Call it the shape of things to come. Sir Richard Branson—billionaire entrepreneur, travel buff, and airline tycoon—unveiled Thursday the interior prototype of SpaceShipTwo, the flagship of VirginGalactic, his latest business venture.

It’s the first time any portion of the craft has been unveiled since the initial prototype­ flew in 2004. The craft, dubbed SpaceShipOne, was developed by Mojave, California-based Scaled Composites. The aircraft (and now spacecraft) fabrication concern is run by aeronautical design mavericks Dick and Burt Rutan. Microsoft billionaire and venture capitalist Paul Allen bankrolled development of the spacecraft. After four successful test flights in 2004, it now hangs in the Smithsonian National Air and SpaceMuseum in Washington, D.C.

Scaled has since been hard at work developing the next generation of consumer spacecraft for Mr. Branson since VirginGalactic contracted with Scaled to build a small fleet.

The unveiling took place in New York at Wired magazine’s NextFest where Mr. Branson spoke a bit about his plans to bring space travel—at least a taste of it—to anyone who can pay the stratospheric ticket price.

Passengers will recline on cushioned benches during their ride up Earth’s gravity well, and the cabin has enough space that passengers will have room to experience five minutes of weightlessness before returning to earth. Ticket price for the ride is $200,000, or, for at least one man who cashed in 2 million frequent flyer miles on Virgin Atlantic, free.

And in another year, Mr. Branson said he anticipates unveiling the full prototype, in preparation for test flights in late 2007. Tourist flights are expected to follow by 2008.

Contact the writer: SWolfe@RedHerring.com

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