SPACE RACE

Bill Cullen & Dr Michael Casey

When the world is not enough, where to next? The race is on to see who will be the first Irish person to take a Virgin Galactic trip into space. So who will be the first? Maree Morrissey and Niamh MacSweeney reveal the very different motivations behind three entrepreneurs’ dreams to be the first Irishman in space.

In 2004 Richard Branson sensationally announced that he would commercialise space travel with the world’s first spaceline, Virgin Galactic. In a deal with Burt Rutan, Branson was in a position to commence a programme of work, which would result in the world's first affordable space tourist flights for non-professional astronauts.

Burt Rutan founded Scaled Composites, in April 1982, which has become one of the world's first class aircraft design and prototyping facilities. Over the years Rutan has designed hundreds of aircrafts, including the famous Voyager, which made a record breaking nine day nonstop flight around the world in 1986. A legend in the field of aviation, Rutan hit the headlines again in 2004 with a unique form of aircraft design called SpaceShipOne, which became the first privately funded craft to fly into space twice and within a two week timeframe. In achieving this, Rutan won the Ansari X Prize and shortly after that it became apparent that space travel could become commercially viable. Branson’s Virgin Galactic, an offshoot of Virgin Airlines, announced they had been in talks with Microsoft and had signed a historical deal to license SpaceShipOne’s technology to build the world’s first private spaceship to go into commercial operating service. Based on the designs of Rutan’s SpaceShipOne, SpaceShipTwo will allow passengers to catch a glimpse of the planet from 70-80 miles in suborbit. Test flights are expected to begin later this year and passengers are expected to fly in late 2008 or early 2009.

Commercialised Space Travel

Virgin Galactic is hoping to be the first company to provide sub-orbital flights to the general public, however they do not regard their endeavor as a space race because there is of course every possibility that another company could get there first. The same cannot be said for three Irish Entrepreneurs, two of whom are battling it out to become the first Irish person into space, Bill Cullen, Owner of Renault Ireland and Tom Higgins, Irish Psychic’s Live boss and one who isn’t involved in the debacle of who will be the first Irishman in space, rather first artist, Dr Michael Casey, a renowned and well respected Irish artist with the prestigious title of Government of Ireland Post-Doctoral Fellow, is trying to achieve something unique.

Casey has a far more interesting angle in that he plans to be the first Irish Artist to space, capturing and reproducing images that will add to his already gallant repertoire of his Whirlpool Galaxy and Cill Realaig Series for which he has secured a high class reputation and respect for in the arts and business community around the world.

As controversy mounts around Bill Cullen and Tom Higgins attempts to be the first Irishman to enter space, the contest is hotting up to see who will in fact make it there first.

Contractual Obligations

When Branson announced that Virgin Galactic would be making space travel a commercial reality and SpaceShipTwo was booking passangers, Cullen was quick to sign the cheque for $200,000 which would secure his place among the one hundred passengers taking the first flights, now known as the Founders. Cullen contacted Stephen Attenborough, Head of Astronaut Relations at Virgin Galactic, and handed over the cheque. When the contracts were drawn up in 2005, Cullen says he went to London and signed the first contract in the world to go into space with Virgin Galactic. But did Cullen know at that time if this would secure him the place of first man let alone first Irish man to space with Virgin Galactic?

Tom Higgins is adamant that he should be the first Irish man to space, claiming he was first to register. “When I saw Branson’s announcement on Sky TV in September 2004 calling for individuals to sign up and become passengers, I went to the website and registered to be the first Irishman into space.”

Although Casey isn’t armed with a wad of $200,000 to secure him among the 100 Founders, it is ironic that of the three the artist decided to take the entrepreneurial route and raise the money through selling his art. “I will approach individuals in the corporate world who are interested in art and present my story. Hopefully they will buy my work which will fund the trip,” Casey says.

Amused at the debate between Cullen and Higgins, Casey explains while it is important for him to be the first artist to space, it is more important that he ultimately gets there, enjoys the experience and then has the opportunity of following it up.

Motivation

So what is the real motivation for these three space hungry entrepreneurs?

For Casey, his motivations are quite humble. “Over the past 15 years my industry has always been about extraterrestrial world cosmic imagery, galaxies, the lunar modular, the lunar nebular all different types of vortex, fascinating imagery. While working at the Research Laborites in Cambridge the staff there said the next logical move for me would to be the first artist going into space.” Although Casey has not signed a contract he is adamant that he is definitely going to space, so long as he can come up with the money. He also agrees that it is possible for another artist get there before he does, but unlikely for an Irish artist to. “Being an artist is like being a one man band and to be able to raise the money would be very difficult. I would not be able to do this unless I had an affiliation with the third level institution, Cambridge University.”

Bill Cullen’s association with Richard Branson goes back as far as the mid-90s when he walked the Channel Tunnel. Cullen is in the habit of looking for unusual things to do and has been fortunate to meet some of the greatest achievers in this world such as Nelson Mandela, Bill Gates, Mohammed Ali and Bill Clinton. “It is my dream to go into space. I believe that it will be a very spiritual experience and that I will get a better grasp on the universe,” he says. After watching the film A Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick, Cullen began to think about where we are all coming from and might be going to. He decided that if the chance to go into space ever arose he would go for it.

