Virgin Galactic achieved a momentous feat when it propelled its first group of tourists to the edge of space. Among the passengers were a former British Olympian who had purchased his ticket 18 years ago, as well as a mother-daughter duo from the Caribbean. After a brief flight that provided passengers with a few minutes of weightlessness, the space plane gracefully glided back to a runway landing at Spaceport America in the New Mexico desert. Cheers erupted from family members and friends watching from below as the rocket motor fired after its release from the plane that had carried it aloft. Reaching a height of approximately 55 miles, the rocket ship soared to new heights.
Richard Branson’s pioneering company anticipates commencing monthly trips for customers. Jon Goodwin, a passenger on Virgin Galactic who had purchased his ticket in 2005, expressed his unwavering belief in eventually embarking on this journey. Despite being an 80-year-old athlete who competed in canoeing during the 1972 Olympics and currently battles Parkinson’s disease, Goodwin shared his optimism. When he initially signed up, ticket prices were $200,000. Presently, the cost has risen to $450,000. Accompanying Goodwin on this exhilarating experience was Keisha Schahaff, a 46-year-old health coach from Antigua who won the sweepstakes, and her daughter, Anastatia Mayers, an 18-year-old student at Scotland’s University of Aberdeen. The plane-launched craft, which lands similarly to a space shuttle, also carried two pilots and the company’s astronaut trainer.
This marked Virgin Galactic’s seventh trip to space since 2018, but the first with a ticket-holder. In 2021, Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Galactic, embraced the opportunity to be part of the first full-size crew ride. Earlier in June, Italian military and government researchers embarked on the inaugural commercial flight. Currently, approximately 800 people are patiently waiting for their turn on Virgin Galactic’s waiting list. Branson previously conducted a virtual lottery to establish the order of the first 50 customers, affectionately referred to as the “Founding Astronauts.” Given his age and Parkinson’s, it was agreed that Goodwin would be the first to venture into space.
Unique to Virgin Galactic’s approach is the launch of their rocket ship from the belly of an airplane, as opposed to the conventional ground launch. This method calls for two pilots in the cockpit. Once the mother ship reaches an altitude of approximately 10 miles, the space plane is released and ignites its rocket motor to make the final ascent to just beyond 50 miles. During this time, passengers have the opportunity to unstrap from their seats and experience weightlessness as they float around the cabin for a few minutes, before safely gliding back home and landing on a runway. In contrast, the capsules used by SpaceX and Blue Origin are fully automated and parachute back down to Earth.
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