Volvo and Sir Richard Branson Unveil Winner of Trip to
Space
At New York International Auto Show, Thursday, March 24, 11:50 a.m.
MEDIA ALERT/PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
WHAT: Volvo Cars of North America will be joined by billionaire
entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson to unveil the winner of a
trip on a sub-orbital flight to space on Sir Richard's Virgin
Galactic (www.virgingalactic.com).
WHEN: Thursday, March 24, 2005
11:50 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. (video and still photographers should
arrive at 11:35 a.m. for positioning)
WHERE: Volvo Cars of North America Level 3, Booth 204
2005 New York International Auto Show
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 11th Ave. between
34th & 39th Sts.
New York City
WHO: Sir Richard Branson, founder and chairman, The Virgin Group
of Companies
Ann Belec, president and CEO of Volvo Cars of North America
Winner of trip to space (to be revealed at news conference)
VISUAL: Branson will enter the stage in an out of this world fashion
WHY: During the 2005 Super Bowl, Volvo introduced its new
V8-powered Volvo XC90 SUV with an out of this world
sweepstakes to win a flight to space on a Virgin Galactic
space ship. The ad, featuring Sir Richard Branson as an
astronaut piloting a rocket ship, encouraged people to enter
for the trip at www.boldlygo.com. More than 135,000 aspiring
astronauts registered for the trip, valued at $200,000.
Virgin Galactic -- one of the world's first commercial space
tourism operators -- plans to debut commercial space flight
within the next two to three years. The sweepstakes winners
will receive astronaut training and will fly on one of Virgin
Galactic's initial voyages. During the flight, he or she
will experience weightlessness, view the stars above and see
planet Earth below.