The 7th and most successful test flight of “VMS Eve” took place on Monday, 8th June 09. VMS Eve took off from the main runway at Mojave at approx. 6.30am local time, and the flight lasted over 6 hours, by far the longest flight so far.

Objectives of the flight were weight expansion at mid CG, further pressurization and environmental control system (ECS) functionality checks to 45,000 ft, speed envelope expansion, G envelope expansion and airborne engine re-starts.

All objectives were completed successfully! Pressurization and ECS worked as designed, the speed envelope was expanded to 340 knots true airspeed (KTAS*) with the gear up and down, peak altitude was increased to 45,000 ft, wind-up turns were performed to 2.5G and engines were shut down and re-started as planned.

*Note: KTAS is "knots true airspeed", the airspeed of an aircraft relative to undisturbed air.

Please visit the Scaled Composites’ website for the full flight log summary: www.scaled.com/projects/t1b/logs-WK2.htm

Virgin Galactic today announces the successful completion of the first phase of tests of the rocket motor that will propel space tourists, scientists and payloads into space.

In the desert of southern California, Virgin Galactic's key supplier Scaled Composites and its subcontractor SNC (Sierra Nevada Corporation) have successfully completed the first tests of the innovative rocket motor that will propel space tourists, scientists and payloads into space. The hybrid Nitrous Oxide system being used is the largest of its kind in the world and it will send Virgin's customers up into sub-orbital space at speeds over 2500 mph (4000kmh), to heights over 65 miles (110km) above the Earth’s surface, before the spaceship descends back down through the atmosphere using its pioneering feathered re-entry system.

Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Galactic said: “As Virgin Galactic gets ever closer to the start of commercial operations, we are reaching and passing many important and historic milestones. The Virgin MotherShip (VMS) Eve, the first of our amazing, all carbon composite, high altitude WhiteKnightTwo launch vehicles, is flying superbly. SpaceShipTwo, which will air launch from Eve, is largely constructed and awaiting the start of its own test flight programme later this year.”

The rocket motor burns for a very short period of time because the spaceship is launched from VMS Eve in the upper atmosphere, rather than from ground level. This means much less fuel is required, and the fuel burn is more environmentally benign than the solid rockets used in most ground based systems.

While the rocket motor is extremely powerful, it is also completely controllable. This system can - if necessary - be shut down at any time, allowing the spaceship to glide back down to land at a conventional runway. This is a significant feature in the overall safety of the Virgin system for human space flight.

Sir Richard continues: “Less fuel and clean fuel all add up to a space launch system which will be completely unprecedented in its low environmental impact compared with current space flight. The spaceship’s carbon footprint for each of its passengers and crew will be about a quarter of that for a return trip from London to New York, demonstrating again the extraordinary benefits that new technology can bring to the quest for clean transportation.” “We believe space is on the cusp of a new industrial revolution. Virgin Galactic’s mission has always been to transform the safety, cost and environmental impact of access to space. Not just for passengers, but also for a range of important scientific purposes, and to send small satellites into orbit. The world’s scientific community is united in recognising that making better use of space will be vital to mankind’s ability to manage the huge future challenges of life back here on Earth.”

The rocket motor will continue a series of exhaustive tests, and the spaceship itself will start flight testing later this year. The testing programme for the rocket, the spaceship and VMS Eve will be extensive.

On the 26th April 2009, Virgin Galactic not only became the first spaceline ever to sponsor a Formula 1 Grand Prix car, but also became the first Spaceline to sponsor a Formula 1 winner! The spectacular double whammy was witnesed by Sir Richard Branson in the searing heat of the Bahrain 2009 Grand Prix as UK’s Jenson Button notched up his 3rd win of the season in the Virgin Galactic branded Brawn GP car. Earlier, racing legend Nikki Lauda and Button’s team mate Reubens Barraccheli had both announced that they had bought tickets to ride on Virgin Galactic spaceships.

We are all delighted that Formula 1 as well as Space, now appears to be “Virgin Territory”

It was particularly appropriate that the Galactic logo should be on the Brawn GP car as Ross Brawn, the celebrated engineer owner of the team, is to Formula One and motorsprort engineering what Burt Rutan is to aviation design and materials technology development in aerospace. They are both inspirational in their use of new and efficient materials technologies of the future which have the capacity to dramatically lower the environmental and energy footprints of both air and road transport.

