Exhibit Will Display Models Of New Spacecraft; 'More Details To Come'

Last week's unveiling of Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo and WhiteKnightTwo brought the world's attention back to the potential of space tourism... and one of the first places where the public will be able to discover more about the possibilities will be at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, coming July 28 through August 3 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, WI.

Virgin Galactic confirmed that they will host a significant exhibit at EAA AirVenture 2008, located adjacent to the event's AeroShell Square showcase area. That exhibit will include the large, detailed models unveiled by Virgin Galactic, as well as several presentations by the Virgin Galactic team. The display builds on the excitement of civilian space travel that Virgin Galactic first announced during SpaceShipOne's visit to Oshkosh in 2005.

As ANN reported, Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson and acclaimed aerospace designer Burt Rutan (shown below) unveiled the new spacecraft concepts in a press conference last Wednesday.

"The excitement when the SpaceShipTwo and WhiteKnightTwo designs were made public was electric," said Adam Smith, the Experimental Aircraft Association's vice president of membership services. "It's thrilling to know that EAA AirVenture has played a part in the timeline that led us to this new horizon of space travel, and equally thrilling to know that Virgin Galactic will be back at Oshkosh this summer to tell even more of the story."

No doubt, most ANN readers already know Rutan originally designed the first White Knight and SpaceShipOne to win the $10 million Ansari X Prize in 2004. At AirVenture 2005, as SpaceShipOne was displayed for the aviation world, Virgin Galactic announced its intentions to create the next generation of the spacecraft to begin regular spaceflights.

More details of Virgin Galactic's presence at EAA AirVenture 2008 will be announced as they are confirmed, according to EAA officials. (Hmm... flight testing of the WhiteKnightTwo IS supposed to begin this summer... Ed.)

"We are very much looking forward to welcoming back Virgin Galactic to EAA AirVenture this year," Smith said. "Oshkosh is known as the place where aviation innovation is showcased. Given the tremendous popularity of Burt Rutan's designs at Oshkosh over the past 35 years and the 'buzz' that SpaceShipOne created here in 2005, there's little doubt that there will be eager enthusiasm on the grounds for Virgin Galactic's newest developments this year."

FMI: www.eaa.org, www.airventure.org