After the successful completion of their first SpaceShipTwo test flights, Virgin Galactic now reveals what the cabin design, driven by astronaut experience, will look like.
STYLISH SAFETY
Virgin Galactic, in collaboration with London design agency, Seymourpowell, developed an elegant but progressive, experience-focused concept for the cabin of its spaceship. 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.
Individually sized seats, created with the highest-grade aluminium and carbon-fiber manufacturing techniques, use of engineered foam and technical fabrics. Virgin Galactic’s partner Under Armour developed the astronaut spacesuits and also the fabric technology featured in the cabin seats. Harnessing insights from more than two decades of maximizing human performance, Under Armour created a 3D knit featuring constructions that map breathability and function into the fabric encasing each cabin seat to provide comfort and mobility during spaceflight.
- Individually sized, reclining seats for G-force management and float zone volume;
- Automated mood lighting harmonizes with each flight phase;
- Personal seat back screens connect astronauts to live flight data;
- Cabin architecture facilitates effortless movement in weightlessness;
- 16 cameras provide high definition footage and stills;
- 12 cabin windows for astronauts to gaze at Earth from;
- Largest mirror in a spaceship cabin – mirror reflects the real-time astronaut experience.
TAKE A SEAT
Aspiring astronauts and space enthusiasts around the world, now have the opportunity to explore the Virgin Galactic cabin design and spaceflight experience through an augmented reality enabled mobile app, which launched after the live event and is now available to download for free at both the App Store and Play Store.
SELFIES
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, plus those in the cockpit and mounted externally, will generate high definition output to provide everything from the first Instagram posts, to a beautifully edited and historically significant personal movie.
To further elevate the experience of floating in zero-gravity, the cabin includes a first for space travel, 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.
FRONT OF THE LINE
Aspiring astronauts can bring their dream of spaceflight one step closer by joining the Virgin Galactic Spacefarer community today. For a $1,000 refundable deposit, they will be front of line for newly released spaceflight reservations. More information can be found, www.virgingalactic.com/smallstep/