Bahrain

STATEMENT BY SIR RICHARD BRANSON

“We are delighted that this weekend’s sponsor of the Brawn GP team cars is Virgin Galactic…two flagship technology projects coming together in Bahrain for what promises to be the most exciting race of an already breathtaking season. Virgin Galactic is the leading technology project for the Virgin brand, developing a space launch system fit for the 21st century. The principles on which we are operating are based on establishing environmentally benign space launch using the very latest carbon composite materials combined with new techniques and technologies such as air launch, hybrid rocket motors and sustainable fuels, all of which will dramatically lower the energy and cost requirements for access to space. Transforming the safety, economics and environmental impact of space launch will in turn allow the next generation of private individuals, scientists and satellite technologies to reap the enormous and essential benefits that space offers us here on earth - literally making Space for Earth.

Virgin Galactic is using revolutionary but proven technology and is on the final stretch of its development phase before we launch the commercial operation. Our new carrier aircraft Virgin Mothership Eve, the world’s largest and most fuel efficient all composite aviation vehicle, is now well into its test flight programme and is performing beautifully. It will be carrying and launching SpaceShipTwo later this year.

We have established and proven without doubt that our first market �" space tourism �" is a large and vibrant one which will in itself make this business a commercial success. We now have around 300 future astronauts from over 40 countries including several from the Gulf States. However we have not yet signed up Bahrain’s very first astronaut, although judging by the interest I’ve seen in the past 24 hours, I have a feeling we will done that by the end of the Grand Prix on Sunday!

Construction of our future US Headquarters at Spaceport America in New Mexico, designed by Lord Foster, is now underway and will provide a base from which we can extend our spaceflight operation to locations around the world �"perhaps following a similar model to that which has been so successfully developed by Formula One. We have been convinced for some time that, with the right regulatory clearances, the Middle East offers exactly the right criteria for Virgin Galactic space launches, not just for space tourism but for science research and small satellite launch. I am pleased to say that we are in discussions with a small number of investor groups in the Gulf, interested in bringing manned space flight, space based scientific projects and a transformational satellite launch system to the region.

Our space launch system designer is Burt Rutan, who is to aviation what Ross Brawn is to Formula One….they are both brilliant engineers using new materials technologies and cutting edge ideas to change the face of their respective industries forever. That’s the reason Virgin has backed Burt to build Virgin Galactic’s revolutionary spaceship and it is the reason we are backing Ross Brawn to create one of the greatest teams in Formula One. The world is in a race to find technology solutions before the pressures of population and planet overtake our ability to achieve what history tells us we are capable of and it is people like Burt Rutan and Ross Brawn who must be supported in making change happen. That is why we are particularly delighted to see the Virgin Galactic logo on the Brawn GP cars this weekend.”

Glasgow Scotland

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Virgin Galactic (VG) announced today that they will explore the use of VG’s vehicles for climate science and other research relevant to NOAA’s mission. NOAA and Virgin Galactic intend to explore a possible collaboration that ultimately would fly NOAA science instruments onboard the VG carrier vehicle and SpaceShipTwo. The first of these instruments would provide data on atmospheric composition �" particularly CO2 and other greenhouse gases �" that will increase understanding of important global climate science. Such data will also provide important in situ measurements which will help provide calibration of satellite-based atmospheric measurements.

Both NOAA and VG are interested in increasing the understanding of the basic data and processes underlying climate change. A central component of NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in Earth’s environment, and a major focus of the Virgin Group is playing its part in answering the challenge of climate change throughout its global businesses. Work conducted under this agreement during the vehicles’ test flight program would be done on a no-exchange of funds basis and in compliance with all appropriate FAA regulations. "We need data and observations to understand how our climate changes," said Retired Navy Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. "This affords us a new and unique opportunity to gather samples and measurements at much higher altitudes that we can usually achieve." “To my mind there is no greater or more immediate challenge than that posed by climate change,” said Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Galactic. “It’s therefore more than fitting that the very first science to be conducted on board our new vehicles may be specifically directed at increasing our understanding and knowledge of the atmosphere and from there, to better inform our decisions as to the most effective ways of dealing with climate change.”

The new vehicles have also been designed by Scaled Composites, which was founded by legendary engineer Burt Rutan, and VG will use them to seek to make affordable, regular sub-orbital spaceflight possible for the first time.

These new vehicles will provide frequent access to suborbital space and high altitudes; understudied regions of critical importance to climate science and modelling. In particular, the VG vehicles will enable frequent access to relatively understudied regions of the Earth’s atmosphere, particularly the upper stratosphere, mesosphere and lower thermosphere. The potential collaboration with NOAA will help define the processes and parameters for successful science research onboard the vehicles.

Will Whitehorn, President of Virgin Galactic, remarked, “In the years ahead, Virgin Galactic looks forward to working with the global science community using Space Ship Two and White Knight Two as a platform for a range of research and technology demonstration missions.”

