Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity with booster engaged during the Unity 25 mission in May. [Courtesy: Virgin Galactic]
Key Takeaways:
Virgin Galactic successfully completed its first commercial spaceflight, "Galactic 01," from Spaceport America with a crew of pilots and Italian researchers/engineers.
The mission, which included Virgin Galactic's first paying customers, focused on a research objective, allowing the Italian crew to conduct experiments in a zero-gravity environment.
This launch signifies Virgin Galactic's transition to commercial operations after prior delays, with plans to initiate monthly space tourism flights 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.
