Virgin Galactic embarks on first spaceflight mission in nearly 2 years (updated)

Virgin Orbit Holdings

25/05/2023 16:43

(New throughout, updates throughout with takeoff of VMS Eve
carrier plane)
    By Joey Roulette
       WASHINGTON, May 25 (Reuters) - A carrier aircraft from
Virgin Galactic  SPCE.N  took off with a crew of six from New
Mexico on Thursday, the first spaceflight mission in nearly two
years and the final planned test for the long-awaited commercial
service of the space tourism firm founded by Richard Branson.
    The company's VMS Eve carrier plane took off from Virgin
Galactic's Spaceport America site around 11:17 a.m. Eastern
time, Virgin Galactic said on Twitter. The aircraft is carrying
a VSS Unity spaceplane with a crew that will launch to the edge
of space within the next hour.
    Virgin Galactic's Unity 25 mission comes 22 months after
billionaire Branson and employees rode to the edge of space
aboard its centerpiece SpaceShipTwo spaceplane. It had hoped
that high-profile mission would open the door to routine flights
soon after.
    But a safety probe into Branson's flight by the U.S. Federal
Aviation Administration hampered the company's near-term plans,
as did a lengthy spacecraft upgrade period that lasted longer
than Virgin Galactic anticipated.
    If all goes well, Virgin Galactic hopes to fly its first
commercial mission in late June, a long-delayed research flight
chartered for the Italian Air Force. The company then expects to
carry out a mission roughly every month.    
    Virgin Galactic pilots Jameel Janjua and Nicola Pecile are
piloting the carrier aircraft VMS Eve and will drop the
spaceplane when it reaches around 50,000 feet in altitude. The
spacecraft, once untethered, will ignite a rocket engine and
climb to an altitude in microgravity of roughly 50 miles, the
U.S.-recognized boundary of Earth's atmosphere.
    The test mission, lasting roughly 90 minutes from takeoff to
the spaceplane landing after spending three minutes in
microgravity, follows the type of rides Virgin Galactic intends
to provide for a backlog of some 800 customers. Most have paid
between $250,000 and $450,000 for a ticket.
    The company in April conducted a successful glide test with
VSS Unity, dropping it at 47,000 feet for a free-fall back to
its runway, without having ignited its engine to go toward
space.
    Mike Masucci and CJ Sturckow will pilot the spaceplane. In
the cabin will be the company's chief astronaut instructor Beth
Moses, astronaut instructor Luke Mays, senior engineering
manager Christopher Huie and Jamila Gilbert, internal
communications senior manager.

 (Reporting by Joey Roulette; Editing by David Gregorio)
 ((Joey.Roulette@thomsonreuters.com; 7034696632;))