About NOAA

NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages US coastal and marine resources. http://www.noaa.gov

About Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic’s mission is to transform the levels of safety, frequency, cost and environmental impact that have been associated with space access �" particularly manned space access �" for almost half a century. Virgin Group has begun working across many of its businesses, particularly in the transportation sector, to showcase and push new, carbon efficient technologies that will help provide the solution to human induced climate change. Because of a range of innovations, Virgin Galactic will be operating an environmentally-benign space launch system that will open space and the Earth’s upper atmosphere to scientists at unprecedented frequency.

The rollout represents another major milestone in Virgin Galactic’s quest to launch the world’s first private, environmentally benign, space access system for people, payload and science.

Christened “EVE” in honor of Sir Richard’s mother, who performed the official naming ceremony, WK2 is both visually remarkable and represents ground-breaking aerospace technology. It is the world’s largest all carbon composite aircraft and many of its component parts have been built using composite materials for the very first time. At 140 ft, the wing span is the longest single carbon composite aviation component ever manufactured.

Driven by a demanding performance specification set by Virgin Galactic, WK2 has a unique heavy lift, high altitude capability and an open architecture driven design which provides for maximum versatility in the weight, mass and volume of its payload potential. It has the power, strength and maneuverability to provide for pre space-flight, positive G force and zero G astronaut training as well as a lift capability which is over 30% greater than that represented by a fully crewed SpaceShipTwo. The vehicle has a maximum altitude over 50,000 ft and its U.S. coast-to-coast range will allow the spaceship to be ferried on long duration flights.

An all carbon composite vehicle of this size represents a giant leap for a material technology that has already been identified as a key contributor to the increasingly urgent requirement by the commercial aviation sector for dramatically more fuel efficient aircraft. Powered by four Pratt and Whitney PW308A engines, which are amongst the most powerful, economic and efficient available, WK2 is a mold breaker in carbon efficiency and the epitome of 21st century aerospace design and technology.

The twin fuselage and central payload area configuration allow for easy access to WK2 and to the spaceship for passengers and crew; the design also aids operational efficiencies and turnaround times. WK2 will be able to support up to four daily space flights, is able to carry out both day and night time operations and is equipped with a package of highly advanced avionics.

Large numbers of VIP’s, media and more than 100 fully signed-up future Virgin Galactic astronauts flew into Mojave for the rollout onboard a new Airbus A320 aircraft specially chartered from Virgin America, the youngest and most efficient US domestic airline, which launched to great acclaim in 2007.

Rutan’s Scaled Composites facility has been strictly out of bounds whilst design and construction has been underway, but guests today were additionally given a tantalizing preview of SpaceShipTwo, clearly visible but heavily shrouded and well on its way to completion, in the smaller of Scaled’s two hangars awaiting its own rollout in 2009. This will be scheduled once WK2 is at the appropriate stage in its extensive test program, which has already begun with ground tests; it is expected to take its first flight in the fall of 2008. The flight test program will be comprehensive even before SpaceShipTwo is carried as a payload for the first time in 2009.

Mission Virgin Galactic will be open to all 11 �" 14 year old students (Key Stage 3) across the UK and has been designed with the backing of education experts to fit within and complement the national curriculum. The aim of the competition is to inspire pupils in the areas of science, maths, technology and engineering in a fun and exciting way.

Working in teams of four to six pupils, the challenge is to design a marketable product that demonstrates one or more of the science, technology or engineering principles used in the Virgin Galactic space tourism programme.

And the grand prize … the winning team and its teacher will be flown to the US as guests of Virgin Galactic where they will enjoy a tour of the Mojave spaceport and spend time chatting and learning from the engineers who have built WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo. The winning team will get the chance to witness history in the making by getting the once-in-a-lifetime chance to see a flight of SpaceShipTwo, Virgin Galactic’s commercial spaceship. The team will be accompanied by Sir Richard Branson and have the chance to ask him first hand why he believes that one day space travel will be open to all.

Will Whitehorn, President of Virgin Galactic commented: “I am delighted Virgin Galactic are working on this schools competition with the RAF and the Royal Aeronautical Society. Mission Virgin Galactic sets out to reinvigorate interest in the sheer excitement of recent developments in engineering and their context to new technologies in aerospace and transportation generally. We have to find solutions to the issues this planet faces and it will only be through a new generation of enthusiastic and environmentally conscious young engineers, entrepreneurs and scientists that we will achieve it. Hopefully, the lure of one day going to space can help to spur that spirit."

Throughout history prizes and competitions have been used to ignite the imaginations of nations. There have been many, many times in history that private sector companies and governments have put up prizes to encourage development in many areas. The automobile industry was encouraged to grow through inducements by The Chicago Herald Tribune. The first crossing of the Channel and the Atlantic by plane was greatly encouraged by The Daily Mail prize. And the Spitfire was the result of the Schneider Trophy.

