Virgin Galactic’s 1st Space Tourists Finally Soar, An Olympian And A Mother-Daughter Duo

It was the first time four more women were on a space journey than men, thanks to the Virgin Galactic astronaut trainer and one of the two pilots.

When the ship was released from the twin-fuselage airplane that had carried it aloft, families and friends below cheered as it ignited its rocket motor. About 15 minutes of the trip were spent by the rocket ship, which traveled 55 miles (88 km) in altitude.

Virgin Galactic had made seven trips to orbit since 2018, but this was the first time one had a ticket holder. In 2021, the company’s creator, Richard Branson, climbed aboard for the first full-size crew ride. On the first commercial flight, military and governmental researchers from Italy took to the skies in June. According to the business, there are currently 800 people on the Virgin Galactic waiting list.

The capsules used by SpaceX and Blue Origin are entirely autonomous and parachute back to Earth, in contrast to Virgin Galactic’s plane-launched rocket ship.

From West Texas, Blue Origin makes fast ascents and descends towards the outer reaches of space, similar to Virgin Galactic. Blue Origin has launched 31 passengers, but flights have been suspended due to a rocket mishap last autumn. The capsule, which was empty except for certain experiments, landed unharmed.

It was the first time four more women were on a space journey than men, thanks to the Virgin Galactic astronaut trainer and one of the two pilots.

Only one private business, SpaceX, flies paying passengers to orbit, costing tens of millions of dollars each seat. Already, three private crews have flown in it. Since 2020, SpaceX has been relied upon by NASA, one of its largest customers, to transport its astronauts to and from the International Space Station.

Adventure travel has been popular for many years, but risks are involved. The Titan submarine exploded most recently, killing five tourists on their way to the Titanic site. When Virgin Galactic’s rocket plane crashed during a test flight in 2014, one of the pilots was killed.

However, since the first one was launched into orbit in 2001 with the Russians, space tourists have continued to queue up.

Branson, a resident of the British Virgin Islands, observed the flight on Thursday from a gathering in Antigua. The prime minister of the nation, Schahaff’s mother, and other family members accompanied him.

He sent the new space fliers a message on X, formerly Twitter, saying, “Welcome to the club.”

For the company’s initial 50 clients, known as the Founding Astronauts, Branson staged a virtual lottery a few months ago to determine a pecking order. Given his advanced age and Parkinson’s disease, according to Virgin Galactic, the committee decided Goodwin would travel first.

SOURCE – (AP)