Billionaire Richard Branson launches into space and says, 'Its the experience of a lifetime'
♪ ♪ >>> ANOTHER SUNNY DAY IN NEW MEXICO. >> WHEN DOES IT START? >> ANY MINUTE NOW. ♪ >>> GREETINGS, PLANET EARTH AND WELCOME TO SPACEPORT AMERICA, THE BEAUTIFUL HOME OF VIRGIN GALACTIC IN SIERRA COUNTY, NEW MEXICO AND THE STAGE FOR TODAY'S MOMENTOUS OCCASION. I'M DELIGHTED YOU CAN JOIN US FOR AN HISTORIC DAY. OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS, YOU'LL SEE LIVE COVERAGE OF TODAY'S SPACEFLIGHT, UNPRECEDENTED ACCESS INSIDE THE SPACECRAFT AND A LIVE PERFORMANCE OF A BRAND-NEW SONG BY MULTIPLATINUM ARTIST KHALID.
ENTREPRENEUR, PHILANTHROPIST, ICONICCLAST, ADVENTURER, BILLIONAIRE, GOATEE HOST AND GIU RICHARD BRANSON AND HIS CREW WILL RETURN AS ASTRONAUTS. RICHARD BRANSON AND HIS CREW ARE HOSTING AN. WHEN HE ASKED ME TO HOST THIS, I SAID, WHO IS THIS? HOW DID YOU GET MY NUMBER? HE EXPLAINED TODAY'S TEST FLIGHT MISSION AND I SAID, YES, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO HOST YOUR CAST. TO BE FAIR, IT MIGHT BE BECAUSE I'VE SPENT MOST OF OUR FRIENDSHIP MAKING FUN OF HIM ON TV.
>> FOLKS, LONG-TIME VIEWERS OF THIS BROADCAST KNOW THAT I HAVE AN ONGOING FEUD WITH SIR RICHARD BRANSON, VIRGIN CEO AND ADULT OF THE CORN, RICHARD BRANSON. SIR BIG BABY HERE. HAVING WHAT SOME CRITICS HAVE CALLED FACIAL HAIR. THAT LITTLE TREE SLOTH CLINGING TO YOUR CHIN. THE GRINNING GOAT MAN, A CROSS BETWEEN DAVID BOWIE AND PAM THE GOAT GOD.
>> HIS AIRLINE WAS -- >> OBVIOUSLY, I SAID ALL OF THAT IN CHARACTER ON A COMEDY SHOW. SIR RICHARD, I WANT YOU TO KNOW, AS MYSELF, SINCERELY, EVERY WORD. BUT THERE IS ONE THING RICHARD AND I DO HAVE IN COMMON, A DEEP LIFELONG PATH FOR SPACE EXPLORATION. THAT'S WHY RICHARD FOUNDED VIRGIN GALACTIC IN 2004 WITH THE DREAM OF SENDING PRIVATE CITIZENS INTO SPACE.
TO DO THAT, HE HAD TO BUILD EVERY PART OF THE INDUSTRY. HE HAD TO BUILD A SPACECRAFT CAPABLE OF THE JOURNEY AND TO LAUNCH THESE SPACE PLANES HE HAD TO BUILD THE WORLD'S FIRST COMMERCIAL SPACEPORT AND HE HAD TO FIND THE PEOPLE CAPABLE OF TURNING HIS DREAM INTO A REALITY AS WELL AS PEOPLE BRAVE ENOUGH TO GET ON A SPACESHIP BY THE GUY WHO LAUNCHED A SODA THIS AWFUL. SERIOUSLY, HE LOST MONEY SELLING SUGAR WATER. ALL ABOARD! TODAY MARKS THE CULMINATION OF BRANSON'S DREAM. HE AND HIS CREW WILL SET OFF ON A SUPERSONIC VOYAGE ACHIEVING MAXIMUM VELOCITY OF MACH 3.5 AND
ULTIMATELY ENTER GRAVITY. IMAGINE STARING OUT THE WINDOW AT THE VAST EXPANSE OF SPACE AND SEEING EARTH BELOW, OUR BEAUTIFUL BLUE PLANET STARING BACK, UNLESS YOU'RE THE GUY IN THE MIDDLE SEAT. THEN YOU HAVE TO ASK THE ASTRONAUT IN THE MIDDLE WINDOW TO PUT IT ALL IN PERSPECTIVE FOR YOU.
I'M TOLD THERE ARE NO MIDDLE SN SEATS IN SPACE. THANK YOU, SCIENCE. IT'S BEEN A DREAM OF MINE TO GO INTO SPACE SINCE I WAS A CHILD. UNFORTUNATELY, I CANNOT BE ON THE SPACECRAFT TODAY. ALSO, I WAS NOT TECHNICALLY INVITED. BUT RICHARD WAS GENEROUS ENOUGH TO GIVE ME A SPACECRAFT OF MY VERY OWN.
I WILL BE USING THIS MODEL TO GIVE SCIENTIFICALLY ACCURATE PLAY-BY-PLAY OF TODAY'S HISTORIC EVENTS AS WELL AS DOING THIS. THE VIRGIN GALACTIC CREW ARE AN INSPIRATION, AN INSPIRATION TO BE BOLD, AUDACIOUS AND TO NEVER GIVE UP AT THE PURSUIT OF EVEN YOUR WILDEST DREAMS. LET'S TAKE YOU TO WHERE THE ACTION IS HAPPENING. LIVE IN THE STUDIO AT SPACEPORT AMERICA WHERE YOUR OWN CO-HOSTS ARE STANDING BY. A SCIENCE AUTHOR, EXPERT IN SPACE EXPLORATION, A BIOASTRONAUTIC RESEARCHER AND TIKTOK STAR, KELLI GERARDI.
NEXT UP, A MAN WHO HAS FLOWN TWO SPACE SHUTTLE MISSIONS AND SPENT TIME ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION WHERE HE SERVED AS COMMANDER AND PERFORMED A VIRAL DAVID BOWIE COVER. HERE HE IS, THE FIRST MAN TO DO OPEN MIC IN ZERO G, CHRIS HADFIELD. WELCOME, CHRIS. . FINALLY, YOUR MISSION HOST FOR TODAY, SHE'S A STRUCTURES OPERATIONS ENGINEER FOR VIRGIN GALACTIC, AND FUN FACT, ACTUALLY GOT MARRIED IN THE SPACESHIP THAT WILL BE TAKING THE CREW UP TODAY, VERONICA McGOWN.
I TURN IT OVER TO VERONICA, CHRIS AND KELLIE FOR MORE ON TODAY'S HISTORIC FLIGHT. >> THANK YOU. IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL, LIVE FROM SPACEPORT AMERICA. IT'S A MOMENTOUS DAY FOR SIR RICHARD BRANSON, A MILESTONE FOR VIRGIN GALACTIC AND HISTORIC EVENT FOR THE FUTURE OF SPACEFLIGHT. JUST SEVEN WEEKS ALG VIRGIN GALACTIC COMPLETED THE FIRST EVER HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT FROM THE GREAT STATE OF NEW MEXICO. TODAY OUR FOUNDER AND HIS CREW WILL BECOME SOME OF THE VERY FEW PEOPLE TO HAVE EXPERIENCED SPACE TRAVEL.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT HOW THEY ARRIVED TO SPACEPORT AMERICA. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> ARE YOU GOING TO SPACE, RICHARD? >> YOU KNOW MORE THAN I DO. >> YOU'RE LATE. GET SUITED UP. LET'S GO.
>> OPEN SESAME. >> GOOD MORNING, UNITY 22, WELCOME TO SPACEPORT. PLEASE SIGN IN. >> THE NAME'S BRANSON, SIR RICHARD BRANSON. >> ASTRONAUT 001, LICENSE TO THRILL. >> ASTRONAUT 002, BETH MOSES.
>> ASTRONAUT 003, COLIN BENNETT. >> ASTRONAUT 004, SIRISHA BANDLA. >> ASTRONAUT 005.
>> CONGRATULATIONS, UNITY 22, YOU ARE OFFICIALLY REGISTERED FOR FLIGHT. >> SEE YOU UP THERE. >> WHAT A WAY TO START OFF YOUR JOURNEY. FIRST ON A BIKE AND NOW ON A SPACESHIP. THE TEAM IS AIRBORNE.
HERE'S FOOTAGE OF THEM TAKING OFF JUST MOMENTS AGO. THE SPACEFLIGHT SYSTEM WAS TOWED OUT TO RUNWAY AND TOOK TO THE SKIES ON WHAT IS A BEAUTIFUL MORNING HERE IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO. THEY'RE AT APPROXIMATELY 30,000 FEET IN ALTITUDE AND CLIMBING AS WE SPEAK. OUR SPACEFLIGHT SYSTEM IS COMPRISED OF TWO VEHICLES IN A CONFIGURATION. MOTHERSHIP EVE NAMED BY RICHARD AFTER HIS LATE MOTHER EVE, AND UNITY, NAMED BY STEVEN HAWKING AS A VEHICLE THAT WILL UNITE THE WORLD THROUGH SPACE.
ONCE AT LAUNCH LOCATION, EVE WILL RELEASE UNITY FOR A VOYAGE THROUGH SPACE. TODAY IS THE DAY, EVERYONE. CHRIS, WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TODAY'S FLIGHT? >> YEAH, I LOVE IT WHEN THE STUFF OF DREAMS BECOMES A REALITY. WE'VE BEEN DREAMING OF COMMERCIAL SPACEFLIGHT, OF PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO FLY IN SPACE SINCE THE FIRST PIONEERS STARTED FLYING. THE X15 WAS SO MUCH LIKE THE PROFILE THEY'RE GOING TO FOLLOW TODAY.
AND THEN THE ANSARI X PRIZE TO PUSH THE LIMITS THAT IS VERY MUCH THE DNA THAT'S ON THIS BOTTLE, IN FACT, THE DNA THAT HAS ALLOWED THIS VEHICLE TO FLY. IT IS LIKE ALL OF THOSE PIONEERS AND THE FLIGHT TODAY, YOU KNOW, THEY PRIED THE DOOR OPEN INITIALLY, BUT THIS CREW TODAY IS REALLY PUSHING IT OPEN PERMANENTLY. I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR THE FLIGHT, BUT I THINK IT'S SO SIGNIFICANT PROFESSIONALLY, TECHNICALLY, BUT PERSONALLY FOR THE PEOPLE ON BOARD.
>> ABSOLUTELY. AND YOU MENTIONED OPENING UP THAT DOORWAY. KELLIE, YOU'RE ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE GOING THROUGH THE DOORWAY SOON. WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE TO PREVIEW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ON A VIRGIN GALACTIC VENTURE IN THE FUTURE.
>> THOSE DAYS ARE OPENING FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF ASTRONAUTS. I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE FRONT ROW SEATS TO THE FINAL FRONTIER TODAY. I'M SO EXCITED TO GET A TASTE OF WHAT I'M GOING TO EXPERIENCE SOON. >> DEFINITELY. I'M SO THRILLED TO HAVE YOU HERE. YOU TOO, CHRIS, THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME FOR THIS.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE IN STORE FOR THE LIVESTREAM. SO, WHILE MOTHERSHIP EVE IS TRANSPORTING SPACESHIP UNITY TO THE LAUNCH POINT, WE'LL CHECK IN WITH THE CREW AND THE PREPARATIONS THAT WENT INTO TODAY'S FLIGHT. WE'LL ALSO SHARE PERSPECTIVE ON THE VIRGIN GALACTIC MISSION, SO WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO AND OUR VISION FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE TRAVEL IN THE 21st CENTURY.