During these times the young people of the nations involved were fascinated by the technology and the characters involved in making these dreams reality �" the RAS, the RAF and Virgin Galactic hope that through Mission Virgin Galactic young people within British schools will come to realise the exciting realities that are achieved through developments and expertise in science, technology and maths. It is hoped that by using the birth of a new era in space travel in a fun and innovative way that this competition will ignite the imagination of 11 �" 14 year olds across the UK.

The judges of Mission Virgin Galactic will be looking for creativity and innovation and as a result want to ensure that students realise the wide scope of the competition. As long as their product idea touches on one of the principles involved in the Virgin Galactic spaceflight it will be eligible. It could be a toy or a game, something for use in the house, a hi-tech gadget or even something a Virgin Galactic astronaut could use at the spaceport or during a flight. The possibilities are endless.

Through www.missionvirgingalactic.com everyone can join in whether pupils or teachers at a school who may not have entered a team or the ‘young-at-heart’ parents at home who wish they could enter! Everyone is permitted to sign up as a Galactic Knight and enjoy the interactive, fun and informative areas of the website.

Supporter, Actor - Ewan McGregor, congratulated the team on the launch of Mission Virgin Galactic: “This is a fantastic way of engaging school children in space travel and making all of the various academic disciplines they will have to call upon to compete exciting and fun. I will definitely be signing myself and my children up as Galactic Knights and can’t wait to see what product wins at the grand final!”

2008 �" 2009 will be the first year of Mission Virgin Galactic with the hope that by 2011 all UK schools will be signed up and be competing for this amazing prize. Going forward the plan will be to extend the competition to schools across America, Europe and the rest of the world with a Grand Draw (from all the winning teams in the pervious years) eventually being held to give the chance of a winning team to go to space!

For more information please go to www.missionvirgingalactic.com

Senior representatives from Spaceport Sweden and Virgin Galactic presented today, at a press conference at Esrange Space Center in northern Sweden, their latest progress towards commercial spaceflights for private space tourists.

The press conference was opened by Dr. Olle Norberg, the initiator and chairman of Spaceport Sweden. After had welcomed everyone he handed over to Mr. Sven Grahn, senior advisor at Swedish Space Corporation, who presented his work related to the establishment of Spaceport Sweden.

Will Whitehorn, President of Virgin Galactic (VG), talked about the challenge and necessity of designing totally new and energy efficient techniques to access space, which will help to transform the applications of space at a time when civilisation needs all the technological help it can get. He also explained VG’s vision of not only offering spaceflights to the general public but also of developing a launch vehicle that could be part of a longer term development programme involving space science, payload deployment and potentially other applications yet to be defined.

A significant factor of working together with Spaceport Sweden is that, in common with Spaceport America in New Mexico which will be our primary operating base, they can, as and when we are able to operate outside the US, offer much more that just a spaceport for space tourism, said Mr. Will Whitehorn. I’m not just thinking about the unique adventures one can enjoy in the Kiruna area, but also the long experience that Spaceport Sweden has in space science with sounding rockets, (i.e.. suborbital flight performed by the Swedish Space Corporation from Esrange Space Center). They have been in this business since 1966 and have the experience, the knowledge and the infrastructure needed to launch and communicate with experiments performed in space in real time. This really matches our vision of making further use of the new technology developed by Burt Rutan at Scaled Composites in California.

Stephen Attenborough, Commercial Director of Virgin Galactic, talked about the size and potential of the space tourism market which has justified VG’s faith and investment in developing the air and space vehicles and establishing the worlds first commercial spaceline. VG’s customer numbers continue to grow strongly, now around 250 firm reservations and well over $30 million dollars in deposits, with another 85000 people having registered an interest in flying with VG in the future. The customers come from a broad range of backgrounds, they cover a wide age group, and hail from 30 countries. 80 of them have started their preparations for the space flight by climbing into a centrifuge and have effectively “gone to space”. They experienced 3,5 G’s on the way up and 6 G’s on the way down.

Invited media spoke to a number of Virgin Galactic´s future Astronauts making a special visit to Kiruna.. Their programme was devised by the ICEHOTEL, the partner in Spaceport Sweden responsible for arranging all the unique adventures that come with a visit in the land of the northern lights and the midnight sun.

