The crazy billionaire’s space tourism business, Virgin Galactic, has posted openings for “pilot-astronauts” to begin work in June. Virgin Galactic is still doing test flights of its Burt Ruttan-designed ships, but expects to launch the first “customer astronauts” in two years from its spaceport in New Mexico, for the everyday low price of $US200,000.
Virgin Galactic wants pilot-astronauts to have a minimum of 3000 hours of flight experience in a variety of aircraft and help set the rules for future recruits. The other big hurdle? “Prior spaceflight experience is an advantage.”
Hat-tip to ajpal87!
Republished from Jalopnik
Adrian Cascun-Valencic
Tuesday, April 12, 2011 at 9:29 AMhey, you gotta start somewhere. And Branson is the entrepreneur for the job.
Privatisation of space travel is happening, and it’s good. Big ups to governments for getting the ball rolling, and I definitely support continued public funding – but private enterprise, as always, will bring an extra dose of awesome.