Virgin Galactic Opens Exclusive Spaceflight Ticket Sales To The Public

While travel itineraries have taken a back seat in the age of the pandemic, here’s a destination that won’t require cross-border regulations: space.

Virgin Galactic, Richard Branson’s space venture, has just announced it will begin selling tickets to members of the public who wish to take a trip into orbit.

Naturally, it’ll set you back a whopping US$450,000 per person.

“At Virgin Galactic, we believe that space is transformational,” said Michael Colglazier, the firm’s CEO.

“We plan to have our first 1,000 customers on board at the start of commercial service later this year, providing an incredibly strong foundation as we begin regular operations and scale our fleet,” he added.

According to NBC News, each flight will last 90 minutes, in which passengers will soar to an altitude of over 50 miles, and experience several minutes of weightlessness before returning back down to Earth. 

Flights will take place via the firm’s SpaceShipTwo Unity rocket, which, interestingly, can take off on a regular runway while attached to the underbelly of a carrier ship.

It will reach an altitude of 50,000 feet before releasing the Unity to go further on into space.

Those who purchase a ticket to the spaceflight will enjoy access to “money-can’t-buy experiences,” including events, trips, space-readiness activities, and bespoke itineraries.

Intrigued? Head over to the official website to begin the application process.

[via NBC News and Virgin Galactic / Business Wire, cover image via Virgin Galactic / Business Wire]