Virgin Galactic completes final test flight before launching paying customers to space
Virgin Galactic completes its final test flight, moves closer to commercial operations
Virgin Galactic completed its final test flight on Thursday, prior to the commercial release of its spaceship which would take paying customers on short trips to space. The company described the event as a “fantastic achievement” in a long journey towards commercial operations. The test flight, which was conducted in southern New Mexico, saw six of the company’s employees including two pilots, land at the Spaceport America. A few minutes of weightlessness was experienced by the pilots, as it took about an hour for the mother ship to rise to an altitude of 44,500 feet. After the ship was released, a rocket motor was fired that pushed it to an altitude of 54.2 miles before gliding back down to the runway. The company said it will evaluate the data from Thursday’s flight and will analyze the planes and other equipment as it prepares for commercial service, which could be as early as June.
Richard Branson beaten Jeff Bezos and Blue Origin to space two years back
Virgin Galactic has been working for over a decade now to send paying customers on short space hops and finally won the federal government’s approval in 2021. The flight came nearly two years after Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Galactic, beat fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos and his rocket company Blue Origin into space. Bezos ended up flying nine days later from West Texas, and Blue Origin has since launched several passenger trips. Federal aviation authorities banned Virgin Galactic launches after Branson’s flight to investigate a problem that caused the rocket ship to veer off course during its descent back to its runway in the New Mexico desert. The company made changes to its carrier airplane and the spaceplane. After Branson’s trip, Virgin Galactic has reached space five times since 2018 and will be aiming for 400 flights per year from Spaceport America once it finishes building its next class of the rocket-powered planes.
Virgin Galactic plans to populate lots of spaceports
The initial commercial flight of Virgin Galactic will include members of the Italian Air Force who will conduct experiments. The next step will then see the customers who purchased tickets years ago for their chance to experience weightlessness aboard a winged spacecraft that launches from the belly of an airplane. About 800 tickets have been sold over the past decade, with the initial batch going for $200,000 each. Tickets now cost $450,000 per person. The Virgin Galactic CEO, Michael Colglazier has acknowledged the delays and missed deadlines over the years. “We’re looking to scale up in a big way,” Christopher Huie, a senior manager with Virgin Galactic’s flight sciences engineering team said. “The goal is to populate lots of spaceports with lots of spaceships and motherships and send hundreds of people every year to space.”
FAQs:
Q: How many employees of Virgin Galactic were on board during its final test flight?
A: Six, including two pilots.
Q: What was the altitude that Virgin Galactic’s spaceship reached during the final test flight?
A: The spaceship reached an altitude of 54.2 miles.
Q: When did founder Richard Branson beat Jeff Bezos and his rocket company Blue Origin into space?
A: Richard Branson beat Jeff Bezos and Blue Origin into space nearly two years ago.
Q: When will Virgin Galactic start its commercial service?
A: Virgin Galactic plans to start its commercial service as early as June.
Q: How much does a ticket for a ride on Virgin Galactic cost?
A: A ticket for a ride on Virgin Galactic costs $450,000 per person.
Q: How many tickets for Virgin Galactic have been sold over the past decade?
A: About 800 tickets for Virgin Galactic have been sold over the past decade.
Virgin Galactic concludes its ultimate test flight prior to sending paying customers to space.
Virgin Galactic completed its final test flight on Thursday before opening operations to paying customers. The space tourism company celebrated the successful short flight, which included several minutes of weightlessness, marking a pivotal milestone in its long journey to delivering commercial space travel. Six employees, including two pilots, landed at Spaceport America in New Mexico after the flight. The spaceship was carried by a mother ship to an altitude of 44,500 feet and was launched using a rocket motor to reach an altitude of 54.2 miles before returning to the runway. Mission specialist Jamila Gilbert said the experience was indescribable and the magnetic pull was all-consuming. Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier expressed confidence in the company’s progress, as it prepares for commercial service which could begin as early as late June. The initial flight will include Italian Air Force members conducting experiments, while paying customers who purchased tickets years ago will soon join future space trips. Virgin Galactic has currently sold 800 tickets at $450,000 a head. The company aims to operate as many as 400 flights per year from Spaceport America, once it finishes its next line of rocket-powered planes at a manufacturing facility in Arizona.