Nearly two decades since its inception, the aviation company Virgin Galactic has reached a milestone with the launch of its long-awaited first commercial space flight.
The mission, named "Galactic 01", took off from Spaceport America in New Mexico on Thursday, June 29, at 8:30 a.m. local time. The VMS Eve, carrying the VSS Unity spacecraft, launched at an altitude of 44,500 feet, propelling the spacecraft into space.
Virgin Galactic stated that during the flight, the spacecraft reached a peak distance of about 52.9 miles, or approximately 85.1 kilometers, from Earth. The spacecraft reached a top speed of Mach 2.88, or over 2,210 miles per hour (approximately 3,550 kilometers per hour).
At 9:42 a.m. local time, the spacecraft safely landed and returned to the runway. Virgin Galactic announced on social media, welcoming "Galactic 01" back to Earth and confirming the successful landing of the pilots, crew, and spaceship.
Besides the pilots, Galactic 01 carried a total of four passengers, including a Virgin Galactic trainer, a colonel and a major from the Italian Air Force, and an aeronautical engineer from the Italian National Research Council.
After the spaceship ascended and experienced weightlessness, the Italian passengers unfurled an Italian flag in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Italian Air Force before returning to their seats.
The passengers were set to conduct 13 scientific experiments representing the Italian Air Force, the Italian National Research Council, the University of Padua, and the Tor Vergata University of Rome, collecting data from their spacesuits and onboard sensors. The experiments included measuring radiation levels in the mesosphere and observing the mixtures of certain liquids and solids under microgravity, encompassing biomedical and microgravity materials fields.
The space flight signals the commencement of Virgin Galactic's commercial services. Currently, there are 800 passengers booked for the service, with Virgin Galactic now preparing to start taking them on space trips. Prices range from $250,000 to $450,000 per passenger.
Virgin Galactic plans to launch a second private passenger space flight, named "Galactic 02," in August this year. The exact time depends on the review of the flight vehicle and flight data. Afterward, the company plans to schedule flights every month.
However, this milestone failed to impress stock market investors. Virgin Galactic's stock price rapidly fell after opening over 1% higher on Thursday. After a brief rise in the early trading, the stock accelerated its decline, with an intraday drop exceeding 13.9%, nearly 14%, by midday, erasing all of the gains from the previous two days.
