Let’s say your company did really well this year. What better way to reward those who make the cogs turn than with a trip to space? This dream is now realized for those of you who grew up watching the moonwalk (Armstrong’s, not Jackson’s), those of us who had the space shuttle to watch, and the younger generation that came up watching SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, and the X prize. For $200,000 you, too, can get a quick five minute-ride through the vacuum of space with a two-hour flight in one of the coolest looking suborbital ships around, SpaceShipTwo.
Engadget reports that the very first flight will fly Virgin Galactic CEO, Richard Branson and his two adult children. From some of the numbers reported, Virgin Galactic has just over 500 bookings. If you can afford the whole $200,000 up front, you can book your flight under the Pioneer Astronaut, which it says will let you be one of the first 500 to fly. For the ultimate conversation starter, you can also expect to be one of the first thousand or so humans into space.
There are two ways to book your flights. First through Virgin Galactic, choosing from one of their pre-planned reservation options, or you can do it the classy way and get yourself a space travel agent. Some are actual Virgin Galactic accredited “Space Agents” such as Alpine Travel and the closer we get to the 2013 launch date, the more you’ll see popping up. Personally, I’d go with securing my seat through Virgin Galactic, but if you want to turn this into a complete experience, a space agent might be more your style.
If you’re going for the Full Monty, you can drop one million dollars on the “Spaceship Charter,” a private space flight for you and up to five of your friends. This would definitely be the cruise of a lifetime for those who can afford it. You could also take your girlfriend up for a romantic five minutes in space. Just think of the possibilities. That is if you have a million dollars to spend on the first space travel.
To book a spot using an accredited Virgin Galactic Space Agent, you can locate an agent on the map at the bottom of the booking page. Otherwise use the form on the Virgin Galactic booking page, have your deposit ready, and get ready for the trip of a lifetime. Unless, of course, your plans include joining up with Mars One and taking a one way trip to the red planet.
That is an article for another day though.
Joy Ma
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