Richard Branson is one of the most famous entrepreneurs in the world; he's also one of the 100 Most Powerful People in the World. Branson's Virgin Galactic company is dedicated to developing and operating a fleet of suborbital vehicles for space tourism. This year, Branson flew to the edge of space on a rocket-powered suborbital spaceship developed by Virgin Galactic. This Virgin Galactic spacecraft has taken over two decades to be ready for the mission. Curious to know Richard Branson spaceship name and its details?
What is the Name of Richard Branson Spaceship?
The name of Richard Branson spaceship is “VSS Unity”, which is short for Virgin SpaceShip Unity. The spaceship was dubbed VSS Unity by the famed scientist Stephen Hawking in 2016. Hawking's eye is also the model for the eye logo that appears on the side of Unity.
VSS Unity is a SpaceShipTwo-class suborbital rocket-powered spaceplane, designed to carry two flight crew and six passengers into space. The spaceplane is powered by a hybrid rocket motor – combining elements of solid rockets and liquid rocket engines. SpaceShipTwo is a fully reusable spacecraft except for the rocket motor’s fuel and oxidizer, which must be refilled after every flight.
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What is Virgin Galactic Wings?
On July 11, Virgin Galactic successfully launched its first fully crewed rocket-powered test flight, marking the dawn of a new era in space exploration. After returning from their maiden voyage aboard VSS Unity, former astronaut Chris Hadfield presented Sir Richard Branson and the other 3 Virgin Galactic passengers with their Virgin Galactic astronaut wings.
Virgin Galactic Wing is a badge that will be awarded to everyone who flies on their suborbital spacecraft. It is an honour that will be granted to every passenger of the Virgin Galactic spacecraft.
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