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Virgin Galactic’s Upcoming Spaceflight
Virgin Galactic is set to launch its seventh commercial spaceflight next month, marking its second spaceflight of the year and the 12th overall. The mission, named Galactic 07, is scheduled for June 8 and will be a suborbital jaunt using Virgin Galactic’s air-launch system. This system comprises two vehicles: VMS Eve, a carrier aircraft, and VSS Unity, a suborbital spaceliner. The spacecraft will be dropped at an altitude of about 45,000 feet where it will fire up its rocket motor and ascend to suborbital space.
Passengers aboard VSS Unity will experience a few minutes of weightlessness and witness Earth against the blackness of space. A ticket for this experience currently sells for $450,000. The launch will take place from Spaceport America in New Mexico and will carry four passengers in Unity’s cabin.
Passenger Details
Three of the passengers are private astronauts from New York, California, and Italy. The fourth passenger is an “Axiom Space-affiliated researcher astronaut” who will conduct multiple human-tended experiments during the flight. Axiom Space, based in Houston, is known for organizing crewed trips to the International Space Station and has plans to operate its own space station in the future.
During the previous Galactic 06 mission in January, an alignment pin securing Unity to Eve detached unexpectedly after separation. Although this incident did not pose a threat during the flight, Virgin Galactic conducted an investigation with the FAA. The final report has been accepted, and corrective actions have been implemented to prevent similar issues in future flights.
Virgin Galactic’s commitment to safety and innovation in commercial space travel remains evident as it prepares for the upcoming Galactic 07 mission. The continued success of its spaceflights paves the way for new opportunities in space tourism and research, shaping the future of space exploration.
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