The VSS Unity space plane flying over New Mexico in 2020
Virgin Galactic
Virgin Galactic launched its first commercial flight to the edge of space with a crew of six astronauts on 29 June.
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Richard Branson’s space company is now one of the select few that can take paying passengers into space, alongside Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin.
Launching from Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, the rocket-powered VSS Unity was attached to a carrier plane. Galactic 01 wasn’t carrying any tourists into space, but rather two Italian Air Force pilots and a research engineer.
The three of them used the flight to conduct scientific research in microgravity, including measurements of biometrics, cognitive performance, and the mixing of specific liquids and solids with potential medical applications. They were able to utilise their trip to the International Space Station as practise for future trips there. Two Virgin Galactic pilots and a flight engineer joined the passengers.
The VSS Unity was launched from its carrier at an altitude of about 15 kilometres, and immediately began a rapid ascent to an altitude of 80 kilometres above Earth at a speed of about three times the speed of sound. After floating in zero gravity for 5 minutes, the group returned to Earth.
Some have argued that the 80-kilometer threshold is too low to be considered truly extraterrestrial. Space is considered to begin at the Kármán line, which is 100 kilometres above sea level according to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, which keeps track of human space flight records. The US Air Force and NASA, however, consider anyone who travels more than 80 miles into space to be an astronaut.
Even though Branson piloted a Virgin Galactic flight to that altitude in 2021, this is the first time the company has attempted a commercial flight. The Galactic 02 mission, which will be the VSS Unity’s second flight, is scheduled for August of this year. The public can ride along for a price of $450,000 per person.
Italian Air Force Major General Maurizio Cantiello remarked during the video, “This flight was very important not only for the experiments, but also because we are studying other ways for space access – not just vertical access, but horizontal access.” Virgin Galactic is the only company offering space tourism that employs a space jet rather than a rocket.
Even though Branson’s satellite launch company Virgin Orbit shut down earlier this year due to the loss of a previous rocket, the success of this voyage bolsters his efforts in space.
FAQs
1. What is the significance of Virgin Galactic’s inaugural commercial spaceflight?
Virgin Galactic, led by Richard Branson, has now become one of the select few companies that offer space tourism to paying passengers, along with SpaceX and Blue Origin.
2. Where did the inaugural spaceflight launch from, and who were the passengers on board?
The spaceflight launched from Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, with two Italian Air Force pilots and a research engineer on board. They conducted scientific research in microgravity during the flight.
3. What scientific experiments were conducted during the spaceflight?
The passengers performed experiments on biometrics, cognitive performance, and the mixing of specific liquids and solids with potential medical applications in microgravity.
4. At what altitude did the VSS Unity reach during the spaceflight?
The VSS Unity reached an altitude of 80 kilometers above Earth at a speed of approximately three times the speed of sound.
5. When is the next Virgin Galactic mission, and what is the cost for the public to ride along?
The next mission, Galactic 02, is scheduled for August of this year, and the public can join for a price of $450,000 per person.