For more information please contact: Dr. Olle Norberg, chairman of Spaceport Sweden Phone: 46 980 720 24 or 46 70 587 20 42 E-mail: olle.norberg@esrange.ssc.se

Ms Susan Newsam Virgin Galactic Telephone 44 207 447 1926 E-mail: Susan.newsam@virgingalactic.com

Virgin Galactic today unveiled the design of its new, environmentally benign, space launch system based on the X Prize winning technology of SpaceShipOne, which successfully flew into space for the third time in October 2004 and won the $10m Ansari X Prize. The construction of the White Knight Two (WK2) mothership, or carrier aircraft, is now very close to completion at Scaled Composites in Mojave, CA and is expected to begin flight testing in the summer of 2008. It is the world’s largest, all carbon composite aircraft; it has a unique high altitude lift capacity, capable of launching SpaceShipTwo and its eight astronauts into sub-orbital space flight. The WK2 mothership is powered by four Pratt and Whitney PW308A engines which are amongst the most powerful, economic and efficient engines available. The WK2 mothership has also been designed to be capable of lifting other payload and launching it into space.

Whilst the two vehicles comprising the space launch system have been under construction, Virgin Galactic’s cadre of future astronauts has continued to grow strongly to well in excess of 200 individuals with around 85,000 registrations of interest to fly. Astronaut orientation for spaceflight is progressing well and already 80 of SpaceShipTwo’s first passengers have been through medical assessment and centrifuge training at the NASTAR facility in Philadelphia. Commenting on the unveiling, Burt Rutan, CEO of Scaled Composites, said: “Virgin Galactic produced a demanding output specification for the world’s first private human and payload space launch system. This required us to produce a safe but flexible design capable of multiple applications in new market sectors. I am confident that these vehicles, now in an advanced stage of construction, will achieve just that. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the whole team at Scaled Composites. “Looking up �" way up!” is an expression we have shared since the X Prize began and now we are all excited that this year the dream will start to become a very tangible reality for everyone involved.”

Sir Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Galactic, added: “The designs of both the mothership and the new spaceship are absolutely beautiful and surpass any expectations for the future of commercial spaceflight that we had when first registering the name Virgin Galactic in 1999. Burt and his team have done a fantastic job and I am also delighted with the wonderful vision that Foster and Partners, working with URS, have shown in the final designs for Spaceport America in New Mexico. Finally, we are all very excited about the prospect of being able to develop a bio-fuel solution for the space launch system and we are looking forward to working with Pratt and Whitney and Virgin Fuels to trial an appropriate bio mix for the PW308A engines that will be powering our new carrier aircraft.”

Virgin Galactic will make further announcements regarding the progress of the launch system, development of its markets, the test flying program and start of commercial operations at Spaceport America in due course.

Commenting on the NASTAR Center space flight training, Sir Richard said, "It was an amazing experience. Due to the flight simulation combined with the G forces created by the STS-400 centrifuge, I really felt like I was launching into space. I am glad many of the Founder astronauts got to do this, because it really does get us all prepared and excited about the real thing, and alleviates a lot of the apprehension people naturally have about whether they can handle a space launch or not. Now I know that I and the Founders can concentrate on the primary features of a Virgin Galactic space flight, which are the magnificent view of Earth and the weightless experience."

Several other participants from Virgin Galactic trained along with Branson, including his son Sam; Will Whitehorn, Virgin Galactic President; Alan Watts, who earned a flight aboard SpaceShipTwo through cashing in his Virgin Atlantic frequent flyer "Flying Club" miles; and Professor James Lovelock, the scientist who created the concept of Gaia Theory, that the biosphere of Planet Earth constitutes one great living entity. His ground breaking work has laid the foundations of much modern climate change theory. All of them successfully completed the training.

About 60 of the first 100 Virgin Galactic spaceflight customers, known as Founders, have gone through the 2-day NASTAR Center space flight training course. All of them found the experience worthwhile, and several laughed or whooped during their space launch simulation. The founders expressed many enthusiastic comments about their training: "Absolutely fantastic", "Loved it. Loved it. Loved it.", "Wow! I feel like one of the luckiest people in the world! Very Cool.", "A wickedly realistic experience", and "NASTAR Center is the Best."

"We are proud to have the opportunity to train Sir Richard and the other Galactic personnel and customers for their space flights," said William Mitchell, CEO of Environmental Tectonics Corporation (ETC), the parent company of the NASTAR Center. "This is the beginning of a new era in space activities. The NASTAR Center intends to be an important part of creating the private space industry in the coming years, a time in which personal spaceflight will play an increasing role and manned flight will continue to evolve."

Photo by Mark Greenberg

For further information and images, please click here to visit the NASTAR Centre website.

The Foster Partners and URS team has won an international competition to build the first private spaceport in the world - The New Mexico Spaceport Authority Building - it was announced today. The sinuous shape of the building in the desert-like landscape of New Mexico and its interior spaces seek to capture the drama and mystery of space flight itself, articulating the thrill of space travel for the first space tourists.

