Virgin Galactic, a pioneer in space tourism, has triumphantly begun its first commercial space flight, marking a groundbreaking moment in the history of space travel.
The Galactic 01 mission, which took off from Spaceport America in New Mexico on Thursday, June 29, ushers in a new era of accessible space exploration and will be live streamed once the rocket detaches from the carrier plane and blasts off to the edge of space.
The flight saw a three-person crew from Italy's Air Force and National Research Council successfully take off and prepare to soar into the cosmos aboard VSS Unity. Joined by five Virgin Galactic crew members, including an astronaut instructor and four pilots, the team is set to embark on a series of suborbital science experiments about microgravity during their 90-minute journey beyond Earth's atmosphere.
Those onboard include Colin Bennett, Virgin Galactic's chief astronaut instructor, alongside key figures from Italy - Walter Villadei and Angelo Landolfi, both senior personnel from the Italian Air Force, and Pantaleone Carlucci, a pilot and technical engineer from the National Research Council of Italy.
Once the rocket detaches, the ascent will be live-streamed to the world. Industry experts have lauded the milestone, with many acknowledging the significance of this moment for the entire space tourism industry.
Looking to the future, Virgin Galactic already has a full flight schedule lined up.
Galactic 02 is expected to launch in early August and will carry a private crew. Virgin Galactic plans to fly on a monthly basis thereafter. For those eager to experience the final frontier firsthand, the company is selling tickets for future commercial space flights at a hefty $450,000 each.
While this leap for space tourism hasn't been without its challenges, Virgin Galactic's successful take-off marks a major stride forward. The company has certainly come a long way since its tragic 2014 incident during a test flight of a prototype craft, which resulted in the death of co-pilot Michael Alsbur.
Prior to today's takeoff, Michael Colglazier, CEO of Virgin Galactic, expressed his enthusiasm and pride on this landmark occasion, stating: "Galactic 01 is our first commercial spaceflight, and we have the honor to have been selected by the Italian Air Force and the National Research Council to support their first space research mission, Virtute 1."
He further emphasized: "Virgin Galactic’s research missions will usher in a new era of repeatable and reliable access to space for Government and research institutions for years to come."
Virgin Galactic continues to defy gravity, and the future of commercial space travel looks brighter than ever. The only question is; would you spend $450,000 for a ticket to space?
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