First Photos Inside Virgin Galactic’s Mothership Cockpit

We previously showed you construction of Virgin Galactic’s WhiteKnight Two, the mothership that will help launch SpaceShipTwo into sub-orbit. However,...

By Dan Smith | Published Jul 30, 2009 1:14 AM EDT

Science

We previously showed you construction of Virgin Galactic’s WhiteKnight Two, the mothership that will help launch SpaceShipTwo into sub-orbit. However, Flight Global was able to sneak in some exclusive photos and video from inside the cockpit.

WhiteKnightTwo flew for the public on Tuesday at Wisconsin’s massive Oshkosh AirVenture show, complete with head honcho Sir Richard Branson strapped into the jump seat. Without knowing it’s a custom-fabbed Rutan space tourism mothership, it may look like any other new airliner’s all-glass cockpit. But if you’re thinking of dropping millions on one of Virgin Galactic’s first seats, it’s good to know everything about what will carry you into the heavens.