Since the official inauguration of Spaceport Sweden in January 2007, many steps towards personal suborbital spaceflight from Kiruna have been taken. To be precise 26 work packages, regarding everything from accommodation to space operations and astronauts’ timetables, have successfully been accomplished during the last 14 months. The Spaceport Sweden team will present the conclusions of the work packages so far and also the way forward.

Virgin Galactic has also been intensely involved in the above mentioned work packages, and has simultaneously focused on several other current topics. Will Whitehorn, president of Virgin Galactic will be providing latest information on the recently unveiled designs of the prototype commercial space ship and carrier aircraft which are now close to completion at Scaled Composites in Mojave California. He will also be sharing the vision for Virgin Galactic including the likely diversification of the business into the areas of space science and payload deployment as well as continuing work towards flights from Spaceport Sweden. Stephen Attenborough, Commercial Director of Virgin Galactic, will then talk about the continuing growth of its space tourism business and the ground breaking work the company has undertaken in assessing health and fitness requirements for its sub-orbital flights.
We will also have representatives from Virgin Galactic´s founder Astronauts talking about their dreams and experiences so far.

Date: 1 April 2008
Time: 10:30-11:30
Place: Esrange Space Center, Kiruna

Programme:
– Welcome by Olle Norberg, Spaceport Sweden and Head of Esrange
– Next step for Virgin Galactic and Spaceport Sweden, Will Whitehorn, President of Virgin Galactic and Olle Norberg, Spaceport Sweden
– The market and what does it take to become an astronaut? Stephen Attenborough, Commercial Director of Virgin Galactic
– Representatives from Virgin Galactic´s founder Astronauts
– Kenneth Stålnacke (Mayor of Kiruna)
– Time for questions

In addition to the already mentioned representatives the following will also participate: Lars Persson (CEO, Swedish Space Corporation), Sven Grahn (senior adviser, Swedish Space Corporation), Yngve Bergkvist (CEO, ICEHOTEL), Bengt Jaegtnes (CEO Progressum) and Peter Salomonsson (Manager, Kiruna Airport LFV).


Please notify participation, at the latest, by March 31, 2008 to:
Johanna Bergström Roos, Information Manager at Esrange Space Center, SSC
Phone: +46 70 544 60 21
E-mail: [email protected]


Read more about the organizations involved at:
http://www.spaceportsweden.com
http://www.virgingalactic.com
http://www.ssc.se
http://www.arenaarctica.com
http://www.icehotel.com
http://www.progressum.se