Professor Stephen Hawking, one of the most famous minds in the world, is known for his work on the mysteries of gravity, and he may soon see the biggest dream of his life come true. According to the famous scientist, he is going to travel to space!
In an interview with Piers Morgan on ITV's Good Morning Britain, Hawking said:
“My ultimate ambition is to fly into space. I thought no one would take me, but Richard Branson offered me a position with Virgin Galactic, and I said yes straight away.”
The event is particularly remarkable for everyone, but especially for Stephen Hawking, who suffers from ALS, a disease that has kept him immobile for more than 40 years. The scientist, as you know, is constantly seated in a specially designed wheelchair and communicates using a text-to-speech system that he controls using a sensor activated by a muscle in his cheek.
You can watch the interview portion in the video below (starts at 9:05):
While it will be Hawking's first time in space, it is not the first time he has been in a weightless environment. In 2007, he experienced zero gravity conditions aboard a specially modified Boeing 727-200 aircraft.
Sir Richard Branson, who founded Virgin Galactic, has said since 2015 that he hopes to be able to take Stephen Hawking into space, and that he is offering him a free ticket which he could use if his health permits.
A flight on Virgin Galactic's eight-seat SpaceShipTwo will cost $250,000, and there are currently 700 people waiting for a seat on a trip. According to Forbes, SpaceShipTwo could launch as early as the end of 2017, but Virgin Galactic says it won't be carrying space tourists.
