Virgin Galactic’s fleet is to help discover more about climate change.

Virgin Galactic (VG), Richard Branson’s budding space travel company, is to explore carrying scientific instruments on board its space craft to monitor climate change.

VG is looking to team up with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and will fly the agency’s science instruments on board its VG carrier vehicle and SpaceShipTwo (SS2).

The first device would provide data on atmospheric composition – particularly CO2 and greenhouse gases. It is hoped the sample will help to increase the understanding of global climate science, as well as providing in-situ measurements to yield calibration of satellite-based atmospheric measurements.

Work conducted under the collaboration would be on a “no-exchange of funds basis and in compliance with all appropriate FAA regulations”, VG said.

VG is planning to take space travellers into space as early as 2009, which would make it the world’s first ever ‘spaceline’. Tickets to fly on board the SS2 and the White Knight Two (WK2) will cost $200,000 (£112,000), with deposits starting from $20,000.

Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Galactic, commented on the proposed climate change monitoring: “It’s more than fitting that the very first science to be conducted on board our new vehicles may be specifically directed at increasing our understanding and knowledge of the atmosphere and from there, to better inform our decisions as to the most effective ways of dealing with climate change.”

Will Whitehorn, President of Virgin Galactic, added: “In the years ahead, Virgin Galactic looks forward to working with the global science community using SS2 and WK2 as a platform for a range of research and technology demonstration missions.”

For more information, visit: www.virgingalactic.com and www.noaa.gov

By Natasha Piscitelli