Organised into a highly efficient and rational plan, the Spaceport has been designed to relate to the dimensions of the spacecraft. There is also a careful balance between accessibility and privacy. Visitors and astronauts enter the building via a deep channel cut into the landscape. The retaining walls form an exhibition space that documents the history of the region and its settlers, alongside a history of space exploration.

Designed to have minimal embodied carbon and few additional energy requirements, the scheme has been designed to achieve the prestigious LEED Platinum accreditation. The low-lying form is dug into the landscape to exploit the thermal mass and natural light enters via skylights.

Lord Foster said: "We are absolutely thrilled to be part of the dynamic team chosen to design the worlds first space terminal. This technically complex building will not only provide a dramatic experience for the astronauts and visitors, but will set an ecologically sound model for future Spaceport facilities."

New York, NY, June 21st, 2007: Virgin Galactic announced today that George T. Whitesides, Executive Director of the National Space Society, has been appointed Senior Advisor to the company. Virgin Galactic is on track to become the world's first spaceline.

Founded by Sir Richard Branson, the company was established to undertake the challenge of making private space travel available to everyone. Will Whitehorn, President of Virgin Galactic, said, "George is recognized as a leader in the U.S. space policy and business communities, and has been a strong advocate for the developing personal spaceflight industry.

We are pleased to have him join our team in this capacity." As Senior Advisor, Whitesides will provide guidance on regulation, markets and government relations, as well as provide general advocacy for the commercial spaceflight industry and the company.

His appointment strengthens the company's presence in the United States, in preparation for the transfer of Virgin Galactic's operations to the US. Whitesides remarked, "Virgin Galactic is leading the way to commercial space flight for the public.The next few years will be a critical period for the industry, and I look forward to helping Virgin Galactic make history." He will continue his duties as Executive Director of the National Space Society during his appointment as Senior Advisor to the company. Whitesides began his career at Orbital Sciences Corporation, a leading manufacturer of space vehicles and satellites. As Vice President of Zero Gravity Corporation, he helped launch that company's weightless flight service, now a thriving space tourism business. As the Executive Director of the National Space Society, he leads the largest public space organization focused on human spaceflight. He earned a bachelor's degree in public and international affairs from Princeton University, and a master's degree in remote sensing and geographic information systems from Cambridge University in England.

Virgin Galactic has collected over $25 million dollars of customer deposits and plans to begin flying private passengers as early as 2009.

The company has partnered with Burt Rutan to commercialize the revolutionary spaceship technologies pioneered during Scaled Composites' successful campaign to win the X PRIZE.

For full details please see the full press release: Virgin Galactic and New Mexico Spaceport Authority Sign Milestone MOA for Spaceport America Lease LAS CRUCES -- Virgin Galactic today signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) setting out the terms under which Virgin Galactic would lease approximately 83,400 square feet of hangar and terminal facilities at Spaceport America, announced Rick Homans, chairman of the NMSA and Cabinet Secretary of the NM Economic Development Department. "This agreement is a historic milestone for Virgin Galactic and Spaceport America," said Homans. "It represents months of negotiation and the outline of a substantive partnership to launch the commercial space industry." "Virgin Galactic is looking forward to bringing our base of operations to Spaceport America and our world headquarters to New Mexico," said Will Whitehorn, President of Virgin Galactic. "This agreement represents a significant commitment by Virgin Galactic to be the anchor tenant at Spaceport America, and to help New Mexico grow a thriving new industry around commercial space companies."

The MOA was signed today at New Mexico State University at 4 p.m. Over the next few months, the MOA will be developed into a legal lease agreement. A legal lease agreement with an "anchor tenant" such as Virgin Galactic is one of three conditions that the NMSA must meet before it can use $100 million of state capital outlay. The other two conditions include a bona fide cost estimate of $225 million or less for an operational spaceport, and receipt of a site operator's license from the Federal Aviation Administration. The MOA was approved by Virgin Galactic's Board of Directors in New York City on March 13th, and it has been reviewed in detail by members of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority, who authorized Homans to sign the document on the Authority's behalf.

Key components of the Agreement are:

1. Virgin Galactic will locate its primary launch and operational activities at Spaceport America and its global headquarters in New Mexico.

2. The NMSA will construct common facilities at Spaceport America that will include runways, emergency facilities, fuel storage and delivery, perimeter security, restaurant and concessions, and visitor viewing areas. Tenants will pay User Fees to use these facilities. These fees have yet to be established.

