Virgin Galactic Successfully Launches Its First Space Tourists Into Orbit

By Alexa Heah, 30 Jun 2023

Earlier this month, Virgin Galactic announced it would finally launch the first of its commercial spaceflights, nearly two decades after Sir Richard Branson founded the venture in 2004. Now, the firm has successfully completed its first flight, carrying space tourists into orbit.

Dubbed the Galactic 01, the spaceflight took off from Spaceport American in New Mexico. On board were two pilots and four passengers, one of whom was a Virgin Galactic trainer who oversaw the mission. The other three travelers were members of the Italian Air Force.

In addition, the spacecraft carried 13 payloads, including a mix of human-tended and autonomous experiments to aid scientists in learning more about the biomedical field, thermo-fluid dynamics, and how innovative eco materials could be developed in microgravity conditions.

The next launch is scheduled to take place in August, though, as CNBC noted, Virgin Galactic has a backlog of nearly 800 passengers waiting for their trips to space. Tickets were sold between US$200,000 and US$250,000 a decade ago, with newer buy-ins costing upwards of US$450,000.

“This historic flight was our first commercial flight and our first dedicated commercial research mission—ushering in a new era of repeatable and reliable access to space for private passengers and researchers,” said Michael Colglazier, CEO of Virgin Galactic.

“This successful mission gives us a preview of what discoveries may result from reliable access to space to further scientific knowledge,” added Sirisha Bandla, vice-president of government affairs and research operations.