Mark Rocket is scheduled to fly into sub-orbital space with Virgin Galactic in 2010 / 2011 and is the first New Zealander to book a flight. As a Virgin Galactic Founder, he will be amongst the first 100 commercial passenger astronauts.
The VSS Enterprise, the initial Virgin Galactic passenger spacecraft, is still on the drawing board but is likely to carry around six passengers and is based around the one-seater design of Burt Rutan's SpaceShipOne. On October 4, 2004, SpaceShipOne became the first private manned spacecraft to exceed an altitude of 328,000 feet twice within the span of a 14 day period, thus claiming the ten million dollar Ansari X-Prize.
Virgin Galactic is building its world headquarters and Mission Control in New Mexico and believes that the new spaceport will offer astronauts an experience that will be truly out of this world. Prospective astronauts from around the globe are eagerly anticipating the opportunity to view the planet and stars from above the Earth's atmosphere, and to experience the extraordinary sensations of zero gravity and rocket-powered flight.
Mark Rocket is also co-Director of Rocket Lab, a company developing a suborbital rocket program for research and commercial payloads. Inspired by Virgin Galactic and other current developments in the international private space industry, Rocket Lab is aiming to establish a vibrant space industry in New Zealand.
Mark Rocket Update:
» March 18th 2009 - The Minister for Research, Science and Technology, Hon Dr Wayne Mapp and National Party List MP Aaron Gilmore visited Mark Rocket regarding Rocket Lab's A-tea suborbital launch vehicle.
» September 15th 2008 - Rocket Lab successfully tested its new low cost low shock 2nd stage engine separation system (LCLS). The system is located between the engine and recovery systems and serves to initiate ballistic recovery of the payload. The LCLS separates the engine casing within 90 milliseconds and provides a stable platform for recovery.
» July 22nd 2008 - Mark Rocket was a speaker at the 10th Australian Space Development Conference in Adelaide.
» June 8th 2008 - A story aired on TV1's Sunday programme about Rocket Lab called 'Shooting For The Stars'.
» May 30th 2008 - A boiler plate version of Atea's 2nd stage rocket engine was tested by Rocket Lab and included an assessment of around 20 new systems. Primary ignition was achieved and most systems executed as expected.
» March 26th, 2008 - Rocket Lab successfully tests it's "no shock" 2nd stage separation system. Next month test firings of the 2nd stage engine will commence.
» November 2nd, 2007 - Rocket and Peter Beck, of Rocket Lab, traveled to Vancouver on a Trade Mission with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.
» August 14th, 2007 - Rocket publicly launched Rocket Lab with co-Director Peter Beck. Rocket Lab generated wide media interest with their suborbital space rocket program.
» January 18th, 2007 - Rocket went to a meeting with the House of Travel to discuss their appointment as the exclusive New Zealand Accredited Space Agent for Virgin Galactic.
» November 27th to December 4th, 2006 - Rocket attended a conference on Necker Island in the Caribbean with Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Galactic team members and associates, and around 15 other Virgin Galactic First 100 Founders.
» May 20th, 2006 - Rocket appeared on TV3 news which kicked-off some media interest. View media links.
» May 3rd to 7th, 2006 - Rocket was in Los Angeles at the International Space Development Conference. Virgin Galactic organised a dinner for the first 100 founder astronauts and a day-trip to Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites rocket factory in Mojave, California.
» March 10th, 2006 - Rocket booked his flight with Virgin Galactic.
"The principal aim of this Web site is to encourage other would-be commercial passenger astronauts to take the next step. I believe that it's crucial for humanity to shoot for the stars." more...
Mark Rocket
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"We hope to create thousands of astronauts over the next few years and bring alive their dream of seeing the majestic beauty of our planet from above, the stars in all their glory and the amazing sensations of weightlessness and space flight. The development will also allow every country in the world to have their own astronauts rather than the privileged few."