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Virgin Galactic’s first space tourists finally soar, an Olympian and a mother-daughter duo

Virgin Galactic rocketed to the edge of space with its first tourists Thursday, including a former British Olympian who bought his ticket 18 years ago and a mother-daughter duo from the Caribbean. (August 10) (Production Marissa Duhaney)

This photo provided Virgin Galactic shows passengers during Virgin Galactic’s first space tourism flight on Thursday Aug. 10, 2023. Virgin Galactic rocketed to the edge of space with its first tourists Thursday. The space plane glided back to a runway landing at Spaceport America in the New Mexico desert, after a brief flight that gave passengers a few minutes of weightlessness.(Virgin Galactic via AP)

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Virgin Galactic’s rocket-powered plane Unity 22, lands after a short flight to the edge of space at Spaceport America, near Truth or Consequences, N.M., Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. Virgin Galactic is taking its first space tourists on a long-delayed rocket ship ride. (AP Photo/Andrés Leighton)

Virgin Galactic’s rocket-powered plane Unity 22, left, flies past its mothership Eve on its way to the edge of space after taking off from Spaceport America, near Truth or Consequences, N.M., Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. Virgin Galactic is taking its first space tourists on a long-delayed rocket ship ride. (AP Photo/Andrés Leighton)

Virgin Galactic’s mothership Eve, carrying the rocket-powered plane Unity 22, flies after taking off from Spaceport America, near Truth or Consequences, N.M., Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. Virgin Galactic is taking its first space tourists on a long-delayed rocket ship ride. (AP Photo/Andrés Leighton)

Space tourists, from left, Anastatia Mayers, Jon Goodwin and Keisha Schahaff pose for photos before boarding their Virgin Galactic flight at Spaceport America, near Truth or Consequences, N.M., Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. Virgin Galactic is taking its first space tourists on a long-delayed rocket ship ride. (AP Photo/Andrés Leighton)

Guests wave flags of Antigua and Barbuda while watching the return of Virgin Galactic’s rocket-powered plane Unity at Spaceport America, near Truth or Consequences, N.M., Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. Virgin Galactic is taking its first space tourists on a long-delayed rocket ship ride, including a British former Olympian and a mother-daughter duo from the Caribbean island. (AP Photo/Andrés Leighton)

Space tourists, from left, Anastatia Mayers, Jon Goodwin and Keisha Schahaff walk to the tarmac before boarding their Virgin Galactic flight at Spaceport America, near Truth or Consequences, N.M., Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. Virgin Galactic is taking its first space tourists on a long-delayed rocket ship ride. (AP Photo/Andrés Leighton)

Virgin Galactic’s mothership Eve, carrying the rocket-powered plane Unity 22, takes off from Spaceport America, near Truth or Consequences, N.M., Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. Virgin Galactic is taking its first space tourists on a long-delayed rocket ship ride. (AP Photo/Andrés Leighton)

TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M. (AP) — Virgin Galactic rocketed to the edge of space with its first tourists Thursday, a former British Olympian who bought his ticket 18 years ago and a mother-daughter duo from the Caribbean.

The space plane glided back to a runway landing at Spaceport America in the New Mexico desert, after a brief flight that gave passengers a few minutes of weightlessness.

This first private customer flight had been delayed for years; its success means Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic can now start offering monthly rides, joining Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the space tourism business.

“That was by far the most awesome thing I’ve ever done in my life,” said Jon Goodwin, who competed in canoeing in the 1972 Olympics.

Goodwin, 80, was among the first to buy a Virgin Galactic ticket in 2005 and feared, after later being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, that he’d be out of luck. Since then he’s climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and cycled back down, and said he hopes his spaceflight shows others with Parkinson’s and other illnesses that ”it doesn’t stop you doing things.”

Ticket prices were $200,000 when Goodwin signed up. The cost is now $450,000.

He was joined on the flight by sweepstakes winner Keisha Schahaff, 46, a health coach from Antigua, and her daughter, Anastatia Mayers, 18, a student at Scotland’s University of Aberdeen. They high-fived and pumped their fists as the spaceport crowd cheered their return.

“A childhood dream has come true,” said Schahaff, who took pink Antiguan sand up with her. Added her daughter: “I have no words. The only thought I had the whole time was ‘Wow!’ ”

With the company’s astronaut trainer and one of the two pilots, it marked the first time women outnumbered men on a spaceflight, four to two.

