engineers and pass the time of day with the team from Mission Control.

The focal point of Gaia is the Barista Island, a central bar made of back-lit Italian marble hovering above hand-crafted oak providing a social hub for our hospitality team to engage with guests and staff. Spaceflight preparation will unite our teams with our Future Astronauts in the pursuit of a common purpose. The Barista Island within Gaia will help to foster that sense of camaraderie and the determination to deliver each Future Astronauts' personal mission.

The second floor is named Cirrus, representing light, air and flight. It is the beating heart of spaceflight operations, and is connected to the community hub of Gaia below through a double height atrium. The color palette graduates from the earthy tones below in Gaia to lighter white and grey shades, reflecting the skies beyond and providing a clean environment supporting operational focus.

This area is home to Mission Control, the Mission Briefing Room, the Pilot Corps and the rest of the Flight Operations team.

Mission Control enjoys a dedicated space which allows focus on flight operations. Outside this space, the Flight Operations team and the pilots are positioned to give an unrestricted view of ground operation areas including the apron and runway.

Virgin Galactic's space fleet will be housed in the Gateway to Space hangar which is already home to VMS Eve. This huge expanse in the middle of the building is large enough to accommodate two carrier aircraft, each with a wingspan of 140 ft along with five SpaceShipTwo vehicles.

The unveiling of Gaia and Cirrus brings to life a beautiful, world-first and world-class facility and means that Spaceport America's Gateway to Space is now functionally operational – ready to host the remaining portion of Virgin Galactic's test flight program before welcoming its very first Future Astronauts.

Robert PearlmanVirgin Galactic release
Virgin Galactic Welcomes SpaceShipTwo Unity to Spaceport America, New Mexico

Virgin Galactic Captive Carry Test Flight Marks Relocation of Spaceflight Operations to Spaceport America

Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc., a vertically integrated aerospace company, has successfully completed another vital step on its path to commercial service, relocating SpaceShipTwo, VSS Unity, to its commercial headquarters at Spaceport America's Gateway to Space building.

VSS Unity, attached to the carrier aircraft, VMS Eve, made the journey from Mojave, California, where the Company's manufacturing facilities are based. The vehicle landed at 15.49 MT, where it was greeted by an enthusiastic group of teammates who will operate the spaceship in New Mexico.

This captive carry flight provided an opportunity for engineers to evaluate VSS Unity for over three hours at high altitude and cold temperatures, a longer period of time than is experienced during missions to space. These environmental evaluations of system performance are difficult to replicate at ground level, making captive carry missions a vital component of VSS Unity's flight test plan.

The flight also provided a valuable opportunity to conduct pilot training and familiarization, with veteran Italian Air Force Test Pilot Nicola 'Stick' Pecile joining Chief Pilot Dave 'Mac' Mackay in the cockpit of the spaceship for the first time. Nicola is the fifth pilot to complete a flight in VSS Unity. VMS Eve was piloted by Mike 'Sooch' Masucci and Frederick 'CJ' Sturckow.

The move of the spaceship to Spaceport America marks a key step in the relocation of Virgin Galactic's to the state of New Mexico. In May 2019, Virgin Galactic announced that as part of this move, approximately 100 teammates would move to New Mexico from Mojave, California, Spaceport America would become operational and the vehicles would be transferred to the Gateway to Space. Today, nearly all of those team members have relocated, the spaceport is operationally ready, and both VMS Eve and VSS Unity have now arrived. Of Virgin Galactic's total current New Mexico work force, more than 70 team members have been hired locally, the result of a conscious effort to attract New Mexico-based talent.

"New Mexico is going to be the world's launchpad for commercial spaceflight," New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said. "Today marks another step closer: We will have a genuine Space Valley in Southern New Mexico, a hotbed of innovation and achievement and space tourism development. I congratulate Virgin Galactic's workers, George Whitesides and Sir Richard Branson on today's successful flight – and once again I say to them: Welcome to New Mexico, we're very glad to have you!"

"When Virgin Galactic started moving to New Mexico last year, everyone felt the sheer magnitude of the task ahead, but we were encouraged and excited by the team's confidence and strong vision for the future," said George Whitesides, CEO of Virgin Galactic. "Today we realized the next step in that dream by bringing our beautiful spaceship to New Mexico. We still have significant work ahead, but we are grateful to all our teammates who have made this day a reality."

