What Happened to VSS Enterprise? | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

VSS Enterprise, Virgin Galactic's spacecraft for space tourism, tragically disintegrated mid-flight due to a human error, highlighting the challenges of making space travel affordable.

Key Insights

• 👾 Dennis Tito's $20 million payment for a space trip highlighted the need for more affordable space tourism options.
• 🥺 Richard Branson founded Virgin Galactic to address the cost challenge, leading to the development of VSS Enterprise.
• 👾 VSS Enterprise's tragic mid-flight disintegration emphasized the risks and complexities involved in space tourism.
• 👱 The premature unlock of the air brake device by Michael Alsbury was the primary cause of the VSS Enterprise crash.
• 👾 Richard Branson later succeeded in a space flight using VSS Unity, a successor to VSS Enterprise.
• 👾 Virgin Galactic is now aiming to offer space tourism experiences below $500,000, a significant reduction from the initial cost.
• 🛟 The crash of VSS Enterprise serves as a lesson for the industry, highlighting the importance of safety protocols and continuous improvement in spacecraft design.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: Who was the first space tourist and how much did he pay for his trip?

The first space tourist was Dennis Tito, who paid $20 million for his trip in 2001.

Q: What was the purpose of founding Virgin Galactic and building VSS Enterprise?

Virgin Galactic was founded to make space travel more affordable, and VSS Enterprise was designed as a spacecraft specifically for tourists.

Q: What led to the tragic disintegration of VSS Enterprise during the test flight?

During the test flight, co-pilot Michael Alsbury prematurely unlocked the air brake device used for re-entry, causing the spacecraft to break down and disintegrate in the air.

Q: Who survived the VSS Enterprise crash?

Pilot Peter Seybold managed to escape and parachuted safely, while co-pilot Michael Alsbury unfortunately lost his life in the crash.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• In 2001, Dennis Tito became the first space tourist but paid $20 million for the trip, leading to the idea of making space travel more affordable.

• Virgin Galactic was founded in 2004 with the goal of building VSS Enterprise, a spacecraft for tourists.

• During a test flight in 2014, VSS Enterprise disintegrated mid-air due to a premature air brake unlock, resulting in the death of co-pilot Michael Alsbury.