From personalised seats to a large mirror for observing yourself weightless, Virgin Galactic has revealed what it will be like for passengers inside SpaceshipTwo, VSS Unity. Jenny Southan reports
After years of waiting, Virgin Galactic has finally unveiled the interior cabin of its SpaceshipTwo spacecraft, VSS Unity, which will take non-professional astronauts off-Earth for US$250,000 a ticket. Departures will be from Spaceport America in New Mexico – hopefully before the end of 2020.
It has even started advertising on Instagram, with a deposit of US$1,000 taking people to the front of the queue for reservations.
So what will it be like on board a Virgin Galactic flight?
Designed in partnership with London-based studio Seymourpowell, cabin architecture will facilitate “effortless movement in weightlessness”. There will be 12 windows for passengers to gaze at the Earth from, and automated mood lighting that harmonises with each flight phase (a bit like on Virgin Atlantic B787 planes).
It says: “While it has been created to integrate seamlessly with every other aspect of the Virgin Galactic astronaut journey – the cabin is also the design centrepiece, providing safety without distraction, quietly absorbing periods of sensory intensity and offering each astronaut a level of intimacy required for personal discovery and transformation.”
Meanwhile, a pilot-controlled recline mechanism allows for optimal seat positioning to manage G-forces on boost and re-entry, and frees up cabin space to maximise an unrestricted astronaut float zone when in zero gravity.
Virgin Galactic’s current community of 600 Future Astronauts has always been clear that having photos and videos of their spaceflight experience to share, is of paramount importance. The output from 16 cabin cameras, therefore, plus those in the cockpit and mounted externally, will generate high-definition images for the Instagram posts and personal movies.
There will also be a large, circular mirror on the aft bulkhead which, by adding a tint to the reflective surface, allows astronauts to view themselves weightless, while illuminated by the natural brightness of the Earth.
“The fascination with spaceflight is universal and Virgin Galactic is here to satisfy it. We are particularly proud to be able to share this latest milestone with millions around the world, particularly during these unusual times. We hope the new app, with cutting-edge AR technology will help bring the dream of space one step closer for space enthusiasts everywhere.”
“This cabin has been designed specifically to allow thousands of people like you and me to achieve the dream of spaceflight safely – and that is incredibly exciting.’’
Those interested can also explore the Virgin Galactic cabin and spaceflight experience through an augmented reality mobile app that is available to download for free at both the App Store and Play Store.