Virgin Galactic is ready for its first spaceflight in almost two years.
galactic virgin will send its next crew into space not before Thursday (May 25) at 10 am EDT (8 am MDT) from Spaceport America in New Mexico. While the events will not be broadcast live, you will likely be able to watch them on Virgin Galactic Twitter.
Eight crew members, all Virgin Galactic employees, will participate. It is the fifth time the company has ventured into space and the first since July 11, 2021, when the founder of Virgin Group ricardo branson he was one of the passengers. (The company has been updating and testing its vehicles ever since.)
The spaceflight will see two pilots from the VMS Eve transport plane take the VSS Unity spaceplane to an altitude of approximately 50,000 feet (15,000 meters). Eve will then launch Unity, the two pilots of which will use the spacecraft’s rocket engine to fly four crew members beyond 50 miles (80 kilometers), high enough to reach space by some definitions.
Virgin Galactic has said the flight, known as Unity 25, will be the last test before commercial service begins. Follow along with the flight and its crew members in the gallery below.
Virgin Galactic uses a transport plane, VMS Eve, and a spacecraft called VSS Unity for spaceflight. Here the duo are seen during the Unity 24 test flight. (Image credit: Virgin Galactic)
Unity 25’s VSS Unity Commander Mike Masucci, left, shakes hands with fellow Virgin Galactic pilot Dave McKay after a previous flight, as seen in a still image from a company video . (Image credit: Virgin Galactic)
CJ Sturckow, VSS Unity pilot on Unity 25, is a former NASA astronaut who flew four Space Shuttle missions before joining Virgin Galactic. Here he prepares for command of the STS-128 mission during training with NASA in 2009. (Image credit: NASA)
Jameel Janjua, Commander of Unity 25’s VMS Eve, in a screenshot from a 2013 Canadian Armed Forces promotional video. Janjua previously served as a weapons instructor and fighter pilot. (Image credit: Canadian Armed Forces)
Unity 25 crew member Beth Moses, a Virgin Galactic Lead Astronaut Instructor, has been in space on two previous Virgin Galactic flights. Here, Moses looks out the window of VSS Unity during a test flight with pilots Dave Mackay and Michael “Sooch” Masucci on February 22, 2018. (Image credit: Virgin Galactic)
Virgin Galactic Unity 25 crew member and mission specialist Christopher Huie in a simulator before spaceflight, in a still image from a training video. (Image credit: Virgin Galactic)
Mission specialist Jamila Gilbert during a training flight, ahead of Unity 25 spaceflight with Virgin Galactic, in a still image from training video. (Image credit: Virgin Galactic)
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