3. Virgin Galactic will lease facilities at Spaceport America, including a dedicated terminal and hangar, as well as state-of-the-art medical facilities, mission control, staff clubhouse, and office accommodations for Virgin Galactic personnel.

4. In addition to the lease payments for its own premises at the spaceport, Virgin Galactic will pay the NMSA a ground lease for land it uses, as well as User Fees for its use of the common facilities at the spaceport.

5. The NMSA will establish a Spaceport Advisory Committee, consisting of Virgin Galactic and other tenants, to advise and work with the NMSA on operations, budget, capital improvements, maintenance, marketing and branding.

Homans said the NMSA will build and own the Virgin Galactic facilities, and then lease them to Virgin Galactic in return for payments of approximately $27.5 million over 20 years which would equate to a blended rental rate of approximately $16.50 per square foot. During the MOA negotiations, the Authority was assisted by Jacobs Consultancy of Burlingame, California. Spaceport America is a landmark project that will be built in Sierra County, 45 miles northeast of Las Cruces. According to economic forecasts by NMSU and Futron Corporation, Spaceport America may spur up to 5,000 new jobs and up to $1 billion in new revenue in the State. Spaceport America is scheduled to open for business in late 2009 or early 2010. About Virgin Galactic Virgin Galactic is the world's first spaceline. Virgin Galactic was established by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group to undertake the challenge of making private space travel available to everyone. Virgin Galactic will own and operate privately built spaceships, based on the history-making SpaceShipOne. These spaceships, which are currently under construction in Mojave, California, will allow private sub-orbital space travel for the first time in history. In addition to Virgin Galactic's $27.5 million in lease payments towards the development of Spaceport America, the company is currently investing over $200 million dollars in the development of the new SpaceShipTwo system and bringing it to New Mexico. The company also believes that the system and derivatives of it in the future may be capable of a range of scientific and commercial payload applications. Such applications would widen the scope to develop a number of business opportunities in addition to space tourism.

The major benefits of this agreement are likely to emerge in the technologies that evolve out of Virgin Galactic's current sub-orbital project, but it is of immediate significance for the following reasons: This is a first and formal recognition of the mutual respect and close relationship that has developed between NASA and Virgin Galactic. It is a ringing acknowledgement for the emerging commercial manned space industry and for Virgin Galactic in particular from the world's premier space agency. The access to NASA Ames' capabilities and facilities further strengthens Virgin Galactic's leading market position and will support its twin objectives of safety and commercial viability. This is good news not just for Virgin Galactic but for our customers, our suppliers and for the industry as a whole.

A packed press conference listened to presentations by Will Whitehorn (VG President) and Stephen Attenborough (Commercial Director) and watched an impressive new animation which gave an insight into the Virgin Galactic ‘experience'. Richard then took part in a Panel question and answer session before taking part in the official NextFest Opening Ceremony along with Mayor Bloomberg and the latest shuttle astronauts. The team hosted a drinks reception for many of our customers and various VIPs including Buzz Aldrin, Brian Binnie, Philippe Starck and Governor Pataki, in front of the SS2 mock-up and SS1 replica. We were also very pleased to be able to entertain our newly accredited Space Agents from the US (Virtuoso) and Australia and we are looking forward to working with them closely as the project evolves. Following the worldwide coverage,including NBC's Today show, we have had some wonderful feedback from our customers who are now eagerly looking forward to the unveiling of the real spaceship.

The goal is that the study will result in an operational agreement whereby Spaceport Sweden would be the first spaceport outside the United States which Virgin Galactic can use for flight campaigns. Areas of work to be developed include scientific confirmation of the possibility of operating the first ever spaceflights into the Aurora Borealis (The Northern Lights) and payload deployment and scientific experiments from Spaceport Sweden. The conditions at Spaceport Sweden are ideal, using the combined expertise of several Kiruna-based Swedish companies whose successful development has earned them international respect: the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC), ICEHOTEL, LFV Group (Kiruna Airport) and Kiruna's business-development company Progressum.

Their reputation for service consistently attracts attention with regards to aerospace operations, testing and tourism. "Spaceport Sweden is very interesting for us thanks to their expertise in space technology and innovative thinking, as well as the fact that Kiruna can offer unique experiences such as the northern lights and the ICEHOTEL during winter and the midnight sun during summer" said Mr. Will Whitehorn, President of Virgin Galactic.

