Out of this world: Virgin Galactic makes first commercial flight carrying Italian astronauts

In a groundbreaking achievement for the space tourism industry, Sir Richard Branson, the British tycoon, has etched his name among the stars. Virgin Galactic’s rocket plane, Unity, soared skywards with a crew of paying passengers on Thursday, June 29. 

Reaching an incredible altitude of around 53 miles, this historic achievement propels space tourism to unprecedented heights. Virgin Galactic’s momentous journey marks the climax of a venture that has faced countless challenges and setbacks over the years.

Aboard Virgin Galactic’s rocket plane were two Italian air force colonels, a talented aerospace engineer from the National Research Council of Italy, a seasoned Virgin Galactic instructor, and the skilled pilots.

Millions of people worldwide eagerly watched on livestreams as the 90-minute journey unfolded, witnessing a remarkable display of science and human innovation.

While this was the company’s sixth piloted space flight, it was the first to carry paying customers, ushering in a new era of space exploration for adventure seekers.

Sirisha Bandla, the Vice President of Government Affairs and Research Operations at Virgin Galactic, was delighted to see Galactic 01 arrive in space, saying, “Welcome to space!”

Their awe-inspiring achievement earned the crew the distinguished title of astronauts, as defined by NASA and the US Air Force, as the surpassed the 50-mile mark above Earth.

As the flight reached its peak height, the crew experienced weightlessness, a sensation of floating. They proudly unfurled an Italian flag, symbolising the power of international cooperation.

Unity then gracefully headed back to Earth, gliding to a smooth landing at Spaceport America in New Mexico.

Celebrating their safe return, Virgin Galactic tweeted, “Welcome back to Earth, #Galactic01! Our pilots, crew, and spaceship have landed smoothly.”

Welcome back to Earth, #Galactic01! Our pilots, crew and spaceship have landed smoothly at @Spaceport_NM. pic.twitter.com/f8YQowQN2x

— Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) June 29, 2023

This groundbreaking flight not only marks a significant moment for Virgin Galactic Holding but also for the entire space tourism industry. Branson’s visionary venture, which was conceived back in 2004, has overcome many obstacles to establish itself as a leader in the commercial space travel field.

With more than 800 tickets already sold, costing approximately €381,825 per seat, Virgin Galactic is looking to expand its fleet to accommodate 400 flights each year. This expansion would offer dreamlike experiences to those with a thirst for the extraordinary, though the costs are likely to remain sky-high for the foreseeable future.

Branson’s pioneering endeavour joins the ranks of fellow billionaire space missions, including Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin and Elon Musk’s SpaceX, in the race to conquer space and redefine human understanding of the universe.

This momentous flight follows Branson’s own historic space voyage two years ago when he embarked on the first fully crewed test spaceflight aboard Unity. Branson also shared his personal congratulations on the Galactic 01 flight, taking to Twitter to thank the Italian astronauts.

Che volo fantastico! An historic moment – @virgingalactic’s first commercial spaceflight completed. Ben fatto #Galactic01 https://t.co/eWHfISJjz0 pic.twitter.com/7NU5JdoyDT

— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) June 29, 2023

With each milestone, Virgin Galactic and other pioneering companies move towards the goal of making commercial space travel a reality.