Virgin Galactic and Land Rover unveiled the exclusive Range Rover Astronaut Edition, a model only available to members of the Virgin Galactic Future Astronaut community.
Space exploration is making headlines these days. US President Donald Trump has just asked for $1.6B to Congress to resume the lunar space program, Elon Musk sends satellites (and Tesla Roadster) into orbit with his company SpaceX, and China wants to conquer the planet Mars.
But there is also space tourism, which must not be neglected. The company Virgin Galactic, owned by the wealthy businessman Richard Branson, promises to bring tourists into space in his SpaceShipTwo spacecraft for the modest sum of US $ 250,000 per head.
Virgin Galactic, as part of its five-year partnership with Jaguar Land Rover, has unveiled an exclusive Ranger Rover Autobiography Edition called Astronaut Edition. Only space tourists who have purchased their ticket for the short trip aboard the SpaceShipTwo will be able to purchase this exclusive edition. It was created through the manufacturer’s Special Vehicle Operations division and sports a blue Zero Gravity body colour. The door handles are engraved with ‘Virgin Galactic Future Astronaut’. When activated, an image is projected to the ground by its door handles, an image that represents the SpaceShipTwo.
In the cockpit, the shuttle is embroidered on the headrests, and above the glove compartment. The cup holders are adorned with two discs made from Spaceship Unity’s landing pad material; the first aircraft Virgin Galactic sent to space last December.
Once the aspiring astronaut who owns this Land Rover has completed his space travel, the disc will be replaced by a new disc constructed using materials from the landing ramp of the flight he will have made.
To propel their Range Rover Astronaut, owners will have the choice between the 5.0-litre V8 engine developing 518 horsepower, or the P400e plug-in hybrid electric vehicle powertrain that develops 398 horses.