Virgin Galactic has already signed their first Swedish customer who will become Sweden's second astronaut, first space tourist and potentially the first Swede flying into space from Swedish ground. Mr Bengt Söderqvist was born in 1938 in Tvärskog, a small village near Kalmar in southern Sweden. He has lived on the Turks and Caicos Island (southwest of the Bahamas) for many years, where he has been working as a surveyor for a pioneer development company since 1966. "When I understood that I had the chance to see the Earth from space myself, I took that chance and here I am", stated Mr Söderqvist. The first flight from Spaceport Sweden will take place after Virgin Galactic has established regular commercial operations in the United States and agreed the necessary procedures to both export the technology and approvals to operate in Swedish airspace. Thereafter space trips from Kiruna can start.

The first purpose built commercial spaceport is currently being developed in New Mexico and has already signed an agreement with Virgin Galactic as a launch customer. "Spaceport Sweden is additional confirmation of the worldwide interest and commitment to commercial space travel," said Rick Homans, cabinet secretary for economic development in the State of New Mexico. "While Spaceport America in New Mexico will be Virgin's world headquarters and primary operating base, having a global network of spaceports for showcase launches will allow Virgin to expand its business and, therefore, help to support the commercial operations here in New Mexico.

Spaceport America welcomes Spaceport Sweden and looks forward to a strong partnership in the years to come," Mr. Homans concluded. "Kiruna has been involved in space business since almost 50 years, and the town has evolved to a recognized Space City on the world map", said Dr. Olle Norberg, Head of Esrange Space Center (SSC) and Spaceport Sweden. "To take new steps into the future of space activities is very natural for us and we very much look forward to work together with Virgin Galactic and Spaceport America", Dr. Norberg concluded.

"When Burt Rutan and SpaceShipOne won the X PRIZE in October 2004, we knew the new space industry had arrived," said Secretary Rick Homans. "And when Sir Richard Branson announced that Virgin would use that same technology to fly paying passengers into space, we realized that our most important job was to convince Virgin Galactic to come to New Mexico and launch the personal spaceflight industry. This announcement is a convergence of dreams and we are proud that Virgin will be New Mexico's anchor tenant at the world's most exciting space tourism location. "

"New Mexico has worked hard to bring us to their exciting new spaceport facility," stated Will Whitehorn, President of Virgin Galactic. "The State has several factors that make it an ideal operations base: climate, free airspace, low population density, high altitude, and stunning scenery. Our team was highly impressed by the professionalism and the competitive pitch the state and its advisors developed. We look forward to working together to make the "Final Frontier" a reality for tens of thousands of pioneering space tourists. Our activities will prove the commercial viability and excellent safety technology behind private personal spaceflight and give birth to a new industry in New Mexico."

Virgin Galactic has placed orders for five spaceships and two launch aircraft with options on further systems, thus securing the exclusive use of the systems for the initial 18 months of commercial passenger operations. The Spaceship Company plan to make spaceflight affordable for the masses and to demonstrate the commercial viability of manned space exploration. Burt Rutan commented "I am very excited to have agreed terms on which we can now move forward to develop the world's first commercial, passenger-carrying spaceships".

Brian Binnie is more used to flying the mother ship White Knight, than he is SpaceShipOne, but today, he and Mike Melvill traded places. Mike took the controls of White Knight to fly Brian up to around 55,000 feet, where SpaceShipOne was released, before rocketing up to a record-breaking height of 368,000 feet in just over a minute. The flight was very successful in every respect. The 'victory roll' experienced by Mike Melvill on his previous flight seemed to be under control, and the hands off re-entry made possible by the innovative 'feather' design was smooth and successful.

Using the amazing and beautiful image of an iris, he allows people to reflect on the basic human instinct to push boundaries and explore. Philippe Starck explains: "The curiosity and adventure of the human spirit exists in the vision of a human eye, from today, through millions of years of evolution, right back to the beginning of mankind. The nebulous iris represents the infinite possibilities of this endeavour and signifies our opportunity to look back at earth from space with our own eyes for the first time. The eye's pupil incorporates an eclipse, the dawning of something new, something unique but accessible. Something far, but near."

The new visual was identity was created by Philippe Starck in conjunction with leading design agency GBH Design Ltd. Mark Bonner, Creative Director at GBH Design Ltd, added: "It is an honor and a privilege to work within one of the most exciting ventures in the world today. Our aim is not just to create something that represents the opportunity for an ordinary person to travel into space and to look back at the planet where we all live, but also to represent the incredible spirit of human endeavor that continues to push us all forward". Richard Branson and the Virgin Galactic team feel that the new logo looks towards the future of space travel rather than using imagery more in the style with a wonderful but bygone age.

Sir Richard Branson said: "Philippe has come up with the most fantastic logo, which encapsulates our vision of the future. When I look at the logo I am reminded of childlike awe. I believe it represents all those who will watch and be a part of the growth of this amazing new commercial aviation sector. Whether they be six or sixty, all will see and believe that a new chapter in the story of space flight has begun.