For Higgins it is hugely important to be the first Irish person in space as he has always been a huge space fan. However he does admit there is commercial gain to be had from the adventure. “My trip is being sponsored by my company, Irish Psychics Live. The company will cash in on it, in that they will use it to recoup the $200,000 that has been invested. Everything has to be exploited, everything has a commercial reality behind it,” he admits. On the other hand, Cullen is adamant there is no commercial gain or interest in his adventure. Although logos for Renault Ireland and the title, Bill Cullen, Astronaut, do adorn his space jacket he wears proudly. “Renault are one of my sponsors,” Cullen says.

Head To Head

Clearly motivated, but what sparked off the row between Higgins and Cullen?

Higgins argues, “after registering, I heard nothing for months and then one evening I was driving home listening to Today Fm and Bill Cullen was being interviewed. He was saying how he was going to be the first Irishman in space. This was a surprise to me because I was sure I had put in the first request.” He went to Virgin Galactic and complained that he wanted to be first because he had registered first. “They conceded that I had registered first, but it put them in a difficult position, because they had already spoken to Cullen who knew Sir Richard Branson before I did,” Higgins concedes. According to Cullen he doesn’t know when Higgins signed his contract or registered but he claims it was much later than his own one. “Higgins is saying he intends to be the first Irishman into space on the basis of his claim to be the first person to register.”

Cullen is adamant that his own motivation, which is to raise funds for the Irish Youth Foundation, is far more favourable than those of Higgins who he says is merely, “trying to enhance his business offering to people who want psychic help.” Cullen has set himself a target of five million euro which he hopes to raise from corporate Ireland and individuals.

On the other hand Higgins argues that at the time when he approached Virgin Galactic there were no contracts and in fact the contracts weren’t drawn up until sometime later. “While it is possible that Bill Cullen sent his contract back before I did, it is irrelevant. The date that you registered to go is far more significant than the date you sign your contract. Who asked first is the key not who signed first. The bottom line is that when I asked the contracts weren’t available. Bill Cullen is being conservative with the truth,” Higgins maintains.

Interesting Twist

To put clarity on the whole debate, I spoke with Louella Faria-Jones, Communications Manager for Virgin Galactic and asked for the real facts. Who actually signed the first contract, was first to register and ultimately who will get to space first? “As far as I am aware there is only a hare’s breath between the timing of when the two, Cullen and Higgins signed contracts and registered.
Bill Cullen may have been the first person in the world who signed the first contract and Higgins first to register, however neither are guaranteed to be the first person or indeed Irish person to space.” While Sir Richard Branson’s shrewd Communication’s Manager, Jones, isn’t giving away too much about the selection process and when it will all happen, she did confirm however that a draw will take place for the first 100 Founders, so may the luckiest man win. Funnily enough Jones added, “did you know there is in-fact a third Irish business man who is among the 100 Founders, PJ King.”

Wouldn’t it be ironic if King was drawn to be the first? I wonder could Tom Higgins use his physic powers to tell us! King is obviously not willing to get into the brawl and has his trip a well kept secret. Higgins is optimistic, “I believe in karma, honesty and fairness, so I should be the first.”

On the other hand, Cullen seems quietly satisfied in whatever the outcome is. “I would like to be the first person to go, however it’s out of my hands,” says Cullen. “But I did sign the first contract!”

Casey simply wants to embark on a journey that will further enhance his works, create value and bring new images of a new world and interrupt them onto canvas.

Personal Risk Takers

Entrepreneurs are, by their very nature, risk takers. So are these three aspiring space explorers nervous about the pending adventure and the personal risks involved? Apparently not! Cullen says, “no I’m not worried because I have always wanted to go into space. My wife Jackie says ‘this guy has been on another planet’ and she thinks it’s very appropriate that I go into space and find myself.” Higgins maintains he is not the type of person who just goes out and takes risks for the hell of it; instead he is more comfortable taking calculated risks. The first commercial flights will have on board Branson’s daughter, son and his two parents, which re-enforces in Higgins the feeling that the technology is safe. “What is wrong with the modern world and society is we have become stagnant to advancement because of our obsession with safety and I think that nothing is 100% secure or guaranteed. To not do things because there is a greater risk is stupid because it limits the growth of the human spirit,” he says.

As for Casey he is staying positive and seems to be putting his faith in the hands of god. “I think that one can’t think in those terms, and has to think positively. First foot forward and what will be will be,” he concludes.

Bill Cullen Born in 1942, businessman and writer Bill Cullen was one of fourteen children born in the tenement slums of inner city Dublin. At the age of five, following in his mother’s footsteps, Cullen began selling fruit and other items on the streets. He eventually started working in a car dealership at the Walden Motor Company. Cullen then went on to set up his own motor business, the Fairland Motor Company, which became the biggest Ford dealership in Ireland. In 1986 he took over the Renault Car Distribution franchise and turned it into what is now known as the Glencullen Motor Group. He has written about his life in his autobiography, “It’s a long way from penny apples” which is a tribute to the strong women of Ireland. Royalties from the book have been given to Irish Youth Foundation.

Dr Michael Casey Born in 1962 in Co Tipperary, Dr Michael Casey studied fine arts at the Universities of Cork, Dublin, Manchester, Harvard, Oxford and Helsinki. Today he is an accomplished artist, critic, curator and art historian. He is also involved in writing and publishing inspiring books on art, cuisine, and photography. Due to Casey’s impressive and important contribution to the visual arts both home and abroad, he was awarded the title of Government of Ireland Post-Doctoral Fellow, a title bestowed upon an elite number of researchers from the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences. Dr Casey’s accomplishments to date are numerous and have led to originality in vision, and a unique artistic expression which can be seen on viewing his paintings; where you can step into another universe.