Space Tourism was seen as a reality on Monday when Virgin Galactic Space Flight soared into space.
British billionaire Richard Branson soared 50 miles above New Mexico desert on his Virgin Galactic rocket plane and made safe return in vehicle’s first fully crewed test flight to space which can be termed as the first case of space tourism. Virgin has planned at least two further test flights of spaceplane before starting its regular commercial operation in 2022.
Ticket for spaceplane has been priced at around $250,000 per ticket.
Space Tourism: Highlights
- This Virgin Galactic Space Flight is a milestone for a venture started by Richard Branson around 17 years ago.
- Branson was one amongst six Virgin Galactic Holding Inc employees who strapped in for space ride.
- This mission has been termed as precursor to new era of space tourism, which was founded by company in 2004.
- Its commercial operations would begin in 2022.
- This launch of VSS Unity passenger rocket plane marks company’s 22nd test flight of its SpaceShipTwo system. It is the fourth crewed mission beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
Virgin Galactic and its details…
Virgin Galactic, a British-American spaceflight company, operates in United States and has been founded by Richard Branson. His Virgin Group has retained a 24% stake in it. Virgin Galactic’s suborbital spacecraft are air launched from a carrier airplane called White Knight Two. Virgin Galactic did early work on satellite launch development of LauncherOne in 2017.
About recent flight
Space flight reached at a height of about 46,000 feet, where Unity was released from mothership and fell away when crew ignited vehicle’s rocket. Spaceplane’s contrail was seen from ground when it soared through upper atmosphere. At the apex of climb, the rocket shut down while the crew experienced few minutes of microgravity before spaceplane shifted into re-entry mode. Virgin has planned at least two further test flights of spaceplane before starting its regular commercial operation in 2022.
Ticket for spaceplane has been priced at around $250,000 per ticket.