First Virgin Galactic civilian spaceflight reaches space

5. 5. 5. 3, 2 , 1, R EL EA SE , RE LE AS E, 3, 2, 1, RELEASE, RELEASE, 3, 2, 1, RELEASE, RELEASE, RE LE AS E. RELEASE. RELEASE. IG NI TI ON G OO D CO NT RO L. IGNITION GOOD CONTROL. IGNITION GOOD CONTROL. TH ER E’ S MA CH 1 . PI LO TS A RE THERE’S MACH 1. PILOTS ARE THERE’S MACH 1. PILOTS ARE TR IM MI NG , SO T HA T HE AD S TO WA RD TRIMMING, SO THAT HEADS TOWARD TRIMMING, SO THAT HEADS TOWARD SP AC E. SPACE. SPACE. TR IM I S NO W SE T. TRIM IS NOW SET. TRIM IS NOW SET. TH ER E IS M AX Q UE UE . THERE IS MAX QUEUE. THERE IS MAX QUEUE. TH AT ‘S T HE P OI NT O F MA XI MU M THAT’S THE POINT OF MAXIMUM THAT’S THE POINT OF MAXIMUM PR ES SU RE , EX ER TE D BY T HE PRESSURE, EXERTED BY THE PRESSURE, EXERTED BY THE VE HI CL E ON T HE A TM OS PH ER E. VEHICLE ON THE ATMOSPHERE. VEHICLE ON THE ATMOSPHERE. TH OS E ON B OA RD A RE S P- RP BT SI NG THOSE ON BOARD ARE SP-RPBTSING THOSE ON BOARD ARE SP-RPBTSING AB OU T 3G s RI GH T NO W. ABOUT 3Gs RIGHT NOW. ABOUT 3Gs RIGHT NOW. AN D WI LL T RA VE LI NG O VE R A AND WILL TRAVELING OVER A AND WILL TRAVELING OVER A TH OU SA ND M IL ES A N HO UR . THOUSAND MILES AN HOUR. THOUSAND MILES AN HOUR. >> T HA T’ S IN CR ED IB LE . >> THAT’S INCREDIBLE. >> THAT’S INCREDIBLE. I CA N IM AG IN E TH EY ‘R E HA VI NG I CAN IMAGINE THEY’RE HAVING I CAN IMAGINE THEY’RE HAVING QU IT E A GR EA T TI ME . QUITE A GREAT TIME. QUITE A GREAT TIME. >> W E AR E AT M AC H 2. >> WE ARE AT MACH 2. >> WE ARE AT MACH 2. WE ‘R E IN T HE V ER T TA L, H EA DE D WE’RE IN THE VERT TAL, HEADED WE’RE IN THE VERT TAL, HEADED TO WA RD S SP AC E. TOWARDS SPACE. TOWARDS SPACE. >> T HI S IS T HE P AR T WH ER E TH EY >> THIS IS THE PART WHERE THEY >> THIS IS THE PART WHERE THEY AR E SE EI NG E AR TH M OV E AW AY , AN D ARE SEEING EARTH MOVE AWAY, AND ARE SEEING EARTH MOVE AWAY, AND SE YI NG S PA CE C OM E IN TO V IE W AN D SEYING SPACE COME INTO VIEW AND SEYING SPACE COME INTO VIEW AND SE EI NG T HA T TH EY ‘R E GO IN G TO SEEING THAT THEY’RE GOING TO SEEING THAT THEY’RE GOING TO SP AC E. SPACE. SPACE. AN D JU ST I T IS A N IN CR ED IB LE AND JUST IT IS AN INCREDIBLE AND JUST IT IS AN INCREDIBLE FE EL IN G. FEELING. FEELING. >> W E’ VE G OT A BO UT M AC H 2. 