Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity with booster engaged during the Unity 25 mission in May. [Courtesy: Virgin Galactic]
Key Takeaways:
Virgin Galactic successfully launched its "Galactic 01" mission from Spaceport America, marking its first commercial spaceflight.
The mission carried Italian researchers and engineers, serving as Virgin Galactic's first paying customers, who conducted scientific experiments in zero-gravity.
This launch officially kicks off Virgin Galactic's commercial operations, with plans for monthly recreational space tourism flights to follow.
On Thursday morning, a crew of pilots and Italian researchers and engineers left the grounds of Spaceport America aboard a spaceship, hardly disturbing the sand as it took off from a runway in the middle of the Jornada del Muerto desert.
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Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.
