Win A trip Into Space

Volvo and Virgin Galactic Team Up in Space

"Volvo Cars of North America on Sunday will make history during its first-ever Super Bowl advertisement by announcing it will give away a chance to win a seat on Virgin Galactic's commercial passenger-carrying spaceship."

Reader comment from someone@nasa.gov who has been in space multiple times: "I found it interesting in the Virgin Space advertisement piece that they say would-be astronauts will see stars.  Actually, if you launch into daylight, there will be no stars visible.  The contrast between anything that is lit (inside of the cabin, the earth, windowframe etc.) will prevent the eyes from dark adaptation enough so as to allow the crew to see any stars.  Now, if the windows were blocked out to see only dark space - and the time were at least a couple of minutes - one could see stars. But since they will only get a couple of minutes of free-fall and little to no attitude control in free flight, I don't think they will see stars.  Besides, the view of the stars (when you can see them on orbit) is about as good as we've seen in the mountains. The earth is the real treat to see from space."