Virgin Galactic SS2 unveil: Scraps from the cutting room floor

Virgin Galactic has put out a video highlighting its star-studded grand unveiling of the prototype SpaceShipTwo, the VSS Enterprise, at the Mojave Air and Space Port on 7 December.

What got cut from the final version, and what I captured with my cheap little Casio Exilim portable, was a the roasting that California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (aka, the Terminator) and New Mexico governor Bill Richardson shelled out to one another, as well as some comments that Virgin might not have found too palatable. Scaled Composites, builder of the WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft and SpaceShipTwo is located in Mojave, while New Mexico is building the commercial spaceport from which Virgin Galactic will operate.

Check it out. I've also posted Burt Rutan's comments, as well as Virgin chief Sir Richard Branson's thoughts and the truly first roll-out (from the hangar), which I only witnessed because fellow reporter Guy Norris (pictured in the Flickr slideshow next to one of two blow-up party tents) and I were really late for the event. At the end is a FLICKR slideshow of the pix I took on a very, very frigid night in the desert.

 

Here's Branson's talk..

Here's Rutan's comments...

And finally, the guest of honour for the entire party, before just about anyone else had seen her - coming out of the hangar as a paired vehicle at the same time that Gov. Schwarzenegger arrives at the party in his NetJets Cessna Citation Sovereign....