Space tourism has taken a giant leap forward as Virgin Galactic sent its first paying passengers into space. This monumental mission, paid for by the Italian Air Force, officially kickstarted the company's commercial space tourism operations.
Founded by billionaire Richard Branson, Virgin Galactic has charted an ambitious trajectory to space. The flight, which took today (June 29), was the first of many planned excursions that are expected to carry a host of high-profile clients beyond the stratosphere.
The journey began at Virgin Galactic's state-of-the-art spaceport located in the deserts of New Mexico. There, passengers boarded the VSS Unity, a pioneering spacecraft docked beneath the wing of VMS Eve, an enormous twin-fuselage mothership.
VMS Eve launched in a fashion reminiscent of a conventional airplane, sprinting down a runway before ascending to an altitude of over 40,000 feet.
Once the assigned height was achieved, the mothership released VSS Unity. The spacecraft then ignited its rocket engine for approximately one minute, propelling it directly upwards towards the celestial sphere.
For those eager to be part of this historic event, Virgin Galactic has been live-streaming the launch from 11AM ET. As this momentous mission unfurls, the world will be watching, signaling a new era in commercial
The Galactic 01 mission ushered in a new era of accessible space exploration. The flight saw a three-person crew from Italy's Air Force and National Research Council soar into the cosmos aboard VSS Unity.
Joined by five Virgin Galactic crew members, including an astronaut instructor and four pilots, the team embarked on a series of suborbital science experiments about microgravity during their 90-minute journey beyond Earth's atmosphere.
Those onboard included 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.
As the flight was live-streamed to the world, social media erupted with excitement and awe as images of the spacecraft piercing the blue veil of the sky flooded the internet. Industry experts 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 launch 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."