NEXT WE'LL GIVE YOU A GUIDED TOUR THROUGH THE VIRGIN GALACTIC EXPERIENCE, SHOWING YOU WHAT OUR ASTRONAUTS WILL SEE AND DO THROUGHOUT THEIR STAY BOTH ON THE GROUND AND ON THEIR LIFE-CHANGING JOURNEY INTO SPACE. ONCE WE'VE REACHED THE LAUNCH ALTITUDE AND LOCATION, WE'LL SEE THE MOMENT WHEN SPACESHIP UNITY IS RELEASED FROM EVE ALL COMING TO YOU LIVE. THERE'S INCREDIBLE ENERGY BUILDING HERE AT SPACEPORT, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE SOME SPECIAL GUESTS ON SITE TAKING IN THIS EXPERIENCE. MY CO-HOST, KEVIN. WHA'S THE VIBE LIKE DOWN THERE? >> THANKS, VERONICA. I'M CURRENTLY HERE AT SPACEPORT AMERICA'S HANGAR FLOOR, WHERE THE SHIPS USUALLY RESIDE.
AS YOU JUST SAW, THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY TO SPACE. BEHIND ME WE HAVE THE ROCKET MOTORS USED FOR LAUNCH AND TO MY LEFT, CEO OF VIRGIN GALACTIC, MICHAEL COLGLAZIER. >> THANK YOU. >> WHAT DOES TODAY MEAN? >> IT'S A LANDMARK MOMENT FOR VIRGIN GALACTIC, IT'S A LANDMARK MOMENT FOR THE COMMERCIAL SPACE INDUSTRY AND OUR LANDMARK MOMENT FOR OUR FOUNDER, SIR RICHARD BRANSON, WHO IS SHOWING, WHEN YOU HAVE THE FORTITUDE TO FOLLOW YOUR DREAM, YOU CAN MAKE A HUGELY PROFOUND IMPACT ON TODAY'S WORLD. IT'S AN HISTORIC MOMENT BECAUSE WE ARE ENDEAVORING TO OPEN SPACE FOR ALL.
CAN YOU IMAGINE, LOOKING BACK DOWN HAS TO BE ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING FEELINGS. WE CAN'T WAIT FOR MORE PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE IT. I HAVE TO SAY HOW PROUD I AM TO HAVE ALL MY FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES WHO ARE TODAY'S CREW REPRESENTING THE ENTIRE COMPANY. THEY'RE OPENING THE DOOR FOR THE ASTRONAUTS OF TOMORROW.
WE'RE THRILLED TO BE HERE TODAY AND SO EXCITED TO HAVE ALL OF YOU WATCHING TO BE SHARING THIS MOMENT WITH US. >> IT SURELY IS AN HISTORIC MOMENT FOR US. I'LL BE OUT ON THE STREETS SO I'LL SEE YOU IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO SEND IT BACK TO YOU.
>> VIRGIN GALACTIC'S MISSION OF SENDING HUMANS INTO SPACE REQUIRES TENACITY, INNOVATION AND AN UNPARALLEL DRIVE TO SUCCEED. TURNS OUT PIONEERING A NEW FORM OF SPACE TRAVEL IS A TOUGH JOB. POSSIBLY EVEN TOUGHER THAN MY JOB WHERE I TALK TO CELEBRITIES FOR ONE HOUR A DAY.
BUT THE VIRGIN GALACTIC IS TO MAKE SPACE ITSELF MORE ACCESSIBLE AND APPROACHABLE. >> LINE THREE. >> HELLO.
>> HI. >> HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT GOING INTO SPACE, RICHARD? >> THE MOON LANDING WAS A CATALYST MOMENT FOR ME. I REMEMBER MY DAD TAKING ME OUTSIDE ONTO IT THE VILLAGE GREEN AND WE JUST LOOKED UP AT THE MOON.
I REALLY DID THINK THAT MYSELF AND MANY OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE WOULD ONE DAY BE ABLE TO GO INTO SPACE. I WAITED AND I WAITED AND WAITED F FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY, AND IT NEVER CAME. IT GOT ME THINKING. I WENT TO THE REGISTRY OFFICE AND I REGISTERED THE NAME VIRGIN GALACTIC AIRWAYS.
>> THE ORIGINS OF SPACEFLIGHT AT THE TIME, IT WAS BIG GOVERNMENT. THE X PRIZE WAS A CHANCE TO TURN THAT INTO A MUCH MORE PERSONAL. >> SPACESHIPONE WON THE PRIZE.
>> THIS WAS THE POSSIBILITY TO GO TO SPACE, RETURN AND DO IT AGAIN TWO WEEKS LARTS. >> FROM THERE WE STARTED EXPANDING. WE KNEW WE WANTED A BIGGER SYSTEM. WE WANTED SOMETHING YOU COULD FLOAT ABOUT THE CABIN, ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE ZERO GRAVITY. >> VIRGIN GALACTIC OFFERS THE FIRST REAL PLATFORM WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY OPEN IT UP TO MAKE SPACE FOR ALL OF US. >> WE BUILD ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS BUT WE WANT TO BE THE FIRST SPACE LINE FOR EARTH AND ACTUALLY DELIVER ON THAT PROMISE.
>> WE ARE CHANGING THE WAY HUMANITY VIEWS SPACE. >> WE HAVE TAKEN THE IMPOSSIBLE AND WE'RE MAKING IT INEVITABLE. >> I ALWAYS WANT TO CELEBRATE THE TEAM ON THIS. YOU NEED HEART, YOU NEED THE BEST MINDS, YOU NEED THE BEST HUMANS TO WORK ON PROGRAMS LIKE THIS. >> THE SKY'S NO LONGER THE LIMIT FOR US.
>> THIS IS AN INFLECTION POINT IN HUMAN HISTORY. >> TWO ASTRONAUTS ON A TINY TELEVISION INSPIRED A KID FROM ENGLAND. IMAGINE WHAT GREATNESS CAN COME FROM A GENERATION SEEING EARTH FROM SPACE. >> YOU'RE SEEING YOUR HOME PLANET.
IT'S A REAL CONNECTION WITH THE EARTH, IT GROUNDS YOU AND IT FEELS TIMELESS. >> I THINK IN THE SAME WAY THAT I WAS INSPIRED BY THE MOON LANDING. >> FIRE! >> I REALLY HOPE THEY WILL BE CAPTIVATED AND INSPIRED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF THEM GOING TO SPACE ONE DAY.
♪ >> HAVE YOU >> I'D LOVE TO GO INTO SPACE. I THINK THERE COULD BE NOTHING NICER. SO IF YOU ARE BUILDING A SPACECRAFT, I'D LOVE TO COME WITH YOU ON IT. >> IT'S TRULY IN SFIR RATIONAL.
AND RIGHT NOW ALL OF THAT INSPIRATION IS UP IN THE SKIIED AS VIGT SPACE FLIGHT MISSION MAKES ITS WAY TOWARDS THE LAUNCH POINT. VIRGIN GALACTIC. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE HERE. WE ARE ALREADY AT 40,000 FEET.
YOU CAN ALREADY SEE THE INCREDIBLE VIEW AND THE SKY STARTING TO DARKEN THERE. THIS IS ALREADY HIGHER THAN WHAT MOST REGULAR COMMERCIAL AIRLINERS WILL TRAVEL AT. SO I'M SURE ALL OF OUR ASTRONAUTS ARE TAKING IN THAT VIEW AND GETTING PREPARED FOR THE MISSION. NOW KELLY WE HOPE TO CONNECT LIVE WITH RICHARD THROUGHOUT THE SHOW HERE. WHAT WOULD BE GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND IF YOU WERE ON BOARD WITH HIM RIGHT NOW.
>> GOSH, YOU KNOW, ASIDE FROM THE OVERWHELMING EXCITEMENT, RIGHT, I THINK IT WOULD JUST BE A SENSE OF AWE. HARD WORK AND VISION THAT IT TOOK TO GET TO TODAY. AND THE MAGNITUDE OF WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF HUMANS WHO ARE GOING TO EXPERIENCE THE WONDER OF SPACE FLIGHT. >> ABSOLUTE WHETHER I. I MEAN THIS IS CERTAINLY THE DAWN OF A NEW SPACE AGE. AND METEORSHIP EF.
OUR TARGET TODAY IS 45,000 FEET. SO WHILE YOU MAY SEE US GET TO ALTITUDE RATHER QUICKLY WE'LL CONTINUE TO COMPLETE OUR FLIGHT PATH UNTIL WE GET TO THE DESIGNATED LAUNCH POINT. SO EVERYTHING IS LOOKING REALLY GOOD. AGAIN, THEY ARE OVER 40,000 FEET NOW.
JUST A BEAUTIFUL VIEW YOU GET THERE ALREADY. I IMAGINE THEY ARE GETTING REALLY EXCITED FOR UPCOMING SPACE FLIGHT. SO SPEAKING OF THE CREW ON BOARD LET'S TAKE A LACK AT THE FOLKS IN FLIGHT TODAY. VIRGIN GALACTIC PILOTS ARE WITHOUT A DOUBT AMONG THE VERY BEST OF THE BEST. THEY ARE SOME OF THE MOST EXPERIENCED PILOTS IN THE WORLD AND VERY FEW FLYING MACHINES ON EARTH THAT THEY HAVEN'T FLOWN.
IN FACT FOUR OF OUR PILOTS AMONG THE VERY FEW IN HISTORY THAT CAN LAY CLAIM TO THE TITLE OF ASTRONAUT. AND TWO OF THEM HEADING TO SPACE TODAY. LET'S MEET THE CREW NOW.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE FOLKS WHO ARE SUPPORTING TODAY'S FLIGHT IN THE CHASE PLANE GIVING US VISUAL ON THE SYSTEM WHILE AIRBORNE. PILOT IN COMMAND OF OUR CHASE PLANE IS COMPLETED OVER 40,000 THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER WHICH MEANS ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE. JOINING JAMAL IS PATRICK WHERE HE PILOT TEST INSTRUCTOR. HE JOINS VIRGIN GALACTIC WITH OVER 3,000 IN 43 DIFFERENT SPACECRAFT.
AND JOINING HIM IS CJ HE HAS BEEN FLYING FOR 37 YEARS AND FIRST PERSON TO ENTER SPACE FROM THREE DIFFERENT STATES. CJ IS JOINED BY KELLY IN THE RIGHT SPEED WHO LOGGED MORE THAN 6,700 HOURS IN 32 YEAR FLYING CAREER. AND KELLY IS ALSO A PILOT WITH VIRGIN ORBIT SISTER SPACE COMPANY AND SHE JUST FLU THEIR SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH THE OTHER WAY. FLEW.
PILOTING SPACESHIP UNITY22 WE HAVE DAUM. DAVE HAS BEEN WITH VIRGIN COMPANIES OVER 25 YEARS AND HAS MORE THAN 14,000 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME TO HIS CREDIT. JUST INCREDIBLE AND SPANNING NO FEWER THAN 100 DIFFERENT TYPES OF AIRCRAFT. WITH DAVE IS ASTRONAUT MIKE MASUCCI.
INCLUDING THE OUR VERY OWN SPACESHIP UNITY. AS YOU CAN SEE OUR PASSENGERS TODAY WILL BE FLOWN TO SPACE BY SOME OF THE MOST ACCOMPLISHED AND EXPERIENCE THE PILOTS IN THE WORLD AND IN THE CABIN TODAY FOUR MISSION SPECIALISTS. LET'S HEAR SOME MORE ABOUT THEM NOW. >> ASTRONAUT 00 FOR SIRISHA BANDLA.
I'LL BE TESTING THE EXPERIENCE. VIRGIN GALACTIC IS OPENING UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO SPACE. THIS IS A WHOLE NEW ERA TO GET PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS. DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHIES AND COMMUNITIES INTO SPACE.