Cheers erupted from families and friends watching below when the craft’s rocket motor fired after it was released from the twin-fuselage aircraft that had carried it aloft. The rocket ship’s portion of the flight lasted about 15 minutes and it reached 55 miles (88 kilometers) high.

It was Virgin Galactic’s seventh trip to space since 2018, but the first with a ticket-holder. Branson, the company’s founder, hopped on board for the first full-size crew ride in 2021. Italian military and government researchers soared in June on the first commercial flight. About 800 people are currently on Virgin Galactic’s waiting list, according to the company.

In contrast to Virgin Galactic’s plane-launched rocket ship, the capsules used by SpaceX and Blue Origin are fully automated and parachute back down.

Like Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin aims for the fringes of space, quick ups-and-downs from West Texas. Blue Origin has launched 31 people so far, but flights are on hold following a rocket crash last fall. The capsule, carrying experiments but no passengers, landed intact.

SpaceX, is the only private company flying customers all the way to orbit, charging a much heftier price, too: tens of millions of dollars per seat. It’s already flown three private crews. NASA is its biggest customer, relying on SpaceX to ferry its astronauts to and from the International Space Station. since 2020.

People have been taking on adventure travel for decades, the risks underscored by the recent implosion of the Titan submersible that killed five passengers on their way down to view the Titanic wreckage. Virgin Galactic suffered its own casualty in 2014 when its rocket plane broke apart during a test flight, killing one pilot. Yet space tourists are still lining up, ever since the first one rocketed into orbit in 2001 with the Russians.

Branson, who lives in the British Virgin Islands, watched Thursday’s flight from a party in Antigua. He was joined by the country’s prime minister, as well as Schahaff’s mother and other relatives.

“Welcome to the club,” he told the new spacefliers via X, formerly Twitter.

Several months ago, Branson held a virtual lottery to establish a pecking order for the company’s first 50 customers — dubbed the Founding Astronauts. Virgin Galactic said the group agreed Goodwin would go first, given his age and his Parkinson’s.

This story has been updated to correct introductory price to $200,000, not $250,000.

Dunn reported from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Virgin Galactic is finally sending its first tourists to space

TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M. — Virgin Galactic is taking its first space tourists on a long-delayed rocket ship ride, including a former British Olympian who bought his ticket 18 years ago and a mother-daughter duo from the Caribbean.

The  flight window opens  Thursday morning at Spaceport America in the New Mexico desert for a ride to the edge of space. If all goes well, Richard Branson’s company will begin offering monthly trips to customers on its winged space plane, joining Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the space tourism business.

Virgin Galactic passenger Jon Goodwin, who was among the first to buy a ticket in 2005, said he had faith that he would someday make the trip. The 80-year-old athlete — he competed in canoeing in the 1972 Olympics — has Parkinson’s disease and wants to be an inspiration to others.

“I hope it shows them that these obstacles can be the start rather than the end to new adventures,” he said in a statement.

Ticket prices were $200,000 when Goodwin signed up. The cost is now $450,000.

He’ll be joined by sweepstakes winner Keisha Schahaff, 46, a health coach from Antigua, and her daughter, Anastatia Mayers, 18, student at Scotland’s University of Aberdeen. Also aboard the plane-launched craft, which glides to a space shuttle-like landing: two pilots and the company’s astronaut trainer.

It will be Virgin Galactic’s seventh trip to space since 2018, the first with a ticket-holder. Branson, the company’s founder, hopped on board for  the first full-size crew ride  in 2021. Italian military and government researchers  soared in June  on the first commercial flight. About 800 people are currently on Virgin Galactic’s waiting list, according to the company.

Virgin Galactic’s rocket ship launches from the belly of an airplane, not from the ground, and requires two pilots in the cockpit. Once the mothership reaches about 50,000 feet (about 10 miles), the space plane is released and fires its rocket motor to make the final push to just over 50 miles up. Passengers can unstrap from their seats, float around the cabin for a few minutes and take in the sweeping views of Earth, before the space plane glides back home and lands on a runway.

The Associated Press

Virgin Galactic ticket sales to open to the public

Virgin Galactic has announced that ticket sales will open to the general public on 16 February, giving anyone access to purchase one of the initial spaceflight reservations.