8, >> WE’VE GOT ABOUT MACH 2.8, >> WE’VE GOT ABOUT MACH 2.8, MA CH 3 , AP PR OX IM AT EL Y. MACH 3, APPROXIMATELY. MACH 3, APPROXIMATELY. AN D RO CK ET M OT OR C UT O FF . AND ROCKET MOTOR CUT OFF. AND ROCKET MOTOR CUT OFF. >> A MA ZI NG , TH E CR OW DS H ER E AR E >> AMAZING, THE CROWDS HERE ARE >> AMAZING, THE CROWDS HERE ARE JU ST A BS OL UT EL Y GO IN G WI LD . JUST ABSOLUTELY GOING WILD. JUST ABSOLUTELY GOING WILD. I CA N’ T IM AG IN E WH AT I S I CAN’T IMAGINE WHAT IS I CAN’T IMAGINE WHAT IS HA PP EN IN G IN A NT IG UA , WI TH T HE M HAPPENING IN ANTIGUA, WITH THEM HAPPENING IN ANTIGUA, WITH THEM CH EE RI NG T HE M ON . CHEERING THEM ON. CHEERING THEM ON. IN CR ED IB LE . INCREDIBLE. INCREDIBLE. GO! GO! GO! >> E VE RY BO DY O N BO AR D HA S BE EN >> EVERYBODY ON BOARD HAS BEEN >> EVERYBODY ON BOARD HAS BEEN CL EA RE D TO U NS TR AP A ND E NJ OY CLEARED TO UNSTRAP AND ENJOY CLEARED TO UNSTRAP AND ENJOY TH AT Z ER O G EX PE RI EN CE . THAT ZERO G EXPERIENCE. THAT ZERO G EXPERIENCE. TH E PI LO TS H AV E LO CK ED U NB EI NG THE PILOTS HAVE LOCKED UNBEING THE PILOTS HAVE LOCKED UNBEING LO OE D TH E FE AT HE R. LOOED THE FEATHER. LOOED THE FEATHER. TH EY ‘R E EN GA GI NG T HE R TS A S THEY’RE ENGAGING THE RTS AS THEY’RE ENGAGING THE RTS AS WE LL . WELL. WELL. TH E FE AT HE R IS N OW S TA RT IN G TO THE FEATHER IS NOW STARTING TO THE FEATHER IS NOW STARTING TO MO VE O N IT S WA Y UP . MOVE ON ITS WAY UP. MOVE ON ITS WAY UP. EV ER YO NE I S UP O UT O F TH EI R EVERYONE IS UP OUT OF THEIR EVERYONE IS UP OUT OF THEIR SE AT S. SEATS. SEATS. >> I T’ S IN CR ED IB LE . >> IT’S INCREDIBLE. >> IT’S INCREDIBLE. IT ‘S A MA ZI NG . IT’S AMAZING. IT’S AMAZING. TH EY ‘R E AL L GO IN G TO T HE W IN DO W THEY’RE ALL GOING TO THE WINDOW THEY’RE ALL GOING TO THE WINDOW AN D TA KI NG I N TH IS O KA Y — J US T AND TAKING IN THIS OKAY — JUST AND TAKING IN THIS OKAY — JUST TH IS A BS OL UT EL Y IN CR ED IB LE V IE W THIS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE VIEW THIS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE VIEW OF E AR TH . OF EARTH. OF EARTH. TH E PL AN ET , WH ER E AL L OF T HE IR THE PLANET, WHERE ALL OF THEIR THE PLANET, WHERE ALL OF THEIR EX PE RI EN CE S AR E HE LD , EXPERIENCES ARE HELD, EXPERIENCES ARE HELD, EV ER YT HI NG T HE Y’ VE E VE R KN OW N. EVERYTHING THEY’VE EVER KNOWN. EVERYTHING THEY’VE EVER KNOWN. >> T HA T’ S WO ND ER FU L. >> THAT’S WONDERFUL. >> THAT’S WONDERFUL. >> I T’ S DO WN B EL OW . >> IT’S DOWN BELOW. >> IT’S DOWN BELOW. >> T HE F EA TH ER I S AL L TH E WA Y >> THE FEATHER IS ALL THE WAY >> THE FEATHER IS ALL THE WAY UP. UP. UP. WE H AV E A PR ED IC TE D AP OG EE O F WE HAVE A PREDICTED APOGEE OF WE HAVE A PREDICTED APOGEE OF AB OU T 36 ,0 00 F EE T. ABOUT 36,000 FEET. ABOUT 36,000 FEET. >> T HA T AM AZ IN G. >> THAT AMAZING. >> THAT AMAZING. OU R CR EW L OO KS L IK E TH EY A RE OUR CREW LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE OUR CREW LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE HA VI NG A N IN CR ED IB LE T IM E. HAVING AN INCREDIBLE TIME. HAVING AN INCREDIBLE TIME. AN D TH EY A RE O FF IC IA LL Y AND THEY ARE OFFICIALLY AND THEY ARE OFFICIALLY AS TR ON AU TS . ASTRONAUTS. ASTRONAUTS. WE LC OM E TO S PA CE . WELCOME TO SPACE. WELCOME TO SPACE. CO NG RA TU LA TI ON S TO J OH N, T O CONGRATULATIONS TO JOHN, TO CONGRATULATIONS TO JOHN, TO KE IS HA , TO A NN A, O N BE CO MI NG KEISHA, TO ANNA, ON BECOMING KEISHA, TO ANNA, ON BECOMING AS TR ON AU TS T OD AY . ASTRONAUTS TODAY. ASTRONAUTS TODAY. AN D A SP EC IA L CO NG RA TU LA TI ON S AND A SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS AND A SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS TO O UR U NI TY P IL OT K EL LY F OR TO OUR UNITY PILOT KELLY FOR TO OUR UNITY PILOT KELLY FOR HE R FI RS T SP AC E FL IG HT . HER FIRST SPACE FLIGHT. HER FIRST SPACE FLIGHT. AN D WE LC OM E BA CK T O SP AC E. AND WELCOME BACK TO SPACE. AND WELCOME BACK TO SPACE. >> A ND T HE V EH IC LE I S OR IE NT ED >> AND THE VEHICLE IS ORIENTED >> AND THE VEHICLE IS ORIENTED IN T HA T BA CK F LI P OR U PS ID E IN THAT BACK FLIP OR UPSIDE IN THAT BACK FLIP OR UPSIDE MA NE UV ER F RO M OU R PE RS PE CT IV E. MANEUVER FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE. MANEUVER FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE. AN D YO U CA N SE E TH EM E NJ OY IN G AND YOU CAN SEE THEM ENJOYING AND YOU CAN SEE THEM ENJOYING TH AT V IE W OF T HE E AR TH B EL OW . THAT VIEW OF THE EARTH BELOW. THAT VIEW OF THE EARTH BELOW. >> M AN , IT ‘S I NC RE DI BL E. >> MAN, IT’S INCREDIBLE. >> MAN, IT’S INCREDIBLE. I CA N SE E TH AT T HE Y JU ST C AN ‘T I CAN SEE THAT THEY JUST CAN’T I CAN SEE THAT THEY JUST CAN’T TA KE T HE IR E YE S AW AY . TAKE THEIR EYES AWAY. TAKE THEIR EYES AWAY. AN D IT ‘S H AR D FO R US T O AND IT’S HARD FOR US TO AND IT’S HARD FOR US TO DE SC RI BE . DESCRIBE. DESCRIBE. WE C AN O BV IO US LY S EE , TH EY ‘R E WE CAN OBVIOUSLY SEE, THEY’RE WE CAN OBVIOUSLY SEE, THEY’RE HA VI NG A N IN CR ED IB LE T IM E, I N HAVING AN INCREDIBLE TIME, IN HAVING AN INCREDIBLE TIME, IN SP AC E, T AK IN G IN T HE V IE WS . SPACE, TAKING IN THE VIEWS. SPACE, TAKING IN THE VIEWS. BU T IT ‘S A N EX PE RI EN CE . BUT IT’S AN EXPERIENCE. BUT IT’S AN EXPERIENCE. IT ‘S T HE S IL EN CE . IT’S THE SILENCE. IT’S THE SILENCE. IT ‘S T HE V IE WS . IT’S THE VIEWS. IT’S THE VIEWS. IT ‘S S EE IN G OU R BR IL LI AN T IT’S SEEING OUR BRILLIANT IT’S SEEING OUR BRILLIANT