The relocation of VSS Unity to Spaceport America enables the Company to engage in the final stages of its flight test program. This will begin with a number of initial captive carry and glide flights from the new operating base in New Mexico, allowing the spaceflight operations team to familiarize themselves with the airspace and ground control. Once these tests are complete, the team will carry out a number of rocket-powered test flights from Spaceport America to continue the evaluation of VSS Unity's performance. During this phase, the final spaceship cabin and customer experience evaluations will also be concluded in preparation for the start of commercial spaceflight operations.

The Spaceship Company, Virgin Galactic's design, testing and manufacturing arm, remains firmly rooted in Mojave, California. While VMS Eve and VSS Unity are now based in New Mexico, they will make periodic journeys back to Mojave to support ground and flight tests of new spaceships, as well as for vehicle maintenance and upgrade activities. There is significant progress being made on the next two spaceships, including achieving the Weight on Wheels milestone for the second spaceship and completing over 50% of the structural and system part fabrication for the third spaceship, which were announced in January.

Dan Hicks, Spaceport America's Executive Director, congratulated the Virgin Galactic team, saying "This truly is the dawn of a new era for the commercial space sector. We are tremendously proud of our foundational partner Virgin Galactic - as we see and support their historic progress in making human space flight a reality for our beautiful world. The New Mexico and Spaceport America leadership will continue our strong support for our visionary Virgin Galactic teammates; and we are looking forward to an exciting 2020!"

Robert PearlmanVirgin Galactic release
Virgin Galactic Secures Land for New Astronaut Campus and Training Facility

Virgin Galactic today (Aug. 1) announced it has secured land to move forward with a new astronaut campus and training facility in the State of New Mexico, near the Company's commercial operations headquarters.

The land, located in Sierra County, will be home to a new, first of its kind astronaut campus, for exclusive use by Virgin Galactic Future Astronauts and up to three of their guests in advance of a spaceflight from Spaceport America. The master plan for the campus will include training facilities, purposeful accommodations, and tailored experiences as well as an observatory, wellness center, recreation activities, and unique dining options -- all underpinned by Virgin's signature hospitality.

Situated near Spaceport America, the campus will sit atop a mesa overlooking the stunning New Mexico landscape. With a focus on sustainability and minimal impact to the surrounding environment, the purpose-driven design of the project will embrace water conservation and re-use, eco-friendly materials, and low carbon mobility as key considerations in the development of the site. The campus is being designed with bold simplicity, function, innovation, and emotional connectivity at the core, paying homage to the region's spectacular natural vistas.

"At Virgin Galactic, the road to space begins in New Mexico, and we are proud to showcase the state as the launch point for our unique and unparalleled experience," said Blair Rich, Virgin Galactic President & Chief Business Officer, Commercial and Consumer Operations. "From the point of sale, our Future Astronauts begin a journey that is curated, high-touch and distinctly Virgin, which will culminate at the astronaut campus and training facility. Customers who buy a ticket today will stay and train here, along with their guests, for five nights. While our Future Astronauts are completing spaceflight training, their guests will live out a tailored itinerary of discovery and educational experiences on the campus and throughout southern New Mexico."

Conceptual design of the campus has already begun, and Virgin Galactic plans to complete the build out in parallel with the expansion and capacity of its fleet in New Mexico. The Company is committed to continuing its strong track record of engaging local suppliers. Since 2011, Virgin Galactic has totaled more than $180 million in expenditures in New Mexico, with more than $50 million of supplies purchased from over 200 different local suppliers. The Company currently employs more than 200 New Mexico-based employees and expects that many professional and service roles will be created to support the high-touch training and hospitality operations planned at the site.

"I'm thrilled to welcome the next chapter of Virgin Galactic's continued investment in New Mexico," said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. "The new astronaut campus in Sierra County will spur further economic activity for New Mexico, creating more local jobs and attracting new visitors and spending to the area. New Mexico is proud to be home to the future of aerospace innovation and space tourism."

Contact Us | The Source for Space History & Artifacts

Copyright 1999-2024 collectSPACE. All rights reserved.





advertisement