“At Virgin Galactic, we believe that space is transformational,” said Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier. “We plan to have our first 1,000 customers on board at the start of commercial service later this year, providing an incredibly strong foundation as we begin regular operations and scale our fleet.”

Virgin Galactic space reservations include access to the Future Astronaut community – designed and curated to bring inspiration, excitement and adventure from the time of ticket purchase to spaceflight and beyond. Future Astronauts will enjoy access to money-can’t-buy-experiences, events and space-readiness activities while they await their spaceflight.

Virgin Galactic’s spaceflights launch from Spaceport America in New Mexico. Starting with several days of spaceflight preparedness activities, future astronauts will stay with their guests at custom accommodations. Guests will be able to enjoy bespoke itineraries and world-class amenities while astronauts are busy with their training programmes.

The spaceflight itself is a 90-minute journey including a signature air launch and Mach-3 boost to space. The spaceship gracefully flips while astronauts enjoy several minutes of out-of-seat weightlessness and breath-taking views of Earth from the spaceship’s 17 windows. Upon return from this transformational experience, astronauts will begin a meaningful journey to create a positive impact with the perspective that can only come from seeing our beautiful planet from space.

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To mark the launch of public sales, Virgin Galactic has unveiled a new consumer brand, designed to capture the love, wonder and awe of the experience of viewing Earth from space – and to inspire generations of future astronauts around the world. The new brand identity features the spaceship, the very definition of engineering excellence, a celebration of pioneering design, and an icon wholly unique to the Virgin Galactic spaceflight experience.

“We have developed a compelling and effective sales process to support the growth of our commercial business,” said Blair Rich, President and Chief Business Officer, Commercial and Consumer Operations. “A global, commercial spaceline demands an iconic and timeless brand. It is important that our brand represents our dynamic customer offering, and speaks to our unique experience, style and service.”

Spaceflight reservations are $450,000. Following an initial deposit of $150,000, customers will make their final payment before their flight. If you’re interested in becoming a future astronaut, visit Virgin Galactic to start the application process.

Virgin Galactic's first commercial space flight launches - what happens on board and how much are tickets?

Sir Richard Branson's space tourism company launched its long-awaited first commercial flight into space on Thursday, with passengers experiencing five minutes of weightlessness.

Thursday 29 June 2023 16:54, UK

Virgin Galactic launched its first commercial flight into space on Thursday.

The spaceflight, dubbed the Galactic 01 by Sir Richard Branson's private space tourism company, set off from Spaceport America in New Mexico at 4pm UK time.

Once the carrier aircraft reached around 50,000ft, the rocket was released from underneath and sent in a near-vertical climb to around 50 miles above Earth.

But what is a commercial spaceflight? What happens on board? And what does this mean for the future of space tourism?

What is a commercial spaceflight?

Put simply, it's a flight into space that people pay for.

While Galactic 01 was being billed as Virgin Galactic's first commercial flight, it did not have tourists on board.

Instead, crew members embarked on a scientific research mission.

But when Galactic 02 takes off in August, it will carry paying customers.

What happened on the flight?

Galactic 01 carried three crew members from the Italian Air Force and National Research Council of Italy along with an astronaut instructor from Virgin Galactic.

The 90-minute flight was suborbital, which means it got to the edge of space without going into orbit.

The research crew conducted 13 experiments examining biomedicine thermo-fluid dynamics and microgravity during the flight.

How does the launch work?

The spaceplane is launched in mid-air from a carrier plane at an altitude of about 9.4 miles (15km).

Its rocket then fires the craft and its crew into sub-orbital space at least 50 miles (80km) above Earth.

Passengers experience five minutes of weightlessness.

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How much are tourist tickets?

A ticket for a 90-minute trip to space will set you back $450,000 (£356,000).

According to Virgin Galactic, it's a price people are willing to pay. "Demand is high", the company's website says, with several hundred customers already in line to fly.

What does this mean for the future of space tourism?

After the first tourist flight launches in August, Virgin Galactic flights are expected to take place every month.

The company is hoping to expand its flight schedule during the first years of operation.

Have tourists gone into space before?

American Dennis Tito was the first space tourist in 2001, paying Russia $20m (£16m) to fly to the International Space Station, where he spent a week.

Eight more space tourists travelled on Russian spaceflights between 2001 and 2009.

In 2022, three multimillionaire businessmen flew to the International Space Station on SpaceX 's first private charter flight to the orbiting lab. They each paid $55m (£42m) for the rocket ride and accommodation.

