Sir Richard Branson, the English business magnate behind the Virgin Group, is set to go to space in his space company's maiden voyage, igniting another avenue for commercial space travel.
The Virgin Group's commercial aerospace arm, Virgin Galactic, claims to be ready for its debut launch in 2021. In a statement released last Monday, the commercial spaceflight company said that it "expects to advance to the next phase of its test flight program" later this year with two crewed demonstrations.
MOJAVE, CA - DECEMBER 7: Virgin Galactic unveils its new SpaceShipTwo spacecraft at the Mojave Spaceport on December 7, 2009 near Mojave, California.
Virgin's Passenger Flights to Space
"Assuming both flights demonstrate the expected results, Virgin Galactic anticipates Sir Richard Branson's flight to occur in the first quarter of 2021," Virgin Galactic added. Branson, founder of the Galactic company as well as the entire Virgin group, will make the groundbreaking flight before formally opening the space trip commercially.
Virgin Galactic has previously postponed its commercial passenger flights, set to take willing individuals into Earth's orbit. The company claimed that 600 people have already reserved a seat in the commercial space flight, each paying an equivalent of $250,000 in reservation.
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Founded in 2004 and having facilities in Spaceport America in New Mexico and in the Civilian Aerospace Test Center in Mojave, California, Virgin Galactic was Branson's expansion in the commercial spaceflight industry. The company unveiled its "space tourism jet" back in July 2008, with Branson hoping for a maiden space flight before 2009 ends. However, it has faced a number of setbacks over the years, including the infamous in-flight loss of the SpaceShipTwo VSS Enterprise back in 2014. A pilot error ended in a devastating spacecraft crash.
In December 2018, their SpaceShipTwo VSS Unity achieved the company's first suborbital space flight, with two pilots manning the spacecraft towards "outer space" under US standards. The same Virgin Galactic craft carried three more people, with one passenger, last February 2019 on its VSS Unity VF-01 mission.
The Tricky Yet Promising Space Tourism Industry
One of the goals of Virgin Galactic is to let passengers experience space flight with its own fleet. However, delivering passengers into what the US defines as outer space. First, the craft carrying the passengers is mounted on a special plane, taking it up to high altitudes. Next, the passenger-loaded craft detaches soon after beginning its own ignition - accelerating at 3.5g, or three and a half times of the Earth's gravitational force.
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After the spacecraft's acceleration upwards the Earth's atmosphere, it later cuts the engine. This rapid shift in the craft's momentum creates that weightless sensation comparable to how astronauts move around in outer space. Starting from its highest point some 50 miles above the Earth's surface, the passengers then begin their descent. The controlled fall is often guided halfway, with the vessel gliding to Virgin Galactic's Spaceport America facility.
The maiden space voyage set next year will be Sir Richard Branson's latest adventure. The 70-year-old business magnate and philanthropist has previously aimed at breaking world records. His first attempt, in 1985, was when Branson attempted the "fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean." His Virgin Atlantic Challenger capsized in British waters, requiring assistance from a helicopter with the Royal Air Force. He tried the same challenge again a year later, succeeding and beating the record by two hours with assistance from sailor Daniel McCarthy.
For an update on Virgin Galactic aircrafts, check out the design of their spaceship cabin below:
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