Planetary scientist Alan Stern enjoys spaceflight with Virgin Galactic
Alan Stern, the renowned planetary scientist behind NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto, recently had the opportunity to experience a spaceflight of his own. He flew aboard Virgin Galactic’s winged spaceplane, marking the company’s fifth successful commercial sub-orbital flight.
Alongside Stern, fellow researcher and STEM “influencer” Kellie Gerardi, Italian investment manager Ketty Maisonrouge, two Virgin Galactic pilots, and a company trainer also took part in the flight. The journey began with the carrier jet releasing the Unity spaceplane at an altitude of approximately 44,700 feet above the New Mexico desert.
Powered by a hybrid motor, Virgin Galactic’s Unity spaceplane ignited, propelling the craft to the lower edge of space. This milestone flight marked the company’s tenth sub-orbital journey outside of Earth’s discernible atmosphere.
Unity commander Michael Masucci and pilot Kelly Latimer, both experienced veterans of earlier flights, were at the controls. Colin Bennett, a Virgin astronaut trainer, joined the three passengers in Unity’s multi-window cabin.
Immediately after release, Unity’s hybrid rocket motor ignited, generating a powerful flame. The ship accelerated to nearly three times the speed of sound, following a near-vertical trajectory. Subsequently, the motor shut down, granting the crew three to four minutes of weightlessness as Unity ascended to an altitude of 54.2 miles. This altitude is recognized by NASA as the threshold between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space.
During their time in weightlessness, Stern and Gerardi conducted five experiments primarily focused on studying the physiological effects of microgravity. Stern wore a biomedical harness to monitor his body’s response to weightlessness, while Gerardi operated three experiments related to microgravity healthcare and fluid dynamics. Stern also utilized a high-tech camera for practicing procedures that will be used in a future NASA astronomical research mission.
Unity accommodated two Virgin Galactic pilots and a company astronaut trainer, as well as three paying customers: Alan Stern, European investment manager Ketty Maisonrouge, and STEM educator/researcher Kellie Gerardi. Excitement filled the cabin as the group prepared for their extraordinary journey.
Alan Stern, a former chief of NASA’s science division and principal investigator for the New Horizons mission to Pluto, was sponsored by the Southwest Research Institute, where he currently contributes to the space science division.
Highlighting the significance of the first spaceflight and the importance of proper planning, Stern declared, “Our objective in developing requirements, procedures, timelines, and training runs is to maximize the value of this first spaceflight and to minimize risks to performance on the second flight while conducting NASA experiments. We have a solid plan in place for flight operations and training that aligns with the low cost of this mission. The ultimate test will come at showtime, in space, high above southern New Mexico!”
Geriardi’s participation in the flight was sponsored by the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences, while her experiments were developed in collaboration with the National Research Council of Canada. Maisonrouge, an investment manager with a multicultural background, was one of Virgin Galactic’s earliest customers, having secured her seat back in 2005 with a payment of $250,000.
Upon beginning its descent, Unity’s wings rotated upward, a maneuver known as “feathering,” to properly orient the spacecraft, increase atmospheric drag, and reduce loads during re-entry. In the lower atmosphere, the wings returned to their usual position parallel to the fuselage. The pilots skillfully guided the spaceplane, now operating as a glider, to a gentle touchdown on Spaceport America’s 12,000-foot-long runway, located just west of the White Sands Missile Range. The successful landing marked Virgin Galactic’s fifth consecutive fully commercial flight, with paying customers aboard, and Unity’s 10th piloted flight above an altitude of 50 miles.
Virgin Galactic’s next flight is scheduled for January, while Blue Origin, a competitor in the sub-orbital space tourism industry, is actively resolving a booster issue before resuming flights later this year.
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