AND GIVING RESEARCHERS THE T OPPORTUNITY TO FLY. THAT IS UNHEARD OF. THEY CAN TAKE THE WORK THEY'VE BEEN DOING ON TAKE IT TO SPACE. AND I'M SO EXCITED TO SEE WHERE THE COMMUNITY TAKES IT IN THE FUTURE. >> ASTRONAUT 003 COLIN BENNET.
I'LL BE ELIMINATING CABIN PROCEDURES. WHEN I WAS YOUNGER I ASSUMED THAT SPACE WAS ONLY AVAILABLE TO A VERY SELECT FEW. I HAD NO IDEA MYSELF I WOULD EVER BE IN A POSITION TO GO TO SPACE BUT HERE I AM. AND HOW AWESOME IT'S GOING TO BE TO BE PART OF THE JOURNEY OF OPENING THIS EP TO HUNDREDS AND THEN THOUSANDS OF MORE PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE.
>> ASTRONAUT 0002, BETH MOSES. I'LL BE SPACESHIP CABIN LEAD. >> I CANNOT REMEMBER NOT DREAMING GOING TO SPACE AS THE TINY KID LOOKING UP AT THE STARS. LITTLE GIRL MAKING MODEL ROCKETS. IT WAS PART OF MY CHILDHOOD. I THINK IT'S A VERY NATURAL HUMAN INNATE CURIOSITY.
WE ARE ALL EXPLORERS AND ADD VENTURES. SO I REALLY DON'T REMEMBER AN AGE OR MOMENT WHERE I DISCOVERED SPACE. I JUST ALWAYS REMEMBER DREAMING OF GOING TO SPACE. >> ASTRONAUT 001, RICHARD BRANSON. I'LL BE EXPERIENCING TS CUSTOMER FLIGHT EXPERIENCE.
>> ASTRONAUT 001, WHAT A TITLE TO HAVE. NOW I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS ABOUT I'M EXCITED TO HEAR WHO GETS THE SPOT OF 007 AS WELL. SO LET'S HEAR MORE ABOUT THE MAN WHO HAS THE LICENSE TO THRILL. >> NOW, SAY WHAT YOU WANT ABOUT RICHARD BRANSON, AND I HAVE, HE HAS LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK IN THE WORLD OF BUSINESS, TRAVEL, AND ENTERTAINMENT. AND IT'S ALL BEEN FUELED BY RESTLESS SENSE OF ADVENTURE.
WHERE DID HE GET THAT SPIRIT? HIS MOTHER EF BRANSON. SHE TAUGHT RICHARD TO BE BOLD, TO BE BRAVE, AND RICHARD KNOWS FOR MANY REASONS TODAY WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT EVE AND DID A SPECIALL LETTER IN TRIBUTE TO HER. >> DEAR MOM, YOU ALWAYS TOLD ME TO REACH FOR THE STARS. WELL, I TOOK MY OWN WINDING ROAD, BUT I ALWAYS KNEW TO FOLLOW YOUR LEAD. YOU ALWAYS PUSHED US TO OUR LIMITS. WHEN I WAS A CHILD, YOU THREW ME OUT OF THE CAR MILES FROM THE HOUSE AND URGED ME TO FIND MY OWN WAY HOME.
YOU URGED ME TO JUMP INTO RIVER TO SINK OR SWIM. YOU AND DAD TAUGHT US INDEPENDENCE AND LOVED US WITH FEARNESS AND TENDERNESS. YOU WERE ALWAYS AN ADVENTURER.
YOU TOOK FLIGHTER LESSONS DRESSED AS A BOY. ENLISTED IN WORLD WAR II. TOURED GERMANY AS BELLY DANCER AFTER THE WAR. YOU START UP AIRLINES. YOU TOOK US INTO THE GREAT UNKNOWN ON FAMILY HOLIDAYS. YOU TREATED EVERY DAY AS A CHANCE TO EXPLORE.
BEFORE THE WORLD EXISTED, YOU WERE ALWAYS A ENTREPRENEUR. YOU 4E7D MAKE ENDS MEET BY CREATING YOUR OWN SMALL BUSINESSES. YOU SHOWED ME HOW TO GROW A COMPANY. HOW TO TREAT PEOPLE.
HOW TO BE CREATIVE. HOW TO BALANCE WORK AND PLAY. HOW TO LIVE. YOU WERE ALWAYS A ROMANTIC.
YOU AND DAD SHOWED JOHN AND ME THE WAY TO BUILD A LIFE BUILT WITH HUMOR AND HEART. HOPE AND HUMILITY. HONESTY AND HAPPINESS. YOU SHOWED US THE VALUE OF KINDNESS. THE MAGIC OF LOVE.
THE BEAUTY OF MUSIC. AND THE JOY OF FAMILY. YOU WERE ALWAYS MY GUIDING LIEGT AT VIRGIN GALACTIC. YOU SHARED WITH ME THE NAME WE NAMED THE MOTHERSHIP WAS ONE OF YOUR HAPPIEST. YOU ALWAYS KNEW EVE WOULD START MY JOURNEY TO SPACE ONE DAY, JUST AS I ALWAYS KNEW YOU WOULD DO THE IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME.
WELL, MOM, OUR MOTHERSHIP WHICH CARRIES YOUR NAME WILL CARRY ARE THE NEXT GENERATION OF DREAMERS INTO SPACE. YOU ARE ALWAYS A DREAMER. YOU URGED ME TO STRIVE FOR EVERY OPPORTUNITY I SAW. YOU TOLD ME TO CHASE MY WILDEST FANTASIES.
AND TO LIVE LIFE TO THE FULL. WELL, THE BRAVE MAY NOT LIVE FOREVER, BUT OF COURSE. HOW YOU LIVE, HOW YOU LOVE, AND HOW YOU ARE MISSED.
DAD ALWAYS SAID, ISN'T LIFE WONDERFUL. AND YOU BOTH SHOWED US IT WAS. ALWAYS. >> SUCH A BEAUTIFUL LETTER. EVE BRANSON REALLY WAS AN INSPIRATION TO ALL OF US HERE AT VIRGIN GALACTIC. IF YOU ARE JUST NOW TUNING IN, MY NAME IS VERONICA STRUCTURES OPERATIONS ENGINEER HERE AT VIRGIN GALACTIC ALONGSIDE ME IS ASTRONAUT CHRIS HAD FIELD AND FUTURE ASTRONAUT KELLY SO GREAT TO HAVE YOU GUYS HERE.
EARLIER TODAY, WE SAW RICHARD AND HIS CREW MAKE THEIR WAY DOWN TO THE ASTRONAUT WALKWAY AT SPACEPORT AMERICA SEEING THEIR FAMILIES OFF BEFORE THEY WERE ESCORTED TO OUR SPACE FLIGHT SYSTEM WHERE FINAL INSPECTIONS WERE MADE BEFORE TAKE OFF. THEY WERE DRIVEN TO THE RUNWAY IN OUR FLEET OF LAND ROVERS, AND LAND ROVER IS OUR EXCLUSIVE AUTOMOTIVE PARTNER AND HELP WITH DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS. AND IN FACT WE HAVE A SPOKE VEHICLE WE DESIGNED WITH THEM CALLED THE ASTRONAUT.
THIS IS AVAILABLE TO VIRGIN GALACTIC FUTURE CONTROVERSIES. SO WE ARE DELIGHTED TO HAVE LAND ROVER AS PART OF THE TEAM. AND RIGHT NOW OUR CREW ARE ON THE WAY TO SPACE.
LET'S CHECK IN ON THEM VIA OUR ON BOARD CAMERA FOOTAGE. WOW, LOOK AT THAT VIEW ALREADY. YOU CAN SEE SOME CON TRAILS. CHRIS, HOW DO YOU FEEL THE CREW WILL BE FEELING RIGHT ABOUT NOW? >> SO MANY DIFFERNT THINGS AT ONCE.
THEY ARE JUST ABOUT LEVELED UP ATTA ATTAL ALTITUDE AT 46,000 FEET. BUT THEY ARE FOCUSED LIKE THERE IS NO MORE FOCUS, THE FOUR IN THE BACK AND TWO IN THE FRONT, REALLY FOCUSED, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THERE IS LIKE THIS RISING EXCITEMENT THAT YOU CAN FEEL LIKE A THERMOMETER GOING UP INSIDE YOUR OWN BODY. BUT I REMEMBER AT THE TIME, WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO DO WAS GO BACK TO MY NINE-YEAR-OLD SELF AND RUN AROUND THE COCKPIT AND SCREAM.
THEY ARE PROFESSIONAL AND DOING THEIR JOB BUT MAGNIFICENT MOMENT AS WE GET READY FOR IGNITION. >> I'M SURE THERE IS CERTAINLY EXCITEMENT AND ANTICIPATION WITH OUR CREW TODAY BUT ALL BE FOCUSED ON THE TASK AT HAND AND PREPARING TO RUN THROUGH THEIR INDIVIDUAL TEST POINTS. AND ON THE SUBJECT OF TESTING, TODAY'S SPACE FLIGHT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO EVALUATE OUR CABIN EXPERIENCE. IT'S THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY'LL PASS THE 50 MILE BORDER DEFINED BY NASA AS ENTRY INTO SPACE. LET'S HEAR MORE ABOUT THE TRANSFORMATIVE JOURNEY OUR CREW ARE ON.
>> HELLO. >> I WAS JUST WONDERING THE WONDER OF INNOVATION. YOU KNOW, BACK IN 1860 TOOK TEN DAYS FOR THE PONY EXPRESS TO DELIVER A LETTER WHILE THEY VACATIONED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD. PROGRESS. BUT WHILE SOME TECHNOLOGY HAS GROWN EXPONENTIALLY. PLANES STILL TRAVEL AT THE SAME SPEED 50 YEARS AGO.
WE STILL USE THE SAME LAUNCH SYSTEM FROM THE EARLY DAYS OF SPACE TRAVEL AND THEY HAVEN'T COME OUT WITH A NEW SNO-CONE MACHINE IN YEARS. THAT'S WHERE THE INNOVATIONS OF VIRGIN GALACTIC COME IN. >> WHAT DOES SPACE FLIGHT WITH ? IT MAKES IT LIKE NO OTHER VEHICLE THAT HAS GONE BEFORE. FIRSTLY, AIR LAUNCH.
MOST ROCKETS YOU SEE MAKE A LOUD BUMPY FROM THE GROUND. TO LAUNCH FROM THE GROUND REQUIRES HUGE AMOUNTS OF ENERGY TO LIFT IT FROM STATIC START AND PROPEL IT THROUGH THE THICKEST PARTS OF THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE. INSTEAD, VIRGIN GALACTIC STARTS WITH A SMOOTH RUNWAY TAKE OFF NOT DISSIMILAR TO KPLCOMMERCIAL AIRLINER. GRACEFULLY A SENDS TO THE LAUNCH ALTITUDE OF AROUND 50,000 FEET BY PASSING THE THICKEST PART OF THE EARTH ATMOSPHERE MAKING IT FAR MORE COMFORTABLE FOR THE PASSENGERS INSIDE. WHEN THEY HAVE REACHED THE LAUNCH ALTITUDE, MISSION CONTROL PROVIDES CLEARANCE FOR RELEASE. >> RELEASE, RELEASE, RELEASE.
