As it prepares to start charging consumers for quick excursions into space, Virgin Galactic performed what is anticipated to be its final test flight on Thursday, which the space tourism business called a wonderful accomplishment.
Six company personnel, including two pilots, touched down at Spaceport America in southern New Mexico following the brief up-and-down voyage that featured a brief period of weightlessness.
Journey of Wonder and Exploration of Virgin Galactic
The spacecraft was carried by the mother ship for nearly an hour until it reached a height of 13,563 meters (about 44,500 feet), at which point it was let off and activated its rocket motor to make the final ascent.
According to the company, it rose to a height of 87 kilometers before returning to the runway.
Those on board who were assessing how it will be for paying customers included Jamila Gilbert, who is from southern New Mexico and oversees the company’s internal communications.
It was difficult for her to describe the experience, and she said that it would probably take a lifetime for her to fully comprehend the sights and sensations that filled the interval between the rocket’s ignition and the spacecraft’s ascent to its greatest point.
Anticipation of 400 Annual Flights from Spaceport America
Christopher Huie, a fellow crew member, claimed it appeared as though everything came to a standstill as the spacecraft was released from the carrier aircraft.
The launch occurred almost two years after founder Richard Branson sent the firm into orbit ahead of fellow billionaire and founder of Amazon Jeff Bezos and rocket company Blue Origin.
Federal aviation regulators had previously prohibited Virgin Galactic launches following Branson’s flight to look into an incident.
Virgin Galactic has been attempting for more than ten years to transport paying customers on brief space flights, and in 2021 the company finally received approval from the federal authorities.
Over the past ten years, over 800 tickets have been sold, with the first batch selling for $200,000 each. Each ticket now costs $450,000.
Virgin Galactic has launched five spacecraft since 2018, and once it completes construction of its newest class of rocket-powered aircraft at a site in nearby Arizona, it plans to launch 400 spacecraft annually from Spaceport America.
Read more: SpaceX: Former NASA Astronaut And Paying Customers Embark On Space Journey