PL AN ET , AG AI NS T TH E MA TT B LA CK PLANET, AGAINST THE MATT BLACK PLANET, AGAINST THE MATT BLACK OF S PA CE . OF SPACE. OF SPACE. I CA N’ T IM AG IN E. I CAN’T IMAGINE. I CAN’T IMAGINE. I CA N’ T IM AG IN E WH AT T HE Y’ RE I CAN’T IMAGINE WHAT THEY’RE I CAN’T IMAGINE WHAT THEY’RE GO IN G TH RO UG H RI GH T NO W. GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW. GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW. AN D I CA N’ T WA IT T O HE AR A BO UT AND I CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR ABOUT AND I CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR ABOUT IT. IT. IT. >> Y EA H. >> YEAH. >> YEAH. WE LL , WE J US T AC HI EV ED – – WELL, WE JUST ACHIEVED — WELL, WE JUST ACHIEVED — >> A GA IN , WE ‘R E LI ST EN IN G TO >> AGAIN, WE’RE LISTENING TO >> AGAIN, WE’RE LISTENING TO TH E VO IC E OF V IR GI N GA LA CT IC THE VOICE OF VIRGIN GALACTIC THE VOICE OF VIRGIN GALACTIC MI SS IO N CO NT RO L. MISSION CONTROL. MISSION CONTROL. BU T LE T’ S BR IN G IN C OM MA ND ER BUT LET’S BRING IN COMMANDER BUT LET’S BRING IN COMMANDER EI LE EN C OL LI NS . EILEEN COLLINS. EILEEN COLLINS. AN D LE T’ S BR IN G IN V ET ER AN N AS A AND LET’S BRING IN VETERAN NASA AND LET’S BRING IN VETERAN NASA AS TR ON AU TS . ASTRONAUTS. ASTRONAUTS. FO LK S, W HA T’ S IT L IK E TO FOLKS, WHAT’S IT LIKE TO FOLKS, WHAT’S IT LIKE TO EX PE RI EN CE A FT ER T HE F IR ST EXPERIENCE AFTER THE FIRST EXPERIENCE AFTER THE FIRST TI ME . TIME. TIME. CL AY TO N, W E’ LL S TA RT W IT H YO U, CLAYTON, WE’LL START WITH YOU, CLAYTON, WE’LL START WITH YOU, BE CA US E WE M IS SE D YO U TH E LA ST BECAUSE WE MISSED YOU THE LAST BECAUSE WE MISSED YOU THE LAST TI ME . TIME. TIME. >> T HA NK S, T OM . >> THANKS, TOM. >> THANKS, TOM. MI CR OG RA VI TY A ND B EI NG MICROGRAVITY AND BEING MICROGRAVITY AND BEING WE IG HT LE SS I N SP AC E IS A N WEIGHTLESS IN SPACE IS AN WEIGHTLESS IN SPACE IS AN AM AZ IN G EX PE RI EN CE . AMAZING EXPERIENCE. AMAZING EXPERIENCE. I FE LT L IK E I WO UL D BE E XC IT ED I FELT LIKE I WOULD BE EXCITED I FELT LIKE I WOULD BE EXCITED AB OU T DO IN G IT . ABOUT DOING IT. ABOUT DOING IT. BU T I WO UL D BE L ON GI NG A M UC H BUT I WOULD BE LONGING A MUCH BUT I WOULD BE LONGING A MUCH LO NG ER T IM E WI TH I T. LONGER TIME WITH IT. LONGER TIME WITH IT. TH EY ‘R E GO IN G TO G ET A T AS TE O F THEY’RE GOING TO GET A TASTE OF THEY’RE GOING TO GET A TASTE OF IT. IT. IT. KU DO S FO R TH EM . KUDOS FOR THEM. KUDOS FOR THEM. CO NG RA TU LA TI ON S TO V IR GI N CONGRATULATIONS TO VIRGIN CONGRATULATIONS TO VIRGIN GA LA