Virgin Galactic's second commercial spaceflight is underway
%2Favatars%2FaJImjL87n6vb.png&w=96&q=75)
%2F2023%2F07%2F16%2Fimage%2Fjpeg%2Fu37IPdjQaVwRtAvRIoZ3QWbrIPCL1bp4zXOt1TLB.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Prepare for the next big leap in space tourism because Virgin Galactic has just announced the flight window for its second commercial spaceflight. Galactic 02 is scheduled to blast off as soon as August 10th!
Virgin Galactic hasn't announced the names of the lucky passengers joining this cosmic adventure just yet. But we do know that there will be three passengers on board, along with the usual crew.
The first commercial flight, Galactic 01, took place in late June, but it was more of a research-focused mission with Italian government workers conducting microgravity studies. However, this time around, it's all about the civilians. While it's not entirely clear what the civilian crew of Galactic 02 will be up to, one thing's for sure—they'll be tourists on a lifetime journey.
Ramping up operations in preparation
Virgin Galactic has been working hard to ramp up its operations in recent months, overcoming previous delays. Galactic 02 will mark the company's seventh spaceflight and its third in 2023 alone.
With this increased frequency, Virgin Galactic strives to establish a "regular cadence" of flights. If all goes well, we might soon see space travel becoming more routine, like catching a flight to your favorite vacation spot.
But it's not just about the thrill of the journey. Virgin Galactic's financial future is also riding on the success of these flights. The company has been operating at a loss for years, with a staggering $500 million loss in 2022 alone.
While the $450,000 price tag per ticket won't single-handedly recoup those losses, paying customers are a crucial piece of the puzzle. The more people who hop on board, the softer the blow to Virgin Galactic's balance sheet and the stronger the case for the future of space tourism.
Virgin Galactic isn't the only player in the space tourism game. Blue Origin and SpaceX have already sent civilians into space, reaching altitudes higher than the 50-plus miles Virgin flies. However, what sets Virgin apart is its ambitious plans for regular launch schedules specifically catered to tourists.
SpaceX's lunar trips are still on hold until they finish testing Starship, and Blue Origin is waiting to resume flights after a rocket failure last year. That puts Virgin Galactic at the forefront of the space tourism race, especially if they can maintain the pace they've set this summer.
With Virgin Galactic's second commercial spaceflight on the horizon, the thrill of space travel is becoming more tangible than ever.
SHOW COMMENT (1)
/2023/08/17/image/jpeg/wkfQOEAHMgv7YekMUPWWlPJGY7Fn1Pa2blepLs4m.jpg "Too hot to fly? The effects of heatwaves on air travel")
/2023/07/21/image/jpeg/pwUEpl3SEm3I6iWC1XTLeopv0EMwhfrJ684imYyT.jpg "Are wines losing the battle against climate change?")
/2023/08/03/image/jpeg/Q9IvuRvY7jvsrewv390Jv5WQd2bAFZMorhVeIFE9.jpg "Does hydrogen have a future as a clean energy source?")
/2023/09/23/image/jpeg/Kap6NAa8IoTyQmZQEwB4waL2MWykBpyJc9piLpRK.jpg "The genius engineering behind 3D-printed rockets")
/2023/07/21/image/jpeg/0qzg4GvfJ7YLPbXN4IP39aoDZTq8LToaYgJCt0AI.jpg "Is deep sea mining worth it?")
/2023/09/12/image/jpeg/E1LfUWjqRrg0bFqBnRzB7XzmfJAd6YPNclMl5I9n.jpg "How AI can revolutionize health on long-duration spaceflights")
/2023/09/23/image/jpeg/9fsKSWRxyPmZZ6TbJoC0urwAKJUdeMfRlPRYW3CR.jpg "Earth’s crust and mantle grew in sync, study finds")
/2023/09/08/image/jpeg/GOJZju4tHdDbyhKWk3l1w2NRhwbGMATEVgpOcDBQ.jpg "The future of medicine could lie in organoid research")
/2023/09/23/image/jpeg/cGOeGwdWJ02fZSawTOjXC9mbyIH0ihwm8Mnpn7bJ.jpg "ISRO tries to wake up Chandrayaan-3 after lunar night, no response yet")
/2023/09/23/image/jpeg/EkaUs1PFMs22T2bo39a8T3BslgZ8qxot4rm0p91i.jpg "Upcoming Northern Lights to be the strongest in 20 years")