David Mackay
David Mackay
incredible people vehicle watched
I have watched SS2 evolve over the years into an incredible vehicle that is going to open up space to more people than ever before.
aircraft
In any aircraft you fly, you always think about what can go wrong, and you plan for it in advance. You always have back-up plans.
pilot programme realised unlikely
Not long after I got my test pilot qualification, I realised there was no manned space flight programme in the U.K., and there was unlikely to be one.
commercial complex era flight hiatus hugely inevitable opportunity sad shuttle
It's very sad that there's going to be a hiatus in manned space flight from the U.S. The Shuttle was a fantastic, hugely complex vehicle. It was inevitable it would come to an end, but this is the opportunity for the commercial world to get involved. As the Shuttle era ends, another window of opportunity opens.
I want to get to the moon. I want to go to Mars.
medicare question
There's no question Medicare Part D has dampened sales.
aircraft far flown
I've been lucky enough to have flown some very interesting aircraft in the past, but SpaceShipTwo is far and away the most exciting of them all.
flight knocking programme walking
I've always hankered after going into space and walking on the moon and Mars. I did want to be an astronaut, and had there been a manned space flight programme in the U.K., I would have been knocking on the door.
opportunity possible
I would say if you do have ambitions, don't just wait around. Go out and make yourself as well-qualified as possible so you can take that rare opportunity when it comes along.
above accepted commonly
We go up just into space - space is most commonly accepted to be 100 kilometres above the earth's surface, and we go up just beyond that to about 350,000 ft.
By my mid-30s, I just thought, 'This is not going to happen. I am never going to become an astronaut in the U.K.'
amazing experience forward scots sending
For Virgin Galactic's customers, it is transportation to the most amazing experience of their lives. I very much look forward to sending some Scots into space.
effect good hit medicare realize result sales
We know in the end this is not a good thing. Medicare Part D will have an effect on our sales and we're bracing for it and we realize we're going to take a hit as a result of this program.
fantastic saw
When I was 12, I saw the Apollo moon landings, and I thought that was really fantastic and exciting and thought, 'That's what I want to do.'