CT IC . GALACTIC. GALACTIC. >> C OM MA ND ER E IL EE N CO LL IN S, >> COMMANDER EILEEN COLLINS, >> COMMANDER EILEEN COLLINS, YO U’ VE S PE NT M AN Y, M AN Y TO DA YS YOU’VE SPENT MANY, MANY TODAYS YOU’VE SPENT MANY, MANY TODAYS ON O RB IT A ND W HA T WA S TH E FI RS T ON ORBIT AND WHAT WAS THE FIRST ON ORBIT AND WHAT WAS THE FIRST TI ME L IK E FO R YO U? TIME LIKE FOR YOU? TIME LIKE FOR YOU? WH AT D ID Y OU E XP ER IE NC E? WHAT DID YOU EXPERIENCE? WHAT DID YOU EXPERIENCE? WA S IT J US T A TO TA L RU SH T HA T WAS IT JUST A TOTAL RUSH THAT WAS IT JUST A TOTAL RUSH THAT AL MO ST W AS A N OU T- OF -B OD Y ALMOST WAS AN OUT-OF-BODY ALMOST WAS AN OUT-OF-BODY EX PE RI EN CE ? EXPERIENCE? EXPERIENCE? >> I ‘M G OI NG T O AN SW ER T HA T. >> I’M GOING TO ANSWER THAT. >> I’M GOING TO ANSWER THAT. BU T FI RS T OF A LL , I WA NT T O SA Y BUT FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY BUT FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY KU DO S TO T HE C OM MA ND ER . KUDOS TO THE COMMANDER. KUDOS TO THE COMMANDER. NO BO DY M EN GE S HI S NA ME . NOBODY MENGES HIS NAME. NOBODY MENGES HIS NAME. BU T IT I S BJ S TI RK OW . BUT IT IS BJ STIRKOW. BUT IT IS BJ STIRKOW. HE I S AL SO A F OR ME R MA RI NE A ND HE IS ALSO A FORMER MARINE AND HE IS ALSO A FORMER MARINE AND FO RM ER O FF IC E MA TE O F MI NE . FORMER OFFICE MATE OF MINE. FORMER OFFICE MATE OF MINE. FL EW T HE S HU TT LE F OU R TI ME S. FLEW THE SHUTTLE FOUR TIMES. FLEW THE SHUTTLE FOUR TIMES. I’ M RE AL LY P RO UD O F WH AT H E’ S I’M REALLY PROUD OF WHAT HE’S I’M REALLY PROUD OF WHAT HE’S DO IN G. DOING. DOING. BU T TH E EX PE RI EN CE I N SP AC E WA S BUT THE EXPERIENCE IN SPACE WAS BUT THE EXPERIENCE IN SPACE WAS VE RY C LU MS Y. VERY CLUMSY. VERY CLUMSY. I UN ST RA PP ED F RO M SE AT A ND I UNSTRAPPED FROM SEAT AND I UNSTRAPPED FROM SEAT AND IM ME DI AT EL Y HI T TH E OT HE R SE AT S IMMEDIATELY HIT THE OTHER SEATS IMMEDIATELY HIT THE OTHER SEATS AN D TH EN H IT A P AN EL O F AND THEN HIT A PANEL OF AND THEN HIT A PANEL OF SW IT CH ES A ND H IT T HE F LO OR . SWITCHES AND HIT THE FLOOR. SWITCHES AND HIT THE FLOOR. YO U NE ED T O GE T US ED T O — I T’ S YOU NEED TO GET USED TO — IT’S YOU NEED TO GET USED TO — IT’S LI KE L EA RN IN G HO W TO S KA TE BO AR D LIKE LEARNING HOW TO SKATEBOARD LIKE LEARNING HOW TO SKATEBOARD OR L EA RN IN G HO W TO R OL LE R SK AT E OR LEARNING HOW TO ROLLER SKATE OR LEARNING HOW TO ROLLER SKATE FO R TH E FI RS T TI ME . FOR THE FIRST TIME. FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT ‘S A S KI LL Y OU N EE D TO L EA