Vesa Heilala has made reservation on Virgin Galactic flight into space. He will be the first Finn to go the space. The flight will last about 2h30min and will take the passengers up to 100 km (62 miles), some 5 minutes will be spent in zero gravityWhy I want to go to space?
Rocket-Uno Version 3 at Jätemäki, Helsinki, Finland July 3, 2018. Picture Eerik Lehto. Vesa Heilala and Timothy Kopra at Heureka May 9th, 2017. Vesa Heilala at Heureka, Helsinki 12/2014. Picture Päivi Tuovinen. SpaceShipTwo: the first powered flight April 29th, 2013. Picture Virgin Galactic.
How my journey goes on?My journey began in January 2010 when I paid the deposit for the trip. In the summer 2010, I negotiated a loan from my bank and paid the rest. For me, the total costs were EUR 151, 000 (200,000 US dollars). In the meantime, Virgin Galactic is doing all kinds of tests, which for me means just waiting. Virgin Galactic has test period going on. The first commercial flights may start in 2021. My turn to go to space is expected to take place a year after the first flights. My flight number is less than 300. Virgin Galactic has sold over 700 tickets to space. I travelled to USA in September 2013. During my visit I trained at NASTAR-center. There was a centrifuge and I got used to G-forces. I also visited the rocket factory in California and I took Zero-G flight. You can support meYou can buy Suomalainen Astronautti shirt, hat or boxers from my shop. Facebook pageJoin the Facebook ”Suomalainen Astronautti Vesa Heilala” to keep up to date. Vesa Heilala https://twitter.com/VHeilala YouTube Suomalainen Astronautti -channel Suomalainen Astronautti -channel has videos from my project. Virgin GalacticVirgin Galactic is a member of Virgin Group, which is owned by Sir Richard Branson. Branson is enthusiastic about avitation. He takes the first flight to space with his two children. Mr Branson visited Finland in September 2012. Sir Richard Branson and Vesa Heilala October 17, 2011. Spaceport AmericaI visited Spaceport America in October 17 th 2011, where the fligts are made. I saw there the ships and I met other future astronauts. It is amazing to be involved in this project and to be one of the first users for the ships. There are three Finns who have booked the flight with Virgin Galactic (the population of Finland 5.5 million). There has been over 500 people in the space from 40 countries in 55 years. No Finns have been to space yet.
The Finnish Astronaut Car in summer 2012. Picture Petri Mulari, Apu- magazine.
Vesa and ShaceShipTwo at Farnborough international airshow July 11, 2012.
RocketMotorTwo test June 20, 2012. Picture Virgin Galactic. Vesa Heilala December 2011. Picture Kotisivukone Pictures of MotherShipTwo and SpaceShipTwo.
International Travel Fair, Helsinki, Finland, 22 Jan 2011. Ready for the space, Suomi T-shirt on (Photo, Markku Seppänen)
Vesa Heilala at the Rock Planterium Jyväskylä, March 2010. (Photo, Heli Mutikainen)
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