>> THE PILOTS ACTIVATE THE LAUNCH AND SET THE SPACESHIP FREE. WITHIN SECONDS THE ROCKET MOTOR IGNITES AS RAPID ASCENT TOWARDS THE STARS. DURING THIS JOURNEY SPACESHIP REACHES SPEEDS UP TO THREE TIMES THE SPEED OF SOUND AND OUT THE WINDOW WATCH IT CHANGE FROM BLUE TO INDIGO AND TO THE ICONIC INKY BLACK AS THEY SOAR INTO SPACE. ONCE THE ROCKET MOTOR SHUTS DOWN, PASSENGERS WILL UNBUCKLE THEIR SEAT BELTS AND FLOAT EFFORTLESSLY AROUND THE CARBON ENJOINING TT CHILDLIKE FREEDOM OF ZERO GRAVITY. THE CABIN BECOMES A SPACIOUS THREE DIMENSIONAL PLAYGROUND AS PASSENGERS EXPERIENCE SPACE FIRSTHAND HELMET FREE. THE SHIP HAS AN INCREDIBLE 17 WINDOWS.
AND PASSENGERS WON'T BE ABLE TO RESIST BEING DRAWN TOWARDS THE UNDENIABLE EUPHORIC BEAUTY THAT LIES BENEATH AS PLANET EARTH LOOKS RIGHT BACK AT THEM IN ALL HER MAG ESTY. WHILE IT'S DOING THAT, PREPARING FOR RE-ENTRY INTO THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE UTILIZING THE SECOND PART OF VIRGIN GALACTIC SYSTEM THE FEATHER. RE-ENTRY IS THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF SPACE TRAVEL AND LARGELY BEEN APPROACHED IN TWO WAYS.
WITH WINGED VEHICLES OR WITH CAPSULE SPACECRAFT. THE REVOLUTIONARY ASPECT OF VIRGIN GALACTIC FEATHER TECHNOLOGY IS THAT IT ENABLES THE VEHICLE TO ACT LIKE A WINGED VEHICLE WHEN ITS ADVANTAGEOUS TO BE A WINGED VEHICLE AND BEHAVE LIKE A CAPSULE WHEN THE DESIGN GIVES YOU THE ADVANTAGE. ON THE WAY TO SPACE, THE SPACESHIP FOLDS IN HALF WITH THE BOOMS MOVING UPWARDS TO 60-DEGREE POSITION AS THE PILOTS PUT THE VEHICLE INTO AN ELEGANT BACK FLIP.
THIS POINTS THE WINDOWS STRAIGHT BACK TOWARDS EARTH. OFFERING PASSENGERS ASTOUNDING AND UNOBSTRUCT THE VIEWS. THIS MANEUVER ALSO ALLOWS THE VEHICLE TO BEHAVE LIKE A CAPSULE ON RE-ENTRY, SPREADING IT ACROSS THE ENTIRE UNDER SIDE OF THE SPACESHIP AND ENABLING IT TO REORIENT ITSELF FROM ANY POSITION. ONCE THE SHIP HAS SLOWED DOWN AND STARTS TO TRAVEL THROUGH THE THICKER PARTS OF THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE, WINGED VEHICLE IS ADVANTAGEOUS FOREMAN YOU'VE ERT THE BOONES COME BACK DOWN FROM FEATHER POSITION AND SPACESHIP GENTLY GLIDES BACK HOME SAFELY AND SMOOTHLY ENSURING A COMFORTABLE RIDE FOR THOSE ON BOARD. AND LANDING ON THE SAME RUNWAY IT TOOK OFF FROM. A TRULY EXTRAORDINARY DESIGN.
FIT FOR AN OUT OF THIS WORLD EXPERIENCE. >> WOW, THAT IS SOME NEXT LEVEL SPACE ENGINEERING. I LOVE HOW IT'S RE-ENTRY IS FEATHERED. JUST LIKE RICHARD'S HAIR.
AND I IMAGINE MUST BE AN EMOTIONAL AND LIFE CHANGING MOMENT TO EXPERIENCE ZERO G AND SEE OUR FRAGILE PLANET FLOATING IN THE DEPTHS OF SPACE. I WOULD GO UP IN A MINUTE IF MY WIFE WOULD LET ME. HOW ABOUT YOU, VERONICA? >> OH, ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN THAT WOULD BE AN OFFER TOO GOOD TO REFUSE. NOW, CHRIS, I'M SURE YOU WOULD AGREE THAT THE EXPERIENCE THAT RICHARD IS HAVING RIGHT NOW IS PROBABLY A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE THAN YOUR LAUNCHES.
>> YEAH, I HAD A CHANCE TO FLY AS PART OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE CREW TWICE. AND THEN I FLEW ON THE RUSSIAN SHIP AS THE PILOT ONCE. AND IT'S A LITTLE CAPSULE LIKE THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT WINGED AND CAPSULE VEHICLES.
BUT BOTH OF THEM NEEDED A ROCKET TO GET THEM UP ABOVE THE ATMOSPHERE. AND THE BEAUTY OF WHAT SIR RICHARD AND HIS CREW ARE DOING NOW IS THAT THEY'VE HAD THE MOTHERSHIP EVE TO CARRY THEM GENTLY UP. SO THEY ARE MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE THAN I WAS AT THIS STAGE GETTING READ FOY FOR THE SECOND ENGINE AND THE ROCKETS TO IGNITE THERE. >> THIS YEAR I CAN IMAGINE, AND KELLY NOW I KNOW YOU'VE EXPERIENCED ZERO G ALREADY.
YOUR SPACE FLIGHT WILL SURELY BE AN EXTENSION ABOUT ZERO G TIME. WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOK LG FORWARD TO IN TERMS OF CONDUCTING EXPERIMENTS IN THAT ENVIRONMENT? >> YEAH, LIKE VERONICA SAID I'VE DONE FLIGHTS ON EARTH WHERE THE IT TAKES THIS ROLLER COASTER PROFILE ZERO G. BUT WITH VIRGIN GALACTIC I'M MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONTINUOUS UNINTERRUPTED MINUTES OF EXPOSURE TO DO MY EXPERIMENTS. JUST AN UNPRECEDENTED TIME. NEXT GENERATION OF RESEARCHERS AND SCIENTISTS ARE ARE GOING TO BE FLYING WITH PAY LODS AND I'M SO EXCITED FOR WHAT'S TO COME.
>> YEAH, VERY DEFINITED FOR YOUR SPACE FLIGHT AND PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION ON SPACE FLIGHTS BUT ALSO CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH SO VERY FLEXIBLE F PLATFORM. I AM HEARING FROM CONTROL CENTER WE ARE ABOUT SIX AND A HALF MINUTES OUT TO RELEASE SO LET'S SWITCH OVER TO ON BOARD CAMERA FOOTAGE FOR THE PORTION OF THE FLIGHT UNTIL LANDING. I'M HEARING WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF L MINUS 10 CHECKS.
TEN MINUTES OUT FROM MOMENT WHEN MOTHERSHIP EVE RELEASES TO ARRIVAL TO THAT RELEASE POINT SO TIMING MAY VARY BUT CLOSER TO THAT POINT THE MORE ACCURATE ESTIMATE BECOMES. AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE ABOUT 6 MINUTES OUT. SO CARRYING IT TO ALTITUDE AND PROVIDING HER THROUGH ELECTRICAL POWER AND SYSTEM HEAT. AND THIS AIR IS CONDITIONED SO WE CAN KEEP FOLKS COOL ON THE GROUND FOR HOT SUMMER DAYS LIKE TODAY. AND HEATED AT HIGH ALTITUDES WHERE THINGS GET A LITTLE COOLER TO KEEP THE PILOTS AND PASSENGERS COMFORTABLE.
SO AT L MINUS 10 SPACESHIP UNITY SWITCHES TO OWN BATTERY POWER FOR CONTROL SYSTEMS. AND PERFORMS ELECTRICAL CHECKS. FEATHER SYSTEMS CHECKS. FLIGHT CONTROL CHECKS AND MORE. AND EACH CHECK HERE. THESE DAYS, MORE AND MORE SYSTEMS ARE BECOMING AUTOMATED ESPECIALLY IN AIRCRAFT AND SPACECRAFT.
AND WHAT'S REALLY EXCITING ABOUT THE VIRGIN GALACTIC SPACE SYSTEM IS OUR TRUE TRULY ARE HANDS ON WITH THE PILOTS THROUGHOUT THE FLIGHT. THERE IS SIR RICHARD BRANSON NOW. THAT'S SO EXCITING TO SEE THEM IN THE BACK. I'M SURE THEY ARE GETTING INCREDIBLY EXCITED. AND OF COURSE AS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVE DAVE AND MIKE UP FRONT.
W WE HAVE AN AMAZING TEAM OF PILOTS UP HERE ARGUABLY THE MOST EXCITING IN THE WORLD TO FLY. AND I IMAGINE THIS ALSO PROVIDES PASSENGERS WITH ADDITIONAL LEVEL OF COMFORT KNOWING THEY HAVE CREW MEMBERS WITH THEM THROUGHOUT THE DURATION OF THE FLIGHT. THERE THEY ARE AGAIN. JUST MOMENTS AWAY AT THIS POINT.
LOOKING LIKE WE ARE ABOUT 4 MINUTES AND 20 SECONDS OUT NOW. ALL RIGHT. SO I AM HEARING FROM OUR MISSION CONTROL CENTER THAT WE HAVE L MINUS 4 COLLECTION IN WORK CHECKS IN WORK NOW. THEY ARE ENSURING SPACE CONFIGURATION CONFIRMING ALL SETTINGS ARE BACK IN THEIR PLACE AND GO FOR LAUNCH.
AND THIS IS ALSO THE POINT WHEN SPACESHIP UNITY WILL ISOLATE FROM EVE AND PRIME THE ROCKET MOTOR BY OPENING UP THE BACK UP OXIDIZER BELT. AND ONCE THESE ACTIONS ARE COMPLETE, THE PILOTS ARE GOING TO SEEK CLEARANCE FOR RELEASE FROM MCC THAT'S SHORTHAND FOR MISSION CONTROL CENTER. WE HAVE TWO MCCs SUPPORTING TODAY OUR PRIMARY HORIZON IS LOCATED IN SPACEPORT AMERICA. AND THEY ARE BEING SUPPORTED BY THE OCULUS MISSION CONTROL CENTER AT MANUFACTURING BASE IN M CALIFORNIA. WE ARE LOVELY THREE MINUTES OUT FROM RELEASE AT THIS POINT.
IT'S GETTING REALLY EXCITING. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU ALL, BUT I FEEL THE ANTICIPATION BUILDING. LOOK AT THEIR FACES. THEY ALREADY HAVE BIG SMILES ON.
AND JUST RECEIVED CLEARANCE FOR RELEASE ON TIME FROM MISSION CONTROL CENTER. SO WE ARE 2 MINUTES 30 SECONDS OUT. THIS MUST BE INCREDIBLY EXCITING FOR THE CREW. WE ARE ABOUT TWO MINUTES OUT NOW. ONCE WE GET TO THE 30 SECOND POINT, SPACESHIP UNITY WILL ARM THE LAUNCH, THEN ONCE WE GET TO THE DESIGNATED POINT THE PILOTS WILL SET IT FREE.
SO WE HAVE ACTIONS FOR BOTH THE MOTHERSHIP AND PILOTS SO THEY ARE IN COORDINATION AND ALL AGREE ON THE LAUNCH. >> YEAH, IT'S A HUGELY EXCITING AND FOCUSED MOMENT RIGHT NOW. >> DEFINITELY. ONE MINUTE AND 30 SECONDS. >> THE SPACESHIP PILOTS ARE ALSO GOING TO PUSH THE STICK ALL THE WAY FORWARD TO PREPARE FOR RELEASE.
AND THINGS HAPPEN PRETTY QUICKLY AFTER THE RELEASE, SO THE PILOTS ARE GOING TO LIGHT THE ROCKET MOTOR AND ACCELERATE IN LEVEL FLIGHT UNTIL THEY REACH MACH 1 WHERE THEY TURN THE GAMMA TURN WHERE WE TURN UP AND DIRECTLY INTO SPACE. ONE MINUTE TO RELEASE NOW. IT'S GETTING REAL.
