Space tourism company opens, hiring astronauts

Virgin Galactic is looking for pilots with at least 3,000 hours of flight to become astronauts. Experience in space will be a plus.

Virgin Galactic is a company founded by Sir Richard Branson to conduct commercial flights into space. They are currently in the process of recruiting astronauts.

The company is looking for pilots to operate their craft, called SpaceShipTwo. In addition, the aircraft, WhiteKnightTwo, will carry the spacecraft to the proper launch altitude.

The teams selected would have to fly during the testing phase, currently in progress, and in the commercial operations once they have started.

The company is looking for test pilots who have graduated from reputable flight schools, and with a minimum of 3,000 hours of flight experience. Experience in space will be an advantage, but not necessary.

Virgin Galactic plans to take tourists into space for short suborbital flights at a price of $200,000 (£ 300,000) per person.

SpaceShipTwo is based on the design of SpaceShipOne, the first spacecraft to have proven the feasibility of placing a human being into space.

Translated from the Portuguese version by:

Lisa Karpova

Pravda.Ru