Virgin Galactic unveils SpaceShip II

SpaceShip II will be lifted into a launch altitude by Virgin's White Knight

Virgin Founder, Sir Richard Branson and SpaceshipOne (SS1) designer, Burt Rutan, just unveiled SpaceShip II (SS2). This is the space craft that will haul thousands of private tourists into space, from Spaceport America in Southern New Mexico, after testing and licensing is completed.

The unveiling represents another major milestone in Virgin Galactic’s quest to develop the World’s first commercial space line providing private sector access to space using an environmentally benign launch system for people, payload and science.

Here's an animation by Virgin Galactic showing what flying into space on board SS2 will be like.



The spaceship draws on the experience developed during the successful flights of SS1 in 2004, which won the Ansari X-Prize for completing the world’s first manned private space flights. The SS2 design will be refined and completed during an extensive test flying program to commence shortly, and it will be an entirely new vehicle capable of carrying up to 6 passenger astronauts and up to 2 pilot astronauts into space on a sub-orbital flight.

It is likely that commercial flights will begin 2010 from the Spaceport America in New Mexico. Current ticket price is around $200,000.

In the near future White Knight will carry SS2 to above 50,000 feet (16 kilometres) before the spaceship is dropped and fires her rocket motor to launch into space from that altitude. In honour of a long tradition of using the word Enterprise in the naming of Royal Navy, US Navy, NASA vehicles and even science fiction spacecraft, Governor Schwarzenegger of California and Governor Richardson of New Mexico will today christen SS2 with the name Virgin Space Ship (VSS) ENTERPRISE. This represents not only an acknowledgment to that name’s honorable past but also looks to the future of the role of private enterprise in the development of the exploration, industrialization and human habitation of space.

The emergence of new commercial space companies like Virgin Galactic will be an engine for employment, growth and the creation of a new technology and science base in the United States. Recent research has indicated that 12,500 jobs have already been created by the new space companies; the Virgin Galactic project alone is creating significant opportunities for employment in both the company itself and with suppliers in both California and New Mexico. Approximately 600 people are now working on activities relating to the project and it is estimated that this figure will rise to over 1,100 jobs during the peak of the construction phase at the space port and through the introduction of the commercial space vehicles into regular astronaut service.

Both WK2 and SS2 represent state of the art environmentally sensitive industrial development in their use of carbon composite materials technology, which has now been identified as a key future contributor to the increasingly urgent requirement by the commercial aviation sector for dramatically more fuel efficient aircraft. WK2 is powered by four Pratt and Whitney PW308A engines, which are amongst the most powerful. economic and efficient commercial jet engines available making it a mould breaker in carbon efficiency. SS2 will be powered by a unique hybrid rocket motor, which is currently under development.

The twin fuselage and central payload area configuration allow for easy access to WK2 and to the spaceship for passengers and crew; the design also aids operational efficiencies and turnaround times. The mothership has now also completed a year of rigorous and successful first phase flight testing prior to today’s attachment of SS2.

“This is truly a momentous day. The team has created not only a world first but also a work of art," Branson said. "The unveil of SS2 takes the Virgin Galactic vision to the next level and continues to provide tangible evidence that this ambitious project is not only moving rapidly, but also making tremendous progress towards our goal of safe commercial operation."

“All of us at Scaled are tremendously excited by the capabilities of both the mothership and SS2," Rutan said. "Today is the culmination of a dream that began many decades ago, was stimulated by Paul Allen’s funding of our X-Prize winning SS1 and then moved forward to commercial reality by Sir Richard and Virgin’s visionary investment in a new future for space transportation."

SpaceShipTwo will be unveiled after darkness has fallen over the Mojave Desert to the sound of a space-themed anthem from Britain’s biggest DJs, Above & Beyond. Fittingly titled “Buzz” the track will sample Buzz Aldrin’s original moon landing dialogue. Following the naming by Governors Richardson and Schwarzenegger, the DJs will also perform an exclusive set at the celebration cocktail party which will follow and feature the first ever IceBar in the desert hosted by Absolut and the world famous Swedish IceHotel. All the guests will be protected from the desert cold by designer space jackets supplied by PUMA. Finally, to close off the celebrations, all the guests will have the opportunity to view the stunning night skies using specialist telescopes supplied by Ron Dantowitz of the Clay Observatory whose unique tracking cameras followed SS1 into space during the epic flights of 2004.

Richardson helps protect wildlife migration corridors

Great news for hunters and wildlife lovers. On Friday, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter joined New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson in announcing a new initiative to identify and protect key wildlife travel and migration corridors between the two states.

The two governors have finalized a Memorandum of Understanding pledging to work collaboratively to protect key habitat connectivity, travel and migration corridors used by elk, deer, pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep and other key species of wildlife that migrate across the shared border between the State of Colorado and the State of New Mexico.

“A rich wildlife heritage is one of the great treasures our states share and it must be protected,” Richardson said. “Roaming bighorn sheep, elk, mule deer and pronghorn antelope are part of what it means to live in the great open space of the West. I am proud to play a part in continuing these great traditions.”

In addition to the role wildlife plays as a cultural touchstone, the economies of both Colorado and New Mexico benefit significantly from the hunting, fishing and tourism that the region’s wildlife supports. According to the 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, hunters, anglers and wildlife watchers spent $3 billion inColorado and $823 million in New Mexico that year.

“Wildlife is one of the most important resources in the West,” Ritter said. “It is part of our heritage, and its protection should be part of our legacy. I’m delighted we will be working with Gov. Richardson and New Mexico to make certain that the wildlife we share is able to move freely back and forth across our borders.”

The MOU formalizes cooperation and planning for wildlife corridors. It calls for using the best scientific geospatial mapping systems available to inform land use planning and development in key habitats and migration areas.

Tribal consultation will be done with the Jicarilla Apache Tribe, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the Ute Mountain Tribe.

The Western Governors’ Association has also identified protection of viable wildlife corridors as an important regional objective. In June, the WGA signed a MOU with the U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Energy, which agreed to help provide states with the best information possible on wildlife populations, wildlife corridors and crucial habitat across various political jurisdictions.

Wilson questions hirings at NM Health Department

A day after the governor's office announced the layoff of 59 political appointees, a Republican senator is asking questions about "emergency hires" at the New Mexico Health Department.

State Sen. Sue Wilson Beffort (R-Sandia Park) is questioning the DOH's hiring of 90 employees, some of whom she claims are family members of senior department employees, at the same time the administration has a hiring freeze and the state faces budget deficits.

“The magnitude of hires after the freeze of unqualified people who are fast-tracked into training for financial positions is problematic and is creating morale issues,” Beffort said at the Legislative Finance Committee in Santa Fe today.

The senator said she's been told the apparent nepotism is causing morale problems, and that some of the new hires are being trained for permanent, higher level positions ahead of other employees at the department.

“There is dissatisfaction among current, qualified employees who have been waiting for that training so they can improve their careers, instead these new hires who were brought into the Department of Health after the hiring freeze are receiving it,” Beffort said.

A spokesperson for Secretary of Health Alfredo Vigil told us this afternoon:

We have hired critical positions that include individuals who provide direct clinical care, which is an exemption to the hiring freeze. All of our hires have been approved by the State Personnel Office as being critical positions.

Chavez criticized for "last day" speed limit increase

Updated: 8am

Photo: MG Bralley
Former Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez is being criticized for another last minute decision -- to increase the speed limit for motorists commuting on a small portion of Montano that runs through Los Ranchos de Albuquerque.

Daily commuters are probably wondering what's going.

On Monday, city crews -- at the direction of Chavez -- were increasing the speed limit from 40 to 45. Now it's headed back down to 40 on the orders of new Mayor Richard Berry and Public Safety Director Darren White.

While in office, Chavez had several high-profile disputes over the construction of the Montano Bridge with Los Ranchos de Albuquerque Mayor Larry Abraham, who says the speed increase was a "parting shot [by Chavez] to those of us in the North Valley."

"He doesn't play well with others," Abraham told 770KKOB. "Marty wanted to get one in before he left office."

But Chavez' former public information officer Deborah James said the mayor didn't wait until his last day in office to make the decision.

"This was planned well before," James said. "It was based on numerous requests from West Side residents."

But Abraham doesn't buy that reasoning. He said there has been an agreement between the two cities regarding speeds on Montano since the new bridge was built and increasing the speed limit on Chavez' last day violated the agreement.

"I think his true colors are coming out," Abraham said. "This will show the public what we've had to deal with -- as elected officials with Marty Chavez in office -- and it's never been fun."

After being defeated for a third-straight term, Chavez, who was boarding an airplane at the Sunport when we tried to get direct input from him, made several decisions that are binding, including a memo of understanding with the Albuquerque Area Firefighters and AFSCME.

The first allows fire crews arrested for non-aggravated DWI to remain on the job. Chavez' agreement with AFSCME allows the union to participate in binding arbitration for some disputes with the City.

UPDATED:

The Acting Director of Municipal Developement for the City of Albuquerque Michael Riordan said the city has been collecting speed data from the area for the past three years and has been working on a memo of understanding with the Corp of Engineers.

He said the city has jursidiction and that 14 signs were changed and then changed again after calls to Mayor Berry's office on Tuesday.

"Because of the geometry of Montanto -- it's a long straight shot -- with astetics and everything you don't want to set the speed limit to low," Riordan said. "The typical driver is traveling about 35 miles an hour."

Riordan confirmed the order to make the speed limit change came from Chavez office on Monday -- the last day of his administration -- although the data for the basis of the decision had been known for quite a while.

Santa Fe Sierra Club Chair Joins Copenhagen Delegation

From a News Release

Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter Conservation Chair Ken Hughes of Santa Fe is one of 29 U.S. Sierra Club members who will be joining President Obama and other world leaders at the international Climate Conference in Copenhagen starting Dec. 7.

Ken and the Sierra Club team will be urging the U.S. negotiations team to achieve a strong U.S. plan to address climate change. They will also be pushing for funding of clean energy projects so that developing countries can leapfrog the polluting phase of development and go straight to a low carbon future. Ken will also learn about successful programs in other countries that could be applied here.

Ken, who will attend the conference from December 7-13, will give presentations about his experience to each of the Rio Grande chapter’s groups after his return, including Albuquerque on January 18 and Santa Fe on January 19.