SpaceShipTwo Update: GALACTIC 07 (and VSS Unity's Final Mission) Is in the Books...

Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic Completes 12th Successful Spaceflight (News Release - June 8)

Galactic 07 Carries Five Research Payloads During Company’s Seventh Research Mission

After Today’s Final Commercial Flight of VSS Unity, Momentum Builds for Production of Delta-Class Spaceships

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. – Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SPCE) (“Virgin Galactic” or the “Company”) today announced the completion of its second spaceflight of 2024 and 12 mission to date, carrying one researcher and three private astronauts. Today’s Galactic 07 flight marks the Company’s seventh research mission with Virgin Galactic’s spaceship again serving as a suborbital lab for space-based scientific research.

Onboard Galactic 07:

· Astronaut 027 – Tuva Cihangir Atasever, Turkish Space Agency (TUA) astronaut and Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) Backup Mission Specialist

· Astronaut 028 – Anand “Andy” Harish Sadhwani, California, USA

· Astronaut 029 – Irving Izchak Pergament, New York, USA

· Astronaut 030 – Giorgio Manenti, Italy

On today’s flight, Atasever flew with three human-tended experiments, including custom headgear with brain activity monitoring sensors to collect physiological data related to human spaceflight; a dosimeter; and two commercially-available insulin pens to examine the ability to administer accurate insulin doses in microgravity. He also participated in four investigations carried out by Turkish researchers on the ground to understand physiological changes during suborbital spaceflight.

Galactic 07 also flew two autonomous rack-mounted payloads supported by NASA’s Flight Opportunities program: a Purdue University experiment to study propellant slosh for spacecraft propulsion applications and a University of California, Berkeley experiment to test new 3D printing technology while in microgravity.

The flight was Virgin Galactic’s seventh spaceflight carrying microgravity and space-based research, following last year’s research missions, Galactic 05 with U.S. Planetary Scientist Dr. Alan Stern and U.S. Payload Specialist and Bioastronautics Researcher Kellie Gerardi, and Galactic 01 with the Italian Air Force and National Research Council. VSS Unity was piloted by Commander Nicola Pecile and Pilot Jameel Janjua.

VMS Eve was piloted by Commander Andy Edgell and Pilot C.J. Sturckow.

Galactic 07 In-Flight Facts:

Take-off Time: 8:31 AM, MDT (7:31 AM, PDT)

Altitude at Release: 44,562 feet (13,582 meters)

Apogee: 54.4 miles (87.5 kilometers)

Top Speed: Mach 2.96

Landing Time: 9:41 AM, MDT (8:41 AM, PDT)

Source: Virgin Galactic

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Virgin Galactic


Michael López-Alegría


Virgin Galactic

SpaceShipTwo Update: GALACTIC 05 Is in the Books...

Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic Completes Sixth Successful Spaceflight in Six Months (Press Release - November 2)

Flight Showcases Company’s Unique Suborbital Science-Lab Capabilities

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. – Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SPCE) (“Virgin Galactic” or the “Company”) today announced the completion of its sixth space mission in six months and tenth to date. The Galactic 05 mission saw Virgin Galactic’s spaceship converted into a suborbital lab for space-based scientific research for the second time.

Michael Colglazier, CEO of Virgin Galactic, said: “Providing researchers with reliable and repeatable access to a high-quality microgravity environment is vital to our mission of expanding human knowledge and enabling scientific discoveries. We are proud to support the work of the Southwest Research Institute and International Institute for Astronautical Sciences with today’s flight, and we will use insights from the mission to enhance the research capabilities of our future Delta-class spaceships. We look forward to playing an increasingly important role in space research in the years ahead.”

Onboard Galactic 05:

· Astronaut 020 – Dr. Alan Stern, U.S. Planetary Scientist and Associate Vice President in Southwest Research Institute’s (SwRI) Space Sector

· Astronaut 021 – Kellie Gerardi, U.S. Payload Specialist and Bioastronautics Researcher for the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS)

· Astronaut 022 – Ketty Pucci-Sisti Maisonrouge, Private Astronaut

Dr. Alan Stern, U.S. Planetary Scientist and Associate Vice President in Southwest Research Institute’s (SwRI) Space Sector, said: “The success of this mission is another important step in the development of the scientific and educational use cases for commercial suborbital vehicles. The potential here is literally astronomical.”

Dr. Stern flew with two human-tended experiments, including a biomedical harness to collect physiological data related to human spaceflight. He also conducted practice routines and procedures in preparation for a future NASA-funded suborbital research flight.

