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 VSS Unity spacecraft on its "Galactic 01" mission, marking the company's first commercial spaceflight with paying customers.
The crew included Italian researchers and engineers who conducted scientific experiments in a zero-gravity environment.
This launch follows previous delays due to technical issues and successful test flights, validating the technology for commercial use.
Virgin Galactic plans to commence monthly commercial flights, including recreational space tourism, starting in August.
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.
