Virgin Galactic has exciting news for its customers who have purchased tickets for a trip to space. The company, led by British billionaire Sir Richard Branson, has announced that its first commercial flight, ‘Galactic 01’, will take place at the end of June, with a target flight date of Thursday June 29. But who will be on board this historic flight? Let’s take a closer look at the four crew members who will be joining the journey.
First up, we have Col. Walter Villadei, a senior member of the Italian Air Force. Col. Villadei, although trained as a cosmonaut in Russia, will be experiencing his first space flight. In 2022, he was chosen to undergo training in Houston for a future mission to the International Space Station (ISS) with Axiom Space, a company that offers ‘private astronaut’ missions. He will also serve as a reserve crew member for Axiom’s Mission 2, scheduled for the end of 2023.
Pantaleone Carlucci, a pilot and technical engineer from the National Research Council of Italy, will be on board to conduct tests on human performance metrics during the flight. Carlucci and the rest of the crew will also carry out experiments such as measuring cosmic radiation and studying materials in microgravity conditions. The cabin of the SpaceShipTwo vehicle VSS Unity will be transformed into a suborbital science lab for these experiments.
Lt. Col. Angelo Landolfi, another crew member, will focus on cognitive performance in microgravity and the study of liquid-solid mixing. Meanwhile, Colin Bennett, an astronaut instructor at Virgin Galactic, will ensure that the passengers have the best possible experience on board the VSS Unity.
Virgin Galactic’s launch method differs from that of other space companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin. Instead of vertical rocket launches, Virgin Galactic uses a carrier aircraft called White Knight Two. This aircraft takes off from a runway and releases the rocket-powered spaceplane VSS Unity at a high altitude. VSS Unity can reach the boundary of space as defined by the US Air Force and NASA, going over 50 miles above sea level.
Overall, Virgin Galactic is making significant progress in commercial space travel and is committed to providing its customers with a unique and transformative experience. With its innovative approach and dedication to customer satisfaction, Virgin Galactic is paving the way for the future of space tourism.
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