Virgin Galactic Event 

                                                  Thursday 20 November

                                                       Science Gallery

5 Irish People to Become Astronauts (Pictures below)

By Yavanna Evans

Astronomy Ireland had a front row seat at the Virgin Galactic Event in the prestigious Science Gallery in November which was fronted by commercial director of Virgin Galactic, Stephen Attenborough.

The Apprentice star Bill Cullen and PJ King who have both coughed up the 200,000 dollars for tickets were both in attendance as were the press and other members of the science community.

Stephen  enthralled the crowd with videos showing the first test flights of  Virgin Galactic from cameras mounted on the wings of the virgin galactic mother ship ‘Eve’ and ones inside the space ship itself on its sub-orbital flight.

Richard Branson and the Virgin Galactic team are making the seemingly impossible a reality with their plans to turn commercial space flight into a venture anyone in the world can undertake, at a cost that is over a hundred times less expensive then the price of a ticket into space to date.

Astronomy Ireland Chairman David Moore spoke at length before the lecture with Bill Cullen on his feelings about his chance to be Ireland’s first astronaut and also spoke with Stephen Attenborough and PJ King who were happy to have their photos taken with one of the telescopes from our Shop! Stephen Attenborough told David Moore that there are now 5 people in Ireland who have signed up to become astronauts with Virgin Galactic.

The event was a real insight into the future of space travel and Astronomy Ireland are delighted that Irish people are willing to pay, in relative terms, a small price for what is the opportunity of a lifetime!

                                   Click on all pictures below to enlarge

A.I Chairman David Moore applying to be Bill Cullen's  newest apprentice. (Photo J. Hackett)	Bill Cullen talks about Astronomy and Space magazine to David Moore    (Photo J. Hackett)
Stephen attenborough of Virgin Galactic  (Photo J. Hackett)	(Photo J. Hackett)
(Photo J. Hackett)	(Photo J. Hackett)
(Photo J. Hackett)	David Moore shows PJ King a Celestron (Cr. Pat O'Leary)
(Photo J. Hackett)	Bill Cullen impresses the assembled audience  (Photo J. Hackett)
Bill Cullen and Stephen Attenborough  (Photo J. Hackett)	(Photo J. Hackett)
Stephen Attenborough looks through a Celestron (Photo J. Hackett)	David Moore and Stephen Attenborough  (Photo J. Hackett)