>> SO EXCITING. >> 45 SECONDS. 30 SECONDS. THE SPACESHIP UNITY PILOTS ARE ARMING THE LAUNCH ARM NOW.
WE ARE ARMED FOR RELEASE. 20 SECONDS. 10 SECONDS. 5, 3, 2, 1. RELEASE, RELEASE, RELEASE. CLEAN RELEASE.
IGNITION. GOOD ROCKET MOTOR BURN. THERE IS MACH 1 TRIMMING NOW. TRIM COMPLETE.
UNITY IS POINTED DIRECTLY UP AND HEADING TO SPACE. THINGS ARE LOOKING GREAT. WE ARE 25 SECONDS INTO THE BURN NOW APPROACHING MACH 2.
30 SECONDS MACH 2. EVERYTHING IS LOOKING REALLY GOOD AND STABLE. 40 SECONDS. 45 SECONDS. 50 SECONDS APPROACHING MACH 3. THERE IS MACH 3.
AND 60 SECONDS. AND THAT IS A FULL BURN, FOLKS, WE ARE HEADED TO SPACE. AND THE PASSENGERS IN THE BACK HAVE BEEN CLEARED TO UNSTRAP. OUR PREDICTED IS 279,000 FEET AND CLIMBING.
THE PILOTS ARE NOW UNLOCKING THE FEATHER AND AS SOON AS THEY DO THAT, IT'S GOING TO INITIATE A BACK FLIP FOR UNITY, THAT IS NORMAL. WE WANT THE WINDOWS POINTED DOWN TOWARDS THE EARTH TO MAXIMIZE THE INCREDIBLE VIEW. SO FEATHER IS COMING UP NOW AND PILOTS ARE CONTROL SYSTEM WHICH IS WHAT THEY'LL USE TO CONTROL THE ALTITUDE OF THE VEHICLE AS WE ARE OUTSIDE THE ATMOSPHERE.
ALL RIGHT. FEATHER IS ALL THE WAY UP. WE ARE AT ABOUT 250,000 FEET NOW AND CLIMBING. AS SOON AS WE ACROSS THE BOUNDARY TO SPACE WE'LL HEAR A WORD FROM OUR FOUNDER SIR RICHARD BRANSON. WELCOME TO SPACE, UNITY22. SO IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE WE ARE GETTING ANY AUDIO.
CAMERAS ARE RECORDING THINGS ON BOARD TODAY. AND WE'LL BE SURE TO CAPTURE HIS MAGICAL WORDS AND SHARE THEM WITH THE WORLD WHEN THEY ARE AVAILABLE. WE REACHED IT AT 282,000 FEET.
REMEMBER THE DAY, REMEMBER WHERE YOU ARE, AND REMEMBER WHO YOU SHARED THIS WITH, AND REMEMBER THE NAME VIRGIN GALACTIC, BECAUSE TODAY SPACE IS VIRGIN TERRITORY. THE CULMINATION OF A LIFE'S WORK, MORE THAN A HALF CENTURY SINCE THE WORLD REJOICED AND TRANSFORMED BY HUMANS LEAVING PLANET EARTH SIR RICHARD BRANSON FULFILLS HIS LIFE LONG DREAM WITH HIS CREW. CONGRATULATIONS RICHARD AND CONGRATULATIONS ALSO TO SIRISHA AND COLIN ON BECOMING ASTRONAUTS TODAY AND WELCOME BACK TO SPACE TO DAVE, MIKE, AND BETH. OH, YOU CAN SEE THEM NOW. SO WE ARE ON THE RE-ENTRY PORTION OF OUR FLIGHT NOW. AND THE MISSION SPECIALISTS ARE HEADING BACK TO THEIR SEATS.pOU
REALLY HARD ON THIS PORTION OF THE FLIGHT TO MAKE IT VERY NATURAL AND INTUITIVE FOR PASSENGERS. NOW WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SPACE TRAVEL, A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW AND EXPECT THAT BOOST PORTION OF THE FLIGHT TO IT BE LOUD AND THRILLING. BUT WHAT'S INTERESTING IS RE-ENTRY IS ALSO VERY SIMILAR, AS SUPERSONIC AIR IS FLOWING OVER THE VEHICLE AND THE FEATHERED CONFIGURATION, SHOCK WAVES FORM ON TOP OF THE CABIN WHICH ARE AUDIBLE TO THOSE INSIDE. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU ON-SITE WATCHING ON THE GROUND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO HEAR A DOUBLE SONIC BOOM AS SPACESHIP UNITY ONCE AGAIN BREAKS THE SOUND BARRIER. ALL RIGHT. FOLKS, WE ARE NOW SUB SONIC.
JUST UNZDER 75,000 FEET IN ALTITUDE. NOW ALSO NOTE TOO THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME TRANSMITTEDING CAMERA DATA DOWN TO THE GROUND AND THEN OUT TO A GLOBAL LIVE STREAM. SO PLEASE DO FORGIVE US IF YOU SEE DROPS IN THE FEED BUT WE HAVE GREAT GROUND FOOTAGE COMING IN HERE.
NOW THERE WE GO YOU CAN SEE THAT IS THE TAIL CONE OF UNITY. AND PILOTS ARE LOWERING THE FEATHER NOW. NOW, AS THE FEATHER COMES DOWN THE NOSE OF SPACESHIP WILL DROP. THIS IS NORMAL AND EXPECTED.
ONCE THAT FEATHER IS DOWN AND LOCKED THE PILOTS WILL BEGIN A GENTLE PULL UP TO A LEVEL ALTITUDE. AND I'M HEARING THE FEATHER IS DOWN AND LOCKED NOW. SO AT THIS POINT SPACESHIP UNITY IS A GLIDER SO ALL ABOUT BALANCING HER POTENTIAL ENERGY. SO IF THE PILOTS WANT TO GO FASTER THEY POINT THE NOSE DOWN. AND IF THEY WANT TO GO SLOWER THEY POINT THE NOSE UP. AND RIGHT NOW I'M HEARING THE CREW IS LISTENING TO A SPECIAL SOUNDTRACK FOR THE GLIDE.
IT'S THE LATEST RELEASE FROM KHALID, A TRACK CALLED NEW NORMAL. ALL OF US WILL GET TO HEAR THAT ON EARTH FOR OUR CELEBRATION, SO STICK AROUND FOR THAT. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU ALL, BUT I'M STILL FEELING OVERWHELMED AND EXCITE WHAD WE JUST WITNESSED. AND ONE PERSON IN PARTICULAR WHO HAS TO BE HAVING ALL OF THE FEEL RIGHT NOW YOU GO CAN SEE HIM DOING A CONGRATULATORY SHAKE TO COLIN BENNET. LET'S SEE IF WE CAN CONNECT WITH THE CREW HERE. >> DOWN TO 200.
. . >> SO RICHARD, YOU JUST WENT TO SPACE. THIS HAS GOTD TO BE THE ULTIMATE BIRTHDAY PRESENT FOR YOU. WHAT WAS IT LIKE? ALL RIGHT.
FOLKS AGAIN SORRY WE ARE NOT GETTING THAT TRANSMISSION THROUGH THE LIVE BROADCAST. BUT AGAIN WE DO HAVE LOTS OF RECORDING DEVICES ABOARD THE SPACESHIP AND BE SURE TO RELEASE FOOTAGE OF RICHARD AND THE CREW UP THERE TODAY. >> WELL, [ INAUDIBLE ] ONE DAY FEEL THIS EXPERIENCE. IT'S AN EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME. AND NOW I'M LOOKING DOWN AT BEAUTIFUL SPACEPORT.
CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYBODY FOR CREATING SUCH A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL DAY. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR WONDERFUL VIRGIN GALACTIC 17 YEARS HARD WORK. >> ALL RIGHT.
SO-SO HAPPY WE COULD CATCH A LITTLE PART OF THAT. SEEMS THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF DELAY IN TRANSMISSION. IT DOES HAVE A LONG WAY TO TRAVEL. BUT YOU COULD TELL BY THE SMILES ON THEIR FACES THEY JUST HAD THE RIDE OF THEIR LIVES. WE ARE SO EXCITED FOR THEM TO LAND AND PARTY THE REST OF THE DAY WITH LIKE ASTRONAUTS IN THE TYPICAL VIRGIN FASHION. SO WE ARE AT 22,000 FEET NOW AND DESCENDING.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, YOU UNITY IS A GLIDER AT THIS POINT. SO THE PILOTS RIGHT NOW ARE DISCUSSING THEIR ENERGY MANAGEMENT PLAN AND PRETTY SHORTLY HERE THEY'LL BE MEETING UP WITH OUR CHASE AIRCRAFT WITH JA JAMAL AND PATRICK TO GET SOME VERY COOL VISUAL WITH SPACESHIP UNITY. NOW, AS THE CREW AND SPACESHIP MAKE THEIR WAY ACROSS THE DESERT, THEY ARE GLIDING OVER ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE LANDSCAPES IN THE UNITED STATES, AND THE LARGEST DESERT IN NORTH AMERICA, THE CHIAN DESERT.
THE AREA AROUND INCLUDES MORE THAN 6,000 SQUARE MILES OF RESTRICTED AIR SPACE WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS IT WAS BUILT HERE. AND OF COURSE OUR FUTURE ASTRONAUTS WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE IN SO MUCH OF THAT NATURAL BEAUTY. AND OF COURSE WE ALSO HAVE A WHITE SANDS NEARBY, WHITE SANDS NATIONAL PARK IS JUST TO OUR EAST VISIBLE RIGHT OVER THE BLACK RANGE MOUNTAINS. WHITE SOUNDS OF COURSE HAS BEEN THE BACK DROP FOR SOME FILMS, COMMERCIALS AND MUSIC VIDEOS AND KNOWN FOR HAVING THE LARGEST GYPSIUM FIELD ON THE PLANET.
>> KHALID'S MUSIC. >> SO ALSO NEARBY IS THE ORGAN DESERT PEEKS THAT'S NEARLY HALF A MILLION ACRES THAT OUR GUESTS WILL BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE. AND EVEN THOUGH TEMPERATURES CAN HIT THE TRIPLE DIGITS IN THE SUMMER WE ALSO HAVE COOL DESERT DAYS AND OUR PILOT AND CREW CAN STAY COMFORTABLE THEY WERE DESIGNED WITH TECHNICAL SPACE OF OUR PARTNER UNDER ARMOR AND ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE CREW THERE. THEY ARE LIGHT WEIGHT AND MADE OF FLIGHT KNITTED FABRICS WHICH FORMS THE SPACE SUIT AND HELPS REGULATE THEIR BODY TEMPERATURE.
SO ALSO TO COMMEMORATE THIS FLIGHT FROM NEW MEXICO WE REACHED OUT TO THE PUEBLO WHO GAVE US PERMISSION TO USE THEIR SUN SYMBOL ON OUR SPACESHIP. THIS SYMBOL IS ALSO PART OF THE NE MEXICO STATE FLAG AND EMBEDDED WITH MEANING. THE 4 IS SACRED TO THE PEOPLE AND EMBLEM IS FOUR TIMES OF DAY AND FOUR PHASES OF LIFE. WE ARE HONORED AND PROUD TO HAVE THIS SYMBOL ON UNITY TAIL AS WE ALSO CELEBRATE OUR NEW HOME. ALL YOU CAN SEE THE CHASE IN THE BACKGROUND THERE OUTSIDE OF RICHARD'S WINDOW. THE PILOTS ARE COORDINATING WITH CHASE NOW AND DISCUSSING THEIR ENERGY MANAGEMENT PLAN.
