Virgin Galactic's Rocket Plane, Unity, Commences Commercial Operations under Sir Richard Branson's Leadership

Virgin Galactic's

Sir Richard Branson's rocket plane, Unity, has officially entered commercial service, marking a significant milestone after nearly two decades of development. The inaugural mission took place above the New Mexico desert and involved three Italian individuals conducting scientific experiments in weightless conditions. This mission was the first commercial operation rather than a mere test flight.

Sir Richard is now preparing to fulfill the dreams of approximately 800 ticket holders who have purchased rides aboard Unity. The 72-minute mission, which took off from Spaceport America, was livestreamed worldwide and gained significant attention. After reaching an altitude of 44,500 feet (13,600 meters), the carrier plane named Eve released Unity, allowing it to ignite its engine and ascend to the edge of space, reaching a peak altitude of 279,000 feet (85.3 kilometers).

Virgin Galactic's

Although Dennis Tito became the world's first space tourist in 2001 through a payment of around $20 million to travel with the Russian Space Agency, and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin surpassed Virgin Galactic in sending paying passengers to space, Sir Richard Branson's venture remains highly anticipated. Virgin Galactic's ticket holders, some of whom have been waiting for over a decade, will still face considerable wait times due to Unity's limited capacity, allowing only a few passengers per mission. With a current rate of one outing per month, it will take time to accommodate the backlog. However, Virgin Galactic aims to improve this pace with the introduction of a new class of rocket planes expected to launch commercially in 2026, with a flight frequency of once per week.

Following Thursday's mission, Michael Colglazier, CEO of Virgin Galactic, stated that it marked the company's first commercial flight and dedicated commercial research mission, representing the dawn of a new era of repeatable and reliable access to space for private passengers and researchers. The introduction of the new rocket planes will be crucial for Virgin Galactic's path to profitability.

Virgin Galactic's

The recent mission was specifically purchased by the Italian Air Force and the Italian National Research Council. During the flight, Col. Walter Villadei, Lt. Col. Angelo Landolfi, and engineer Pantaleone Carlucci oversaw various experiments, including studies on the effects of weightlessness on liquid mixing and the behavior of biological cells. The passenger cabin included company astronaut instructor Colin Bennett, while pilots Mike Masucci and Nicola Pecile controlled Unity.

Virgin Galactic's journey to commercial service has been a long and challenging one. The company was established in 2004 to harness the technology developed for SpaceShipOne, an experimental, privately funded rocket plane that won a $10 million prize by completing two spaceflights within two weeks. Initial plans to introduce a passenger spaceliner based on the SpaceShipOne concept by 2007 faced significant engineering obstacles. The project almost faced failure when the first prototype vehicle, Enterprise, broke apart during a test ascent in 2014, resulting in the loss of one of the two pilots on board. It was not until December 2018 that Virgin Galactic's successor, Unity, surpassed the altitude of 80 kilometers (considered "outer space" by certain organizations). Sir Richard Branson himself experienced a flight aboard Unity in July 2021 and described it as an "extraordinary" experience.

Thursday's mission was designated as "Galactic 01," with the next mission, Galactic 02, scheduled for August, marking the first flight for eager ticketed passengers. The advertised price for a seat on Unity has reached as high as $450,000 (£350,000). Unity operates as a sub-orbital vehicle, providing passengers with breathtaking views at its peak altitude and a few minutes of weightlessness. The spaceship is initially carried by a larger aircraft to an altitude of approximately 15 kilometers (50,000 feet), after which it is released. Unity's rocket motor ignites to propel the spacecraft upward. Its maximum achievable altitude is around 90 kilometers (55 miles or 295,000 feet). Passengers are permitted to unbuckle and float towards the windows to enjoy the view. On descent, Unity folds its tailbooms to stabilize its fall before gliding back to Earth.