Richard Branson’s space enterprise will be able to finally compete with Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin once the launch is complete. Virgin Galactic made the announcement yesterday on the members of the crew that will be on board the forthcoming “Galactic 01” voyage on June 29.
In addition to Colin Bennett, the main astronaut instructor for Virgin Galactic, two senior members of the Italian airforce named Walter Villadei and Angelo Landolfi, and Pantaleone Carlucci, a pilot and technical engineer from the National Research Council of Italy, will accompany the crew during the mission.
How Long Is The Virgin Galactic Flight?
The trip, which has been given the designation Galactic 01, will take just 90 minutes. It is about the same length as a typical movie, but it costs approximately 30,000 times as much as a ticket to a theater that costs fifteen pounds.
Virgin Galactic successfully launched a 60-minute flight to the edge of space with civilians onboard.@GadiNBC spoke to the three new astronauts who got the ride of a lifetime. pic.twitter.com/Ke1w24q5IL
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) August 11, 2023
However, they make sure that their passengers are comfortable and have an excellent view out of one of the 17 port-hole-style windows that are located within the rocket. Even though the time spent in space is limited, and even more so when flyers will be experiencing microgravity (when they will be able to feel as though they are not carrying any weight), the time will be utilized effectively.
A suborbital science lab has been installed within the cabin of the SpaceShipTwo aircraft VSS Unity, which is the rocket-powered spaceplane that transports passengers for Virgin Galactic. During the course of the journey, which will last for a total of ninety minutes, the crew will carry out a number of scientific investigations in suborbital space. These will include the validation of apparatus for the measurement of cosmic radiation as well as the investigation of a variety of substances in microgravity.
How Much Does It Cost?
It comes at a high price. However, a voyage to the stars that would have been once in a lifetime was never going to happen. The grand figure is a staggering whopping $450,000 (or 353,000 pounds).
However, there will not be a single lump sum. Before they can submit their Spaceflight Application, paying consumers are required to give up $10,000 (£7,860) to Virgin Galactic in exchange for a temporary credit card authorisation. The fact that this has been completed ensures that the organization will consider your application.
After your application has been reviewed and approved, you will be extended an invitation to participate in a personal conversation with what is known as Virgin Galactic’s Astronaut Office. During this call, you will be given the opportunity to discuss specifics and ask questions.
In the event that you choose to make a confirmed reservation, the next step is to fill out the necessary documentation and make a deposit of 150,000 dollars (118,000 pounds). When this happens, it means that your trip into space is about to happen for real, and you may finally start getting enthusiastic about it. The final sum of $300,000 (£236,000) is required the year before you are scheduled to fly.
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Those with a thirst for adventure will have the opportunity to recoup their initial deposit of $125,000 (£98,250). The remaining sum of $25,000 (or £19,650) is, on the other hand, non-refundable; it is just the fee that must be paid to earn the title of “astronaut.” The United States Space Agency and the United States Air Force confer the title of astronaut upon anyone who travels at an altitude of more than 50 miles (80 kilometers).
During the May launch of the VSS Unity spaceplane, which was successful, the vehicle was hung 54.2 miles above the surface of the Earth for three minutes. During this time, the passengers were able to experience the sensation of weightlessness that comes from being so far from the globe. The fact that there are only a limited number of tickets available helps those of us on the ground better comprehend the exorbitant price tag. There has a maximum capacity of six persons in the air at once, including two pilots. Follow us on our website The Current Online for more updates.