The VSS Enterprise is the first commercial spaceship being constructed by Virgin Galactic.[1] It will also be the first ship of the SpaceShipTwo class, based on upscaling the design of SpaceShipOne. It is due to have passenger service beginning in late 2009 or early 2010.[2]
These launches will occur at Virgin Galactic's launch pad located near Upham, New Mexico. The name is an acknowledgement to the USS Enterprise from the Star Trek television series.[3]
Entrepreneur Richard Branson, head of the space tourism company Virgin Galactic, offered William Shatner, the actor who portrayed Captain Kirk in the Star Trek science fiction TV series, a free ride into space on the inaugural space launch of the VSS Enterprise, with a retail value of $200,000; however, Shatner turned it down, and said, "I do want to go up but I need guarantees I'll definitely come back."[4]