THEY ARE AT ABOUT 9500 FEET IN ALTITUDE. AND THE RUNWAY OUT HERE AT SPACEPORT AMERICA IS ABOUT 4,600 FEET IN ALTITUDE. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE THREE LANDING GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED. NOW THE PILOTS ARE GOING TO BE LANDING ON RUNWAY 34 TODAY SO COMING FROM THE SOUTH AND TOWARDS THE NORTH FOR THOSE OF YOU ON-SITE WATCHING.
AND FOR THE NONPILOTS TUNING IN, THOSE NUMBERS REPRESENT THE FIRST TWO NUMBERS OF THE MAGNETIC HEADING OF THE LUNCH WAY, SO FOR EXAMPLE 34 IS 340 DEGREES ON YOUR COMPASS. WE ARE JUST ABOUT 1,000 FEET ABOVE THE FIELD NOW. AND ON FINAL. 500 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY. 300 FEET. OVER THE THRESHOLD.
MAIN GEAR TOUCH DOWN. AND WE ARE GOING TO HOLD IT JUST LIKE THIS FOR A MINUTE BEFORE BRINGING THE NOSE DOWN. YOU CAN SEE THEY ARE ALREADY CELEBRATING INSIDE THERE. AND THE NOSE IS COMING DOWN NOW.
NOSE GEAR TOUCH DOWN. AND BRAKING. THAT INCREDIBLE DRONE FOOTAGE HERE AS WE COME IN. AND THERE IS FULL STOP. [ APPLAUSE ] >> A PERFECT LANDING. VIRGIN GALACTIC MISSION SPISHLS ON BOARD FROM OUR OPERATIONAL HOME BASE SPACE FOR AMERICA.
A BEAUTIFUL DAY OF FLIGHT. WHAT A MOMENT. CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYBODY ON BOARD.
AND OF COURSE OUR VERY OWN SPACESHIP UNITY THAT RETURNED TO SPACE TODAY. AND OF COURSE WE ALSO SAW BEAUTIFUL FLYING FROM EVE CREW, CJ AND KELLY AND BRILLIANT WORK BY OUR CHASE PILOTS JAMIL AND PACK RICK ALL WHO ARE STILL IN THE AIR TODAY. GREAT JOB TO YOU ALL.
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THERE IT IS. MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY SINCE THE WORLD REJOICED WHEN HUMANS FIRST ACHIEVED SPACE FLIGHT, RICHARD BRANSON FULFILLS HIS DREAM OF EXPERIENCING SPACE TRAVEL. CONGRATULATIONS TO RICHARD AND VIRGIN GALACTIC. CONGRATULATIONS ALSO TO COLIN BENNET AND SIRISHA BANDLA ON BECOMING ASTRONAUTS. AND ALSO A WELCOME BACK TO SPACE FOR DAUM, MICHAEL MASUCCI AND BETH MOSES. >> STAY TUNED FOLKS, WE ALSO HAVE A SPECIAL MUSICAL PERFORMANCE TO CELEBRATE TODAY'S MILESTONE.
BUT FIRST LET'S HEAR SOME THOUGHTS ON THE FLIGHT. CHRIS, YOU'VE RETURNED FROM SPACE SEVERAL TIMES NOW BOTH ON CAPSULE AND SPACE SHUTTLE. HOW DOES THIS LANDING COMPARE TO THE LANDINGS YOU'VE EXPERIENCED? >> WELL, OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S A MUCH MORE GENTLE LANDING THAN A CAPSULE ON MY FLIGHT. THE SHUTTLE TWO TIMES QUITE SIMILAR TO WHAT THE CREW JUST WENT THROUGH. BUT FOR THEM IT'S SUCH A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE NOW. WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO WITH THIS? HOW ARE THEY GOING TO TAKE THIS AMAZING VIEW OF THE EARTH THEY'VE JUST HAD AND THE KIND OF BRAVE NEW NATURE OF WHAT THIS WHOLE TEAM HAS JUST ACCOMPLISHED? HOW ARE THEY GOING TO NOW MAKE THAT PART OF WHO THEY ARE AND HOW ARE THEY GOING TO SHARE THIS EXPERIENCE WITH OTHER PEOPLE? THAT'S WHAT'S GOING THROUGH THEIR MIND RIGHT NOW.
I'M JUST SO PROUD OF THE WHOLE TEAM. THAT WAS AN AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENT. >> IT IS EPIC. AND SOMEBODY WHO HAS SPENT WHAT LIKE 4,000 HOURS IN SPACE, IS IT, YEAH, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT SPACE LINE FOR THE EARTH OPENING? >> IT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN HOPING WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO EVER SINCE I WAS A LITTLE KID DREAMING ABOUT IT AND DURING MY SPACE FLIGHTS SO THAT THE TECHNOLOGY GETS GOOD ENOUGH. AND SOMEONE HAS THE TENACITY AND THE VISION TO PUSH BEYOND ALL THE RESISTANCE AND THE NAYSAYERS AND CREATE A CAPABILITY FOR YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A PROFESSIONAL ASTRONAUT FOR YOUR WHOLE LIFE TO SEE THE WORLD THIS WAY.
I THINK, I MEAN, I JUST COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WORK AT AT VIRGIN GALACTIC AND SO DELIGHTED WHAT THIS OPEN DOOR IS GOING TO LEAD TO NOW. IT'S A GREAT MOMENT. >> ABSOLUTELY CERTAINLY. AND KELLY I WANT TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS TOO. AND ALSO YOUR DAUGHTER DELTA VIEW IS IS ON SIGHT TODAY ONLY 3 AND ALSO A HUGE SPACE ENTHUSIAST JUST LIKE YOU AND HOW DOES THIS MILESTONE FEBT HER AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR HER AND YOU? >> I AM STILL EMOTIONAL FROM THIS FLIGHT.
IT IS SO AMAZING NOT A DRY EYE IN THE STUDIO. BUT WHEN I THINK F MY DAUGHTER ON-SITE JUST LIKE YOU SAID, THIS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. IT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME. NOT ONLY SHE WAS HERE TO WITNESS HISTORY BUT SHE'S GOING TO WATCH ME HER MOM BECOME AN ASTRONAUT. THAT'S GOING TO BE NORMAL IN HER MIND.
THAT'S ANOTHER THING MOM'S DO, OF COURSE, THEY GO TO SPACE. I JUST THINK THAT'S INCREDIBLE. SHE'S GOING TO GROW UP KNOWING THAT NOT EVEN THE SKY IS THE LIMIT. AND I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT STRUCK ME IS IT'S JUST SUCH A POWERFUL REMINDER OF HOW MUCH CAN CHANGE IN A SINGLE GENERATION.
MY MOM IS ALSO ON SIGHT HERE FORAGING HER BUT WHEN SHE WAS BORN HUMAN BEINGS HADN'T YET BEEN TO SPACE. WHEN SHE WAS GROWING UP, WOMEN WEREN'T ELIGIBLE. AND NOW HERE SHE IS WATCHING HER DAUGHTER PREPARE FOR A SPACE FLIGHT OF MY OWN.
IT JUST GIVES ME JOY. >> AND ABSOLUTELY. THE MOON LANDING IS WHAT INSPIRED SIR RICHARD BRANSON. AND WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL INSPIRE DELTA WATCHING AND OTHER PEOPLE IN HER GENERATION. SO EXCITING. >> IT IS.
>> FOLKS, THIS IS JUST A BEGINNING. VIRGIN GALACTIC IS THE START OF WHOLE NEW SPACE AGE WHICH IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM BEFORE. SPACE WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS UNATTAINABLE BUT ALL BUT A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES FOR NATIONAL PRIDE.
AND THIS IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT. YOU KNOW, IT'S THE NEW SPACE AGE, WHICH IS FOR KELLY, FOR DELTA, FOR CHRIS, FOR ME, FOR EVERYBODY. AND WE ARE MAKING IT MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
SO I KNOW THE FULL AFFECT OF WHAT HAPPENED TODAY WILL NOT BE FELT FOR SOMETIME. BUT IT WILL TOUCH MANY GENERATIONS TO COME. NOW, CHRIS, YOU WERE ABOARD THE ISS FOR ABOUT FIVE MONTHS AT ONE POINT, RIGHT? DID THE VIEW OUT THE WINDOW EVER GET OLD? >> GOSH, NO.
AT THE END OF MY FIVE MONTHS ON THE SPACE STATION, WE WERE GETTING BACK INTO OUR SHIP JUST SORT OF LIKE THE CREW RETURNED TODAY AND I WENT OVER TO THE WINDOW JUST TROO TRY TO SOAK UP A LITTLE MORE OF THAT INCREDIBLE PERSPECTIVE. THE WORLD IS SO GENEROUSLY BEAUTIFUL. AND YOU SEE IT IN PA WHOLE NEW WAY. YOU CAN SEE FOR THOUSANDS OF MILES IN EACH DIRECTION. AND YOU CAN SEE THE CURVATURE OF OUR PLANET AND THE REALITY OF WHERE WE ALL LIVE SUDDENLY BECOMES PART OF WHO YOU ARE. AND RIGHT UP UNTIL THE LAST SECOND, I WAS THERE WITH MY NOSE PRINT ON THE GLASS, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO NOT MISS THE MAGNIFICENCE OF THIS ENTIRE EXPERIENCE.
>> YEAH, AND YOU TOOK LIKE THOUSANDS OF PHOTOS UP THERE, TOO, RIGHT? I MEAN DOES THAT EVEN GIVE YOU A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE AS A REMINDER TO BE UP THERE? >> I KNOW THE VIDEO TODAY WAS A LITTLE GLITCHY, BUT WE HAVE YOU WILL AT RECORDERS ON BOARD. >> YES ABSOLUTELY. >> AND WHAT THE CREWS WILL HAVE NOW OF COURSE IS OWN PERSONAL MEMORIES. AND THEN THE WAY TO SORT OF CAT A WATCH THE VIDEOS AND WATCH THE BEAUTY OF WHAT THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH.
AND LET IT SINK IN TO WHO THEY ARE. AND, SO, YEAH, IT REALLY HELPED ME REMEMBER THE RICHNESS OF THE EXPERIENCE. SO IT WILL BE GREAT TO SEE THE VIDEOS THEY RECORDED ON BOARD. >> ABSOLUTELY.
AND THE RICHNESS STICKS WITH YOU TOO. YOU HAVE A TED TALK ACTUALLY THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, WELL, A LOT OF THINGS, RIGHT, OVERCOMING FEAR, WALKING THROUGH SPIDER WEBS. BUT ALSO MY FAVORITE PART OF IT IT WAS WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT SEEING EARTH FROM ABOVE AND THE TRANSFORMATION THAT IT HAS ON PEOPLE.
WE CALL TT OVERVIEW EFFECT THAT REALLY HOPE AND I'M SURE THAT OUR ASTRONAUTS TODAY EXPERIENCE. WHAT WAS THAT LIKE FOR YOU? >> YEAH, I'VE BEEN SO LUCKY TO SEE THE WORLD FROM THAT POINT OF VIEW. AND AS ONE OF THE VERY FIRST HUMAN BEINGS TO HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING UP THERE. AND TO HAVE A VEHICLE LIKE VIRGIN JUST PUT UP TODAY THAT IS ALLOWING MORE EYES THAN JUST MY TWO TO SEE IT. TO UNDERSTAND NOT JUST THE GEOLOGY OF THE WORLD, BUT US ON IT. ALL SEVEN BILLION OF US.
