Virgin Galactic, the privately-funded space company owned by Virgin Group and Abu Dhabi’s Aabar Investments PJS, unveiled its newly completed SpaceShipTwo at the Mojave, California, based manufacturing facility on February 19, 2016. The rollout ceremony was attended by Sir Richard Branson and his family, Virgin Galactic’s Future Astronauts, and partners. Professor Stephen Hawking named the new vehicle Virgin Spaceship (VSS) Unity via a recorded speech and said, “I would be very proud to fly on this spaceship.”
The ceremony also included a video congratulations from Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai emphasizing the importance of space to science and technical education.
In a message on the occasion, Professor Stephen Hawkins said, “I have always dreamt of space flight. But for so many years, I thought it was just that – a dream. Confined to Earth and in a wheelchair, how could I experience the majesty of space except through imagination and my work in theoretical physics.
I have had ALS for over fifty years now and while I have no fear of adventure, others do not always take the same view. Fortunately, I have found a kindred spirit in Richard Branson! In a radio interview, I once confessed that my ultimate ambition was to fly into space but I thought no one would take me. Following this, Richard called me from Necker Island to offer me a seat. I said ‘Yes’ immediately. Since that day, I have never changed my mind. If I am able to go – and if Richard will still take me, I would be very proud to fly on this spaceship.”
Actor and Pilot Harrison Ford posed inside the new SS2 with Virgin Galactic chief pilot Dave Mackay. VSS Unity is the first vehicle to be manufactured by The Spaceship Company, Virgin Galactic’s wholly owned manufacturing arm, and is the second vehicle of its design ever constructed. VSS Unity was unveiled in FAITH (Final Assembly Integration Test Hangar), the Mojave-based home of manufacturing and testing for Virgin Galactic’s human space flight program. VSS Unity featured a new silver and white livery and was guided into position by one of the company’s support Range Rovers, provided by its exclusive automotive partner Land Rover.
