Sir Richard Branson floating in space. Virgin Galactic Photo
wonder at the space pioneers of yesterday. Now, I want the astronauts of tomorrow to look forward and make their own dreams come true.” The mission specialists in the cabin were Beth Moses, Chief Astronaut Instructor; Colin Bennett, Lead Flight Operations Engineer; Sirisha Bandla, Vice President of Government Affairs and Research Operations; and the company’s founder, Sir Richard Branson. The VSS Unity pilots were Dave Mackay and Michael Masucci, while Kelly Latimer and CJ Sturckow piloted VMS Eve. VMS Eve is a carrier mothership for Virgin Galactic and launch platform for SpaceShipTwo-based Virgin SpaceShips.
VMS Eve was built by Scaled Composites for Virgin Galactic. The "VMS" prefix stands for “Virgin MotherShip.” The aircraft was named after Evette Branson, the mother of Richard Branson. The nose art on the aircraft is of a blonde woman holding a banner with the Virgin Galactic logo. The image is based on how Ms. Branson looked when she was younger and is called “Galactic Girl.” Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. is a vertically integrated aerospace and space travel company, pioneering human spaceflight for private individuals and researchers, as well as a manufacturer of advanced air and space vehicles. For more information, go to https://www.virgingalactic.com/
VSS Unity on approach to Spaceport America, Consequences, New Mexico. Virgin Galactic Photo
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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 43
