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Virgin Galactic Unveils Its Luxurious Lounge for Space Tourists

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Virgin Galactic gave a sneak peek at the new 'Gateway to Space' facility at Spaceport America in New Mexico. (Photo Credit: Virgin Galactic)

Virgin Galactic just opened the doors to Gateway to Space, a new high-tech facility for tourist spaceflights, at Spaceport America in New Mexico.

The company gave a sneak peek at its futuristic Gateway to Space building on Aug. 15, said a Virgin Galactic press release. Virgin Galactic showed two floors of the facility primarily focused on spaceflight operations, which also feature communal spaces designed for future Virgin Galactic customers. Now that the interior of the Gateway to Space building is completed, the spaceport facility is ready to support the remaining portion of the company’s test flight program before welcoming its first astronauts.

The Foster + Partners Gateway to Space facility was built so Virgin Galactic could provide an unforgettable experience to its customers who want to experience suborbital spaceflights, Space.com noted. The two floors, which are named Gaia and Cirrus, will help prepare customers for the journey of a lifetime.

The first floor of ‘Gateway to Space’ will serve as the facility’s social hub, where customers can comfortably prepare for their suborbital spaceflights and enjoy beverages and food. (Photo Credit: Virgin Galactic)

The first floor is named Gaia and it focuses on our home planet. As the social hub of the Gateway to Space facility, Gaia will be a place where customers can catch up with family and friends, as well as grab a coffee or drink with spaceship pilots, rocket engineers, or the Mission Control team. Gaia’s floor design, fittings, and furniture will help promote human discourse, as customers prepare or return from their suborbital spaceflights. An interactive digital walkway will elevate the departure experience for customers as they move from the Spaceport to the VSS Unity on the day of their flights. When customers return from their spaceflights, Gaia’s nature-inspired decor vibes will help them comfortably adjust back to Earth’s settings.

Cirrus, the second level of the ‘Gateway to Space’ facility, will house spaceflight operations teams. (Photo Credit: Virgin Galactic)

One level up is Cirrus, the facility’s second floor where Virgin Galactic’s spaceflight operations will be located. It is home to Mission Control, the Mission Briefing Room, the Pilot Corps, and the rest of the Flight Operations team. The space outside of Mission Control will provide an unrestricted view of ground operation areas, such as the apron and runway.

The company’s space fleet will be located in the Gateway to Space hangar, where the VMS Eve is already stored. A big expanse in the middle of the building is roomy enough to store two carrier aircraft that each have a wingspan of 140 feet, in addition to five SpaceShip Two vehicles.

“In the coming days, the team will use VMS Eve to fly simulated spaceship launch missions, with pilots and Mission Control ensuring that all in-flight communications and airspace coordination work as planned,” Dave Mackay, Virgin Galactic’s chief pilot, wrote in a blog post. “The pilots will replicate some of SpaceShipTwo’s low-altitude flight profile and familiarize themselves with the New Mexico airspace and landmarks.”

At the end of the year, VMS Eve will return to California and take the Spaceship Unity to New Mexico, according to Mackay. Once both vehicles are located in New Mexico, Virgin Galactic will continue the Unity’s flight test program. After the Unity’s flight test program is completed, the company will begin flying future astronauts to space.

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