Virgin Galactic is kicking off its first-ever commercial SpaceShipTwo flight in late June.
Sir Richard Branson's space firm plans monthly commercial flights following its late June launch.
Virgin Galactic's First Commercial SpaceShipTwo Flight
Sir Richard Branson speaks after he flew into space aboard a Virgin Galactic vessel, a voyage he described as the "experience of a lifetime" -- and one he hopes will usher in an era of lucrative space tourism at Spaceport America, near Truth and Consequences, New Mexico on July 11, 2021.q
Virgin Galactic, the visionary space company founded by Branson, is all set to make history with its highly anticipated inaugural commercial SpaceShipTwo flight this month, as per CNBC.
Virgin Galactic has finally locked in a late-June date for the monumental event, targeting a launch window between June 27 and June 30.
Its first-ever commercial flight is aptly called the Galactic 01, which carries three passengers, including members of the Italian Air Force and Italy's National Research Council. These folks will be conducting their microgravity research on science payloads.
CNBC notes that the long-awaited commercial flight will mark a giant leap forward for the space tourism industry. With its innovative and state-of-the-art SpaceShipTwo vehicle, the space firm aims to bring civilians beyond Earth's atmosphere and witness the awe-inspiring beauty of space firsthand.
The Virgin Galactic Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Michael Colglazier confirms they are "launching the first commercial spaceline for Earth with two dynamic products; our scientific research and private astronaut space missions."
Monthly Commercial Flights
A logo of a Virgin Galactic is seen on floor during the company's first day of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on October 28, 2019 in New York City.
According to Forbes, after the much-awaited first commercial flight, Virgin Galactic ambitiously plans to move forward with more flights. The giant firm is gearing up to kick off its second flight, the Galactic 02, as early as August, a month after the first-ever commercial flight.
Space News notes that the second flight monumentally carries the first passengers who paid the company $450,000 for a seat as part of its space tourism project. And after the two commercial flights, Virgin plans to expand its space tourism flights. It hopes to carry out monthly flights, allowing passengers to fly to outer space.
It is worth noting that Virgin Galactic is not the only firm striving to make commercial spaceflight a reality. Blue Origin, which Jeff Bezos founded, is also developing a suborbital spacecraft called New Shepard.
Nevertheless, Virgin Galactic's first commercial flight is a major milestone for the commercial spaceflight industry. It is a sign that the industry is finally starting to come of age, and it could pave the way for more companies to enter the market in the coming years.
CNBC notes that Virgin Galactic, founded in 2004, is grappling with a backlog of roughly 800 passengers. With the first flight debuting this month, the Branson-led firm could finally start flying folks who signed up for its space tourism program.
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