Virgin Galactic’s Fifth Commercial Spaceflight Set to Take Off
Virgin Galactic is preparing to launch its fifth commercial spaceflight since the service began last summer. The mission, Galactic 05, is scheduled to lift off from Spaceport America in New Mexico on Thursday, November 2nd. The VSS Unity space plane, carrying three passengers and Virgin Galactic crew, will embark on a suborbital mission that offers a few minutes of weightlessness at the edge of space.
Previously, the decision to reveal passenger names was left to the ticket-holders and Virgin Galactic. For Galactic 05, two of the three passengers’ names have been released. Both are well-known figures in the space industry.
Meet the Crew of Galactic 05
Alan Stern
Alan Stern, a planetary scientist and vice president of the Space Science Division at the Southwest Research Institute, will be on board as a passenger. His contributions include being the principal investigator of the New Horizons mission, which captured the famous heart-shaped feature of Pluto.
Kellie Gerardi
Kellie Gerardi, a researcher in the aeronautics industry, will also be part of the crew. Alongside her work, Gerardi has built a strong online presence as a social media STEM influencer, reaching millions with her educational content and authoring three books about space.
Stern and Gerardi will conduct experiments related to their research objectives during the weightless portion of the flight. The third passenger, of Franco-Italian nationality, has not been named. The crew will also include Virgin Galactic astronaut instructor Colin Bennett, mission commander Mike Masucci, and pilot Kelly Latimer.
The Journey
The flight will begin at Spaceport America, with the VSS Unity space plane stowed between the dual cockpits of its carrier aircraft, VMS Eve. At an altitude of around 50,000 feet, the VSS Unity will be released from Eve and ignite its rocket motor to ascend to space. After experiencing weightlessness, the crew will return for a landing back at Spaceport America.
Mission Updates
Virgin Galactic will not livestream Galactic 05 but will provide mission updates through the company’s X account. The flight is expected to last approximately 1.5 hours, starting at 9 a.m. MDT (10 a.m. ET/1400 GMT).
