Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic successfully completed its first paid space tourism flight, a milestone that Branson has been pursuing for nearly 20 years. This flight, commissioned by the Italian government, carried two Italian air force officers and an Italian engineer who used it as a training exercise and for scientific experiments. Unlike traditional rocket launches, Virgin Galactic’s passengers are flown in a piloted spacecraft called Unity, which is attached to a twin-fuselage airplane. The airplane releases Unity at an altitude of 45,000 feet, and the spacecraft’s engine propels it straight upward to an altitude of about 50 miles before descending back to Earth. These flights only spend a few minutes in space and do not reach orbit. The spacecraft successfully landed after reaching a peak altitude of 53 miles. With the completion of this mission, Virgin Galactic plans to start flying its backlog of customers who have paid up to $450,000 per ticket.
This flight comes amidst a debate over the regulation of extreme adventures like space tourism. The Federal Aviation Administration currently has light regulations, focusing on protecting people and property on the ground but not flight participants. The industry is still in its development phase, and Congress imposed a learning period since 2004 that prevents the FAA from implementing passenger regulations. This learning period is set to expire in October, but commercial spaceflight companies argue that they need more time for progress. A recent report recommended allowing the learning period to expire while providing the FAA with necessary resources for appropriate regulations.
In addition to Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, has been working with the FAA to address engine failure issues before resuming its suborbital rocket flights. Virgin Galactic’s flight carried Italian astronauts and conducted scientific experiments, marking a potential turning point for the company, which has faced financial struggles. The company plans to focus on its next-generation spaceplane, the Delta Class, which is expected to be operational by 2026. Branson purchased the technology rights and formed Virgin Galactic in 2004, and since then, the company has faced setbacks, including a fatal accident in 2014.
Overall, this successful flight is a significant achievement for Virgin Galactic and sets the stage for future commercial space tourism endeavors.
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