Kellie Gerardi, U.S. Payload Specialist and Bioastronautics Researcher for the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS), said: “The suborbital science potential for Institutes like ours is unprecedented and I’m also struck by the broader societal impact of commercial human spaceflight — after today’s mission, Virgin Galactic is now responsible for producing 10% of the world’s female astronauts, and I look forward to seeing that number soar for my daughter’s generation.”

Gerardi flew with three payloads, two of which evaluated novel healthcare technologies in microgravity conditions through the collection of biometric data. The third payload examined how confined fluid behaves to inform future healthcare technologies in space.

Galactic 05 was Virgin Galactic’s sixth spaceflight carrying microgravity and space-based research and its second in 2023, following Galactic 01, a research mission with the Italian Air Force and National Research Council.

VSS Unity was piloted by Commander Mike Masucci and Pilot Kelly Latimer, with Astronaut Instructor Colin Bennett on board. VMS Eve was piloted by Commander Jameel Janjua and Pilot Andy Edgell.

Galactic 05 In-Flight Facts:

Take-off Time: 9:00 AM, MDT (8:00 AM, PDT)

Altitude at Release: 44,701 feet (13,625 meters)

Apogee: 54.2 miles (87.2 kilometers)

Top Speed: Mach 2.96

Landing Time: 9:59 AM, MDT (8:59 AM, PDT)

The Company will now proceed with post-flight analysis and routine as well as planned annual vehicle inspections before re-commencing standard pre-flight readiness procedures ahead of its next commercial space mission, Galactic 06, scheduled for January next year.

Source: Virgin Galactic

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Where humanity and science unite. #Galactic05 pic.twitter.com/Tw1mfsc2SU

— Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) November 3, 2023

Virgin Galactic Has Officially Commenced Commercial Spaceflight Operations...

Virgin Galactic

Earlier today, VSS Unity soared towards the edge of space a little over a month after the Unity 25 mission on May 25. Aboard the suborbital vehicle for this morning's inaugural commercial spaceflight, Galactic 01, were three members of the Italian Air Force: Col. Walter Villadei, Lt. Col. Angelo Landolfi and Pantaleone Carlucci.

Virgin Galactic's astronaut instructor Colin Bennett was the fourth passenger on Galactic 01.

Here are the stats from today's flight:

Take-off Time: 8:30 AM, MDT (7:30 AM, PDT)

Release Altitude: 44,500 feet (13,564 meters)

Apogee: 52.9 miles (85.1 kilometers)

Landing Time: 9:42 AM, MDT (8:42 AM, PDT)

Number of Scientific Payloads: 13

With Virgin Galactic's first scientific research mission now in the books, the company looks ahead to Galactic 02...which will see the first private paying passengers soaring aboard VSS Unity this August.

Stay tuned!


Virgin Galactic


Virgin Galactic


Virgin Galactic

SpaceShipTwo Update: Virgin Galactic Achieves a Major Milestone with the UNITY 25 Flight...

Virgin Galactic

Earlier today, the VSS Unity soared towards the edge of space for the first time since the Unity 22 mission on July 11, 2021. Aboard the suborbital spacecraft for this morning's test flight were Virgin Galactic astronaut trainer Beth Moses (making her third flight towards the Kármán line on SpaceShipTwo, or SS2) and three fellow passengers: Jamila Gilbert, Christopher Huie and Luke Mays.

Mike Masucci and CJ Sturckow were at the controls on VSS Unity, while Jameel Janjua and Nicola Pecile piloted SS2's mothership, VMS Eve, for Unity 25.

Here are the stats from today's flight:

Take-off Time: 9:15 AM, MDT (8:15 AM, PDT)

Release Altitude: 44,500 feet (13,564 meters)

Apogee: 54.2 miles (87.2 kilometers)

Landing Time: 10:37 AM, MDT (9:37 AM, PDT)

Assuming that the results from today's rocket-powered test above New Mexico look really good, Virgin Galactic will begin commercial spaceline operations next month! The first paying passengers will fly aboard VSS Unity on the Galactic 01 research mission in late June.

Stay tuned!


Virgin Galactic


Virgin Galactic

Three words we love to hear: "Welcome to space!" Thank you for joining us on this journey.

Next stop: Commercial Service! Watch the official #VirginGalactic recap from our #Unity25 spaceflight. pic.twitter.com/IawvG0vN5i

— Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) May 26, 2023