WE ARE ON BOARD THIS LITTLE SPACESHIP OF EARTH. AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET A PALPABLE SENSE OF THAT FROM ON BOARD THE SHIP. AND THE CREW OF UNITY, 20 SECOND FLIGHT HERE TODAY, THEY NOW HAVE THAT INSIDE OF THEM. AND ALL THE SUBSEQUENT CREWS. KELLY, WHEN YOU FLY AS WELL, YOU'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO SORT OF SHIFT YOUR PERMANENT PERSPECTIVE OF HOW ALL THIS WORKS. GO FROM BEING A TWO-DIMENSIONAL HUMAN TO NOW SUDDENLY REALLY UNDERSTANDING THE THREE DIMENSIONS AND WHAT THIS PLANET TRULY LOOKS LIKE.
AND IT'S GOING TO DO US ALL GOOD. AS MANY PEOPLE CAN SEE THAT AS POSSIBLE. >> ABSOLUTELY.
AND KELLY I KNOW YOU'LL BE CONDUCTING A THE LO OF EXPERIMENTS ON BOARD WHILE YOU FLY WITH VIRGIN GALACTIC BUT I HOPE YOU ARE TAKING TIME TO LOOK OUT THE WINDOW AND ENJO I THAT TOO, RIGHT. >> I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GET PRECIOUS TIME AT THAT WINDOW TO SOAK IT IN AND BE IN THE MOMENT. >> DEFINITELY. WHILE WE ARE WAITING FOR OUR CREW TO DISEMBARK, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIMENTS? >> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. SO I'M GOING TO BE FLYING HEALTH CARE AND FLUID EXPERIMENTS ON THE FLIGHT. FIRST ONE IS SKIN WEARABLE TO DESIGN HOW SPACE FLIGHT EFFECTS THE HUMAN BODY.
THE CURRENT THING IS THIS IS CURRENTLY WORN ABOARD THE SPACE TAGS BY ASTRONAUTS BUT THIS IS FIRST TIME COLLECTING DATA. SO REALLY EXCITED FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF ASTRONAUTS. ANOTHER EXPERIMENT I'M FLYING IS FLUID EXPERIMENT DESIGNED TO EVALUATE THE BEHAVIOR OF LIQUID IN A CONFINED ENVIRONMENT IN MICRO GRAVITY. THAT'S ALSO GOING TO BE FUN BECAUSE I'LL BE INTERACT WG FLUID CELL THAT HAS CAMERA ATTACHED TO IT AND DATA COLLECT FRD THAT EXPERIMENT CAN HELP INFORM NEW TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS OR NOVEL DESIGNS FOR SYRINGES FOR ADMINISTERING MEDICINE IN SPACE SO I'M VERY EXCITED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE MY PAY LOADS WITH ME TO SPACE.
>> ABSOLUTELY. WELL, THAT'S SO COOL. I AM HEARING THAT OUR CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER TARA CASTLE BERRY IS APPROACHING THE VEHICLE NOW AND THEY'LL DO A MEDICAL DEBRIEF WITH THE CREW. SO WE'LL SEE THAT HERE MOMENTARILY. AND OUR CREW IS ACTUALLY GOING TO JOIN US LATER IN THE BROADCAST WHERE THEY'LL RECEIVE THEIR ASTRONAUT WINGS. SO, CHRIS, I'M SURE YOU HAVE A VIVID MEMORY OF THE DAY WHEN YOU RECEIVED YOUR WINGS.
>> YEAH, THE WINGS THAT WE WEAR ON OUR CHEST, THEY ARE A MEASURE OF THE LIFETIME OF WORK AND PURPOSE AND PERSONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT. AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS OF COURSE HAVE THEIR OWN WINGS. BUT WHEN I FLEW IN SPACE, IT WAS THE [ INAUDIBLE ] ON MY CHEST. SO THAT WAS A HUGE HONOR FOR ME TO HAVE THE PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA TO TAKE THESE NEW WINGS MEANT TO SHOW A NEW HUMAN ACCOMPLISHMENT AND FOR ME TO HAVE THAT AS PART OF WHO I AM FOR THES REST OF MY LIFE.
SO IT'S A HUGE HONOR FOR ME THAT I'LL BE PART OF THAT CEREMONY FOR THESE FOLKS THAT JUST FLEW NOW. >> I WAS GOING TO SAY NOW YOU GET TO RETURN THAT HONOR TO THE CREW. VERY EXCITING YOU HAVE IMPORTANT ROLE. SO WE ARE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THAT AS OUR PILOTS AND PASSENGERS PREPARE TO MAKE THEIR WAY BACK TO SPACEPORT, LET'S HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR SPECIAL MUSICAL GUEST WHO WILL CELEBRATE THEIR ARRIVAL.
>> THANKS, VERONICA. AND IF YOU THOUGHT THAT WAS INCREDIBLE, FOLKS, SOME DAY YOU'LL TELL YOUR GRANDCHILDREN THAT YOU WERE WATCHING THE LIVE STREAM WHEN VIRGIN GALACTIC AND RICHARD BRANSON FIRST LAUNCHED INTO SPACE. AND SAY YOU KNOW, YOU'VE TOLD THAT STORY 100 TIMES.
BUT THEN YOU'LL SAY EVEN THE PART ABOUT KHALID PERFORMING THE SONG "NEW NORMAL" FOR THE FIRST TIME YOU'LL SIT UP AND SAY REALLY. SO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME TO THE STAGE, EL PASO VERY OWN, KHALID. [ APPLAUSE ] ♪ ♪ HOW FAR WE CAME ♪ ♪ ♪ BUT TO UNDERSTAND IT ♪ FI ♪ TO FIND YOUR WAY IS NEVER ENOUGH ♪ ♪ YOU'LL BE FINE ♪ ♪ OUT OF YOUR CONTROL ♪ ♪ BUT NO ONE HERARS YOUR VOICE ♪ ♪ BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS CHANGING ♪ ♪ AND I CAN'T STOP ♪ ♪ EVERYTHING IS CHANGING ♪ ♪ ♪ IT'S NEVER ENOUGH ♪ ♪ THOUGH IT'S BEEN TOUGH FOR YOU ♪ ♪ [ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THIS NEXT SONG RIGHT HERE, IT'S A FUN ONE, THIS ONE RIGHT HERE IS CALLED" THUNDER."
THANKS, GUYS, FOR JOINING ME. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ NOTHING FEELS BETTER ♪ ♪ TO SEE WHAT YOU HAVE ♪ ♪ NOTHING FEELS BETTER THAN THIS ♪ >> THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] I HAVE ONE MORE SONG FOR YOU, GUYS. THIS ONE RIGHT HERE IS CALLED TOUGH.
HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING UP THERE? GOOD. ♪ CAN'T WE JUST TALK ♪ ♪ BEFORE WE GET LOST ♪ ♪ NEVER FELT LIKE THIS BEFORE ♪ ♪ CAN'T WE JUST TALK ♪ ♪ HEY, YEAH, ♪ WHAT'S BEEN ON YOUR MIND ♪ ♪ AND THE REASON IS ♪ ♪ TELL ME SOMETHING I AIN'T HEARD BEFORE ♪ ♪ HEY ♪ ♪ AND IT'S YOU ♪ ♪ CAN WE JUST TALK ♪ ♪ CAN WE JUST TALK ♪ ♪ BEFORE WE GET LOST ♪ ♪ NEVER FELT LIKE THIS BEFORE ♪ ♪ I PROBABLY JUST MOVING TOO FAR ♪ ♪ CAN WE JUST TALK ♪ ♪ CAN WE JUST TALK ♪ ♪ FIGURE IT OUT ♪ ♪ OH NOW ♪ ♪ THE FLOWERS IN THE ROOM ♪ ♪ NOW I'M ON THE WAY ♪ ♪ SWEAR I WON'T BE LATE ♪ ♪ I'LL BE THERE BY 5:00 ♪ ♪ HEY ♪ ♪ AND IT'S ME YOU WANT ♪ ♪ SO START RUNNING ♪ ♪ CAN WE JUST TALK ♪ ♪ CAN WE JUST TALK ♪ ♪ BEFORE WE GET LOST ♪ ♪ NEVER FELT LIKE THIS BEFORE ♪ ♪ IF WE'RE MOVING TOO FAR ♪ ♪ CAN WE JUST TALK ♪ ♪ HEY ♪ ♪ CAN WE JUST TALK ♪ ♪ CAN WE JUST ♪ ♪ CAN WE ♪ ♪ BEFORE WE GET LOST, YEAH ♪ ♪ YEAH ♪ ♪ I NEVER FELT LIKE THIS ♪ ♪ BUT CAN WE JUST TALK ♪ ♪ YEAH ♪ OH, MY GOD. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH MUCH. THANK YOU GUYS. YOU'VE BEEN AWESOME. THANK YOU GUYS.
>> THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL, MAN. I REALLY ENJOYED THAT. ONE OF THE LYRICS IN YOUR NEW SONG WAS "I NEVER IMAGINE, I NEVER PREDICTED HOW FAR WE'VE COME." LOOK. BERP JUST OUT HERE TODAY. WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE WHOLE THING TODAY? >> SUPERNERVE WRACKING.
HONESTLY IT'S A DREAM TO EVEN BE HERE. SO, I'M SO THANKFUL. AND LIKE YOU SAID, LOOK HOW FAR WE'VE CAME JUST AS HUMANITY. THAT WAS SO MEMORABLE, SO HISTORIC.
WE WENT TO SPACE. >> I MEAN, YOU ARE THE YOUNGEST PERSON EVER TO REACH, WHAT, 20 BILLION STREAMS I THINK ON SPOTIFY. >> YEAH, YEAH. >> SO, WHERE DO YOU THINK WE ARE IN HISTORY? WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU? >> FOR ME IT'S -- I'M SO THANKFUL. I'M SO GRATEFUL. IT SEEMS SURREAL.
AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE ALL FEEL ABOUT THE TIMES RIGHT NOW, SUPERSURREAL. BUT IT'S TRUE. IT'S OUR NEW NORMAL. SO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET USED TO IT BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT MORE TO COME. >> WHAT ARE YOU DREAMING OF DOING IN YOUR LIFE? >> I DREAM THAT I GET THE CONFIDENCE TO GO UP THERE TOO. >> THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
I THINK YOU TWEETED IF YOU WENT TO SPACE, WHAT WOULD YOU TAKE WITH YOU. I'M CURIOUS. WHAT WOULD YOU TAKE? >> OH YEAH. ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS GAVE ME A CRYSTAL FOR MY BIRTHDAY. I WOULD TAKE THAT WITH ME TOO.
I REALLY CHERISH MY FRIENDS. >> IT WAS A PLEASURE TO WATCH YOU ON STAGE. >> THANK YOU.
>> I'M DELIGHTED TO GET TO KNOW YOU. I'VE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO FLY IN SPACE MYSELF, AND YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THE EXPERIENCE WHEN YOU GET THE CHANCE. >> OH, I KNOW I WILL. >> I'VE BEEN OUTSIDE OF A SPACESHIP WATCHING THE WORLD TURN -- >> UNREAL. >> -- AND WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS SHIPS LIKE THIS ONE THAT'S BEHIND US THAT CAN LET PEOPLE GET UP THERE. >> YEAH, MAKE IT CONVENTIONAL FOR EVERYONE.
>> BUT YOUR KIND OF TALENT TODAY -- >> OH, THANK YOU. >> -- YOU CAN SHARE IT IN A WAY PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND. >> YOU'RE TOO NICE.
THANK YOU. >> I'M REALLY EXCITED. YOU THINK -- YOU'RE ONE OF THE GREATER SINGER-SONG WRITERS. DO YOU THINK SOME OF THE STUFF YOU'VE SEEN TODAY IS GOING TO INSPIRE YOU? >> NO DOUBT, NO DOUBT.
IT INSPIRED ME ALREADY. >> IT'S SUCH A DELIGHT TO SEE YOUR TALENT ON SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH VIRGIN GALACTIC AS WELL. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT YOU GUYS.
EVERYBODY, ALL THE ENGINEERS, EVERYBODY WORKING ON SET, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. >> SO, KHALID, YOU SEE RIGHT THERE IS THE DOOR YOU GET IN THROUGH. AND THEN YOU GET INTO YOUR SEAT. AND YOU COULD HAVE A CHANCE TO GO EXPERIENCE THAT FOR YOURSELF.
>> YEAH. WE'LL SEE. WE'LL SEE. >> I THINK YOU'LL LOVE THE EXPERIENCE.
TO BE ABLE TO NOT JUST GET UP ON STAGE AND SEE ALL THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE BUT TO GET SO FAR UP AND SEE THE WORLD. >> WONDERFUL. >> BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE. >> YEAH. >> SO, CONGRATULATIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> WONDERFUL DAY TO BE TOGETHER. >> I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU, GUYS. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >>> WE JUST WITNESSED THE CREW DISEMBARK FROM THE SPACESHIP AND WHAT A HERO'S WELCOME THEY RECEIVED. THAT WAS SO ADORABLE SEEING ALL ASTRONAUTS. NOW, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM JUST A MINUTE HERE TO FRESHEN UP.
THEY'RE ENTERING GUYA WHICH IS WHAT WE CALL THE FIRST LEVEL AT SPACEPORT AMERICA. THEY'RE GOING TO GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO FRESHEN UP. WHILE WE WAIT, LET'S HEAR MORE ABOUT THE OTHER VIRGIN COMPANIES IN OUR VIRGIN FAMILY.
>> IF WE CAN DO THIS -- IMAGINE WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO. >> IF WE CAN GO HERE -- IMAGINE WHERE ELSE WE CAN GO. >> IF WE CAN FEEL THIS -- >> 3, 2, 1, RELEASE, RELEASE, RELEASE. >> FIRE, FIRE. >> IMAGINE WHAT ELSE WE CAN FEEL. >> IF WE CAN CHANGE THIS -- >> WOW, LOOK AT THAT VIEW.
>> WELCOME TO THE CLUB, ASTRONAUTS. >> -- IMAGINE WHAT ELSE WE CAN CHANGE. >> IF WE CAN SHARE THIS -- >> WE CAN. >> WE CAN. >> WE CAN. >> WE CAN.
♪ >> IT'S SO WONDERFUL TO SEE HOW ALL THE VIRGIN COMPANIES ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD. NOW YOU SAW SOME OF OUR FOOTAGE FROM OUR PREVIOUS SLIDES IN THAT VIDEO AS WELL. LET'S SEE SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM TODAY'S FLIGHT. SO, THIS IS THE CREW AT THE END OF THE APRON HERE.
AND YOU CAN SEE RICHARD GETTING OUT OF HIS LAND ROVER GETTING READY TO BOARD SPACESHIP WITH THE CREW. AND THERE THEY ARE GETTING FASTENED INTO THEIR SEATS AND GETTING READY FOR TAKEOFF. JUST A BEAUTIFUL TAKEOFF AND I IMAGINE THAT'S JUST COMFORTABLE AND INTUITIVE FOR PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE ON THEIR WAY UP AND GIVE THEM WAY TO CONTEMPLATE WHAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN. AND THERE'S RELEASE THERE, THE EXCITING MOMENT LIGHTING THE ROCKET MOTOR AND HEADED TO SPACE. [ LAUGHTER ] THAT'S SO COOL.
SO, YOU CAN SEE THE MOMENT WHEN THEY RELEASE RIGHT THERE. KELLIE, ARE YOU SO EXCITED TO EXPERIENCE THAT? >> UNBELIEVABLY SO. THIS IS SOMETHING ONLY A HANDFUL OF HUMANS HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED IN THE WORLD. AND FOR THE FIRST FEW HUNDRED HUMANS WHO JOURNEYED TO SPACE, THEIR FLIGHTS, LOOK AT THIS.
>> FLOATING THIS ZERO G. >> THE FLIGHT IS FOCUSED SOLELY ON FUNCTION. BUT FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF ASTRONAUTS WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO OPERATE ON EXPERIENCE. THIS WAS JUST THE NEXT GENERATION OF SPACE FLIGHT.
>> ABSOLUTELY. AND CUSTOMER SERVICE IS CERTAINLY HIS SPECIALTY. AND YOU KNOW, WE DO EVERYTHING IN STYLE HERE, INCLUDING THAT STYLISH LANDING ON THE SAME RUNWAY THEY TOOK OFF OF. AND THERE IT IS NOW BEING TOWED BACK. THIS IS FOOTAGE FROM TODAY'S FLIGHT JUST MOMENTS AGO.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE OUR CREW IN GUYA, WHICH IS THE FIRST FLOOR TO THE GATEWAY TO SPACE BUILDING. WE CALL THIS THE GATEWAY TO SPACE BECAUSE IT IS LITERALLY THE LAST BUILDING HUMAN BEINGS STEP FOOT IN BEFORE BECOMING ASTRONAUTS. >> RICHARD HAS SAID THIS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT, HIS GRANDCHILDREN, THE NEXT GENERATION. WHEN THAT GENERATION IS GOING TO GROW UP WITH UNPRECEDENTED INSPIRATION, EXPOSURE AND ACCESS TO SPACE. IT'S GOING TO FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THE WAY WE LIVE, THE WAY WE SEE OURSELVES AND THE WORLD. IT'S UNBELIEVABLE TO BE HERE TODAY TO GET TO SEE THIS AND TO BE A PART OF THIS HISTORY.
p>> Y THERE TO SEE RICHARD WITH HIS GRANDCHILDREN AND HIS FAMILY. YOU KNOW, BACK IN 2018 ON OUR VERY FIRST SPACE FLIGHT, HE WROTE A LETTER TO HIS GRANDCHILDREN. LET'S TAKE A STEP BACK AND SEE SOME HISTORY ON THAT. ♪ >> I HAVE A MESSAGE TO MY GRANDCHILDREN.
MY DAD, YOUR GREAT GRANDAD, WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY MAN, FULL OF WISE WORDS. HE WOULD OFTEN REMIND THAT LIFE IS WONDERFUL, AND IT'S THAT SIMPLE TRUTH, WHICH HAS DRIVEN ME AS I BUILT BUSINESSES, RAISE MY FAMILY AND EMBARKED UPON MY MANY ADVENTURES. YOU ARE AT THE VERY START OF LIFE.
IT IS AN INCREDIBLE GIFT, AND IT IS THERE FOR THE TAKING. HIGHS AND LOWS, BUT BY LIVING IT TO THE FULL, BY ALWAYS TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING, BY KEEPING A CHILD-LIKE SENSE OF ADVENTURE, IT WILL INDEED BE WONDERFUL. I USED TO THINK OF SPACE AS A DESTINATION, BUT I NOW REALIZE IT'S A JOURNEY WITH SOME AMAZING MILESTONES ALONG THE WAY. YOUR LIVES WILL BE TRANSFORMED BY SPACE, AND IT WILL GIVE YOUR GENERATION THE PERSPECTIVE IN WHICH THE FUTURE OF HUMANITY RESTS, THAT WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, FELLOW TRAVELLERS ON SPACESHIP EARTH. ♪ TODAY OUR BEAUTIFUL VSS UNITY ALONG WITH THE HOPES AND DREAMS OF SO MANY BECAME THE FIRST SPACESHIP BUILT FOR REGULAR PASSENGER SERVICE TO PUT HUMANS INTO SPACE. ♪ >> 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, RELEASE, RELEASE, RELEASE.
>> FIRE, FIRE. ♪ >> 30 SECONDS. >> FULL CONTROL. >> 55 SECONDS.
59 SECONDS. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> EVERYBODY, WE'RE GOING TO SPACE. >> WE'RE ON OUR WAY TO SPACE. ♪ >> THE VIEW IS INCREDIBLE. ♪ ♪ >> SPACESHIP UNITY, WELCOME TO SPACE.
>> COPY. MILLION DOLLAR VIEW. >> APOGEE. >> VIRGIN GALACTIC HAS SHOWN THAT WHEN YOU SET OFF ON CHALLENGING BUT IMPORTANT ADVENTURES, EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE COME FORWARD TO JOIN THE JOURNEY, PEOPLE WHO ARE CONSISTENTLY BY YOUR SIDE AND ON YOUR SIDE, PEOPLE WHO SHARE YOUR DREAMS AND PEOPLE WHO HELP MAKE THEM REALITY. >> COMPLETE. ♪ >> AS I WATCH THE BRAVE PILOTS GO INTO SPACE TODAY, MY VISION, I CAN HEAR YOUR GREAT GRANDAD WHISPER ONCE AGAIN IN MY EAR, LIFE IS, INDEED, WONDERFUL.
>> THAT IS JUST REALLY HEARTWARMING AND IT'S SO COOL THAT HIS GRANDCHILDREN COULD BE HERE WITH HIM TODAY TO CELEBRATE HIS SPACE FLIGHT. NOW, OUR CREW HERE ARE GOING TO RECEIVE THEIR ASTRONAUT WINGS, AND I'M HEARING THAT GUYA AND THE RAMP ARE IN FULL CELEBRATION MODE AT THIS POINT. LET'S GO AHEAD AND CHECK OUT SOME OF THE ACTION DOWN THERE. KEVIN, WHO HAVE YOU GOT THERE WITH YOU? >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND WE ARE HERE WHERE THE ACTION IS, AND YOU CAN FEEL IT. IT'S SO MUCH FUN OUT HERE.
EVERYONE'S EXCITED. AND WHO DO I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SPEAKING WITH TODAY. >> SHARON FROM ORLANDO, FLORIDA. >> WELCOME, SHARON.
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF TODAY'S >> OH, MY GOD. IT'S SO EXCITING. I'M BEYOND -- IT'S OVER THE MOON. I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS GOING TO BE SO EMOTIONAL. I'M STILL SHAKING.
THIS IS INCREDIBLE. >> YOU AND ME BOTH, SHARON. I'M ALSO HEARING THAT YOU'RE A FUTURE ASTRONAUT WHO'S GOING TO GO ON THE SHIP YOURSELF.
>> YES, I'M SO PROUD TO BE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY, THIS FAMILY OF ASTRONAUTS FROM THE VERY GET GO. IT'S AN AMAZING GROUP OF LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUAL WHO IS LOVE SPACE. >> THAT'S AMAZING. I'M EXCITED FOR YOU. I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL THAT MOMENT.
AND IN FACT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING WITH US. WE HAVE ANOTHER FUTURE ASTRONAUT COMING OVER HERE AS WELL. MR. RON, I THINK WE SPOKE A
LITTLE BIT BEFORE. WHAT'S YOUR NAME AND WHERE YOU YOU FROM? >> RON FROM SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA. >> WELCOME. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE LOCATION? >> IT'S ALWAYS FABULOUS HERE AND IT'S SUCH AN EMOTIONAL DAY. AND NOT ONLY FOR US THAT ARE CONNECTED TO VIRGIN GALACTIC AND THE PROJECT, BUT AS WE TURN THE CORNER AND EXPAND THE THINKING AND UNDERSTANDING OF OUR WORLD. AND OUR -- US AS A PLANET.
AND TO THINK OF THE VIEWS AND THE WAYS THINGS ARE GOING TO SPREAD FOR STUDENTS AND THE PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD AND THINKING OF US ON A SPACESHIP, EARTH AND CREW ON EARTH IS A VERY EMOTIONAL PROFOUND THING. >> THAT'S AMAZING. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO MOST WHEN YOU GO UP TO SPACE IN THE NEAR FUTURE? >> IT'S HARD TO SAY.
IT'S --
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