Date: Feb 27, 2012 Author: Alex Kanpp Source: Forbes (
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Virgin Galactic has announced that it's signed a deal with NanoRacks, a company that's developed modular lab equipment that standardizes research payloads for the International Space Station. The deal provides that NanoRacks will developed standardized laboratory racks for Virgin's sub-orbital flyer SpaceShip Two. By developing standardized research payloads, Virgin will make it much easier for its customers' scientific researchers to make use of the spaceship for microgravity experiments.
Virgin estimates that each flight of SpaceShip Two can hold 1,300 pounds of scientific payload, and the rack setup will include window access for the collection of spectrographic and other data. The racks will also be designed so that some non-standardized scientific payloads can be utilized in addition to the standardized payloads.
"Virgin Galactic's mission is to revolutionize access to space and NanoRacks' experience placing research payloads on other spacecraft will help us ensure that our vehicle has a simple and effective platform for researchers. The safety, flexibility, capacity and modularity of our new racks will make it easier for researchers to conduct cutting-edge experiments aboard our space vehicles," said Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides in the company's press release. "Reusable suborbital space vehicles will offer a new platform for scientific researchers and technologists.