Russia has been hosting visitors at the space station for decades. In 2021, a Russian movie crew was flown up, followed by a Japanese fashion tycoon and his assistant.

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Jeff Bezos's company Blue Origin completed its first human flight in 2021 with four private citizens onboard, including Bezos, his younger brother Mark, an 18-year-old and an 82-year-old.

Thursday's commercial launch of the Virgin Galactic spaceflight follows a successful test flight with Sir Richard Branson on board in 2021.

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Virgin Galactic to Launch Space Tourism Flight as Waiting Lists Grow

Jesse Chase-Lubitz , Skift

June 7th, 2024 at 1:51 PM EDT

Virgin Galactic joins Blue Origin and Space Perspective in aspiring to make the final frontier open to all who can afford it. That's good news for travel agencies like RocketBreaks.

Jesse Chase-Lubitz

Virgin Galactic plans to send a handful of paying passengers to the edge of space on June 8 as the space industry continues to grow and diversify.

“So far, there are about 3,000 to 4,000 people on the waiting lists for these trips,” said David Doughty, co-founder of the space travel agency RocketBreaks . His agency has secured contracts with seven tourists looking to launch into orbit and has set a date for one. 

Virgin Galactic’s flight will take off from New Mexico on Saturday and carry three private passengers from California, New York, and Italy. Tuva Cihangir Atasever , a researcher-astronaut from infrastructure company Axiom Space, and two commanders will accompany them.

Virgin Galactic has not released the identities of the private passengers. 

In an email to Skift, the company said, “We don’t consider our mission to take people to space, “tourism.” Those who fly with us become astronauts in what is a very thoughtful, purposeful journey that begins when they purchase a ticket.”

The passengers, whose identities were not disclosed, will enjoy a roughly 90-minute journey to the edge of space that includes a few minutes of zero gravity.

The company’s website states that spaceflight tickets cost $450,000, though it doesn’t disclose what passengers truly paid. On a recent earnings call, executives said the average price per seat on this flight is over $800,000 hope to charge a ticket price of $600,000 . Blue Origin doesn’t publicize its prices, but they have been said to range between $200,000 and over $1 million .

The space tourism industry

Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic are known for their shorter suborbital flights, while SpaceX focuses on bringing tourists into orbit and to the International Space Station.

In August 2023, Virgin Galactic brought a health and wellness coach and her 18-year-old daughter who had won a fundraising competition by Space for Humanity, a non-profit that seeks to democratize space travel to space.

BlueOrigin , which is owned by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, has sent more than two dozen passengers into space. SpaceX , founded by Elon Musk, brought an all-tourist crew back from space in 2021.

The industry is growing and diversifying. One company, called Space Perspective , is offering an even more luxurious experience, with VIP seating, a toilet, Michelin-star catering, and WiFi. Rather than a 90-minute round trip, this experience would last closer to six hours.

A space travel agency

“This is our number one product,” said Doughty. “People don’t necessarily want this fast 15-minute adrenaline field journey. They want a full experience. There are people that are planning to get married and have the first weddings in space.”

The waiting list for Space Perspective is already about 800 names long, according to Doughty. The first flight is scheduled to launch in 2027.

Virgin Galactic plans to retire its current spacecraft after this flight and start developing a new generation of Delta spaceships, which the company hopes will have the capacity to launch up to eight times per month and carry more passengers. Private astronaut flights are expected to resume in 2026. But the company will have to find a way to stay financially viable in the meantime .

The future of space tourism

RocketBreaks sees the industry widening to different types of experiences. “You can really personalize the experience and we help people find the journey they want,” said Doughty. “We could plan anything from a child meeting an astronaut for his birthday, a bucket list trip in your 70s and you don’t like G-Force, something for a premier league footballer who wants to feel the adrenaline.”

The technology is developing rapidly and confidence is slowly building, said Barry Shanks, director at RocketBreaks. “There’s going to be a great deal of marketing going on, so then I think we will see a rise,” he said. 

“In the long term, like 10 years time, we’re looking at doing a trip around the moon that will be no different than flying from London to Australia,” said Shanks of RocketBreaks.

CORRECTION : This article originally said Virgin Galactic’s latest flight on June 8 would be its second with paying passengers. It will be its seventh. We’ve also added this statