Out of this world
The challenges
Space technology has contributed to more sustainable lifestyles by benefiting weather forecasting, communications and climate studies, to name a few. Continuing to realise the potential that space holds requires a dramatic and rapid change in space access technology, away from the dirty, dangerous and expensive systems that have been employed for the last half-century.
Our view
We need to make space travel less carbon intensive, less environmentally damaging, less wasteful, safe, and more cost efficient so that it can play a key role in the low carbon economy of the future.
Our company's approach
- Virgin Galactic is investing in cleaner space technology with a design that has transformed the safety, cost and environmental impacts of access to space.
- Virgin Galactic's mission is to be a test-bed for new and clean technologies such as use of carbon composites in large aircraft which have applications across a range of industrial sectors.
- Virgin Galactic also assists scientific research greatly enhancing our ability to understand climate change and determine appropriate strategies to mitigate the impacts. There is also potential for science to address diseases as well as aiding research into new materials for transportation, computing and biomedicine.
Quick facts
- Calculations suggest that emissions per passenger, per suborbital space fight, will be approximately 0.8 tonnes - less than the per passenger footprint of a one-way business class flight from London to New York
- In 2007 Virgin Galactic auctioned a seat and raised US$300,000 which was donated to Virgin Unite to help support the creation of the Disease Control Hub.
To find out more information on what we are doing click here
Relevant articles:
Virgin Galactic: Virgin Galactic spaceport builds for the future
