Can we make it a one-way ticket? Please?

• Simon Cowell: I will blast Britain's Got Talent winner into space -- Daily Mirror

Simon, 52, even pledged to join them. “I would go on the spaceship myself. I love the idea that, if they are up for it, they have the option of performing in front of the whole planet in space.”

OK. DEFINITELY a one-way ticket, then.

A promotional video for Virgin Money featuring SS2:-

Doug Messier has some interesting speculation on Branson's business methods:

• Richard Branson: Building an Empire on Other People’s Money - Parabolic Arc

SEN profiles the Virgin Galactic programme:

• Virgin Galactic, towards space -- SEN

Virgin Galactic is starting to move employees to the Las Cruces, New Mexico area in preparation for the start of operations at Spaceport America:

• Virgin Galactic ramping up activity - Las Cruces Sun-News
• Our View: Virgin Galactic: Moving workers is good sign -- Las Cruces Sun-News

From a recent review article by Leonard David:-

But still to come is a key step: powering SpaceShipTwo via its hybrid rocket motor. That motor will provide the needed oomph to fly space travelers to the edge of space on a suborbital trajectory.

"We expect a big 2012," said George Whitesides, the CEO and president of Virgin Galactic.

The main milestones relate to flight testing, Whitesides told SPACE.com. "We plan to integrate the rocket motor into the spaceship, do our first powered flight and, after some additional flights, we plan to go to space."

• Spaceflights Get Ready to Board Business Class - NYTimes.com

George Whitesides describes the Virgin Galactic passenger experience:

• What $200,000 ticket to space buys you - El Paso Inc

An update on developments at Spaceport America:-

• Spaceport America poised for business: With main facilities done, Virgin Galactic moves in - Las Cruces Bulletin

(Source: Virgin Galactic)

Virgin Galactic Welcomes Announcement of New Air-Launched Space System as Foundation for Commercial Orbital Operation.

13 DEC 2011: The announcement from Paul Allen and Burt Rutan today (www.stratolaunch.com) represents the latest chapter in the extraordinary story of commercial space. The initial collaboration between the two men produced SpaceShipOne and gave Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Galactic the confidence to make the significant investment required to commercialise the prototype technology, thus creating the world’s first spaceline. With that project nearing completion and Virgin Galactic on the cusp of offering safe and commercially viable suborbital space flight for the very first time, it is exciting to see such a credible consortium now seeking to continue the heritage of air-launched space access towards the significant challenge of orbital flight.

Virgin Galactic has established itself as the lead operator of private sector manned spaceflight and as such is building a body of knowledge, expertise and assets, all of which will be invaluable as we assess the commercial opportunities that emerging technologies present. We therefore look forward to working closely with Stratolaunch as the project unfolds over the coming years.

Commenting on the announcement, Sir Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Galactic said: “I very much welcome today’s announcement from Paul and Burt. It takes me back to the exciting conversations the three of us had in 2004 when we first started talking about commercialising SpaceShipOne technology. We’ve come a long way since then; WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo are built and flying and we have nearly 500 private individuals and science researchers signed up and ready to fly. The potential of the industry we are leading is immense but will depend on the continuing emergence of truly safe, affordable and transformative technologies. Burt and Paul’s record in that respect is unmatched. I hope that in due course, in partnership with Stratolaunch and others, we will be able to repeat the pattern that has worked so spectacularly well in the suborbital sphere, for orbital spaceflight.”

(Source: Scaled Composites)

Fire: 08
Date: 29 November 11

Objectives:
Perform eighth full scale flight design RM2 hot-fire
All systems evaluation
Modified pressurization schedule
Fuel formulation evaluation
Nozzle evaluation
Motor structural evaluation
Valve/injector performance evaluation

Results:
All objectives completed. Performed 10 second and then 58 second hot fires.

Virgin Galactic has posted a guide for users intending to use SS2 and WK2 for research flights:

• Conducting Research on SpaceShipTwo and WhiteKnightTwo: Payload Opportunities - Virgin Galactic
• Payload Users' Guide (PDF)