In photos: Virgin Galactic reveals new cabin interior


On July 28, Virgin Galatic gave aspiring astronauts their first glimpse of what consumer space travel might be like. At an event broadcast on YouTube, the partially aerospace company revealed a high-caliber cabin complete with thoughtful details and a practical ergonomic design. Although an inaugural flight date has not yet been established, the latest advance offers some degree of confidence for the future.

SpaceShipTwo Unity Second Glide Flight over Spaceport America
Virgin Galactic has unveiled the VSS Unity interior booth. Photo: Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic reveals new cabin interior

Earlier this week, Virgin Galactic turned to social media to share a glimpse of her new cabin on one of her spaceships. During the live-streaming event, which is now available for viewing on YouTube, the company shared the design, which it says maximizes security and improves the customer experience.

With ergonomically designed seats, multiple viewpoints, and atmospheric lighting, the hope is that Virgin Galactic’s first SpaceshipTwo, called VSS unit, will inspire space travelers to fly with confidence.

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Unique space views for hopeful astronauts

600 passengers have already placed their tanks to fly with Virgin Galactic on its inaugural space mission. When you move on, those lucky few and privileged few will be able to take advantage of a cabin explicitly designed to meet your needs.

Virgin Galactic Spaceship Cockpit Interior
Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity will be able to take six travelers into space at once. Photo: Virgin Galactic

Each reclining chair within the six-seater cockpit is individually sized and designed to manage the G-force of flight under pilot control. Each seat will come with its own porthole-style window that offers the traveler unique and uninterrupted views from space. Additionally, ambient LED lighting around the window will create the ambience and end with darkness at the peak of the flight. At this point, the view of Earth will be more impressive against the black background of the galaxy.

Rotated virgin galactic spaceship seats in space
Six roof windows show more impressive views of the space. Photo: Virgin Galactic

For a fully immersive experience, six additional windows have been added to the top of the cabin, and another five are located throughout the boat.

However, to make the most of the experience, Virgin Galatic has also gone a few steps further. A circular mirror will allow astronauts to see themselves in space, while 16 cameras planted throughout the cabin will offer 360-degree panoramic views.

Cabin mirror of the virgin galactic spacecraft
A reflective mirror offers vanity views from inside the cabin. Photo: Virgin Galactic

Experiencing weightlessness

However, it is not just about beautiful landscapes; This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Therefore, Virgin Galactic actively encourages its passengers to experience zero gravity weightlessness. At the top of the flight, passengers can break free from their seats and move around the cabin. To realize this practically, Virgin Galactic has placed support points and handrails, as well as smooth surfaces throughout the cabin.

It certainly seems like Virgin Galatic has put a lot of work into this plane and for good reason. Although ticket deposits cost only $ 1,000, full fares cost $ 250,000 per person. The flight will take 90 fast but enjoyable minutes on a trip 60 miles above Earth. So when will the first flight be announced?

View from space on Virgin Galactic's first space flight
When will Virgin Galactic take its first flight? Photo: Virgin Galactic

Despite Richard Branson’s hope, the inaugural space flight with Virgin Galactic has yet to be defined. In 2018, Branson had said he wanted to fly in months, rather than weeks. However, in today’s climate, space travel may be subject to more delays. With that said, a cockpit reveal like this holds promise for the future.

When do you think Virgin Galactic will launch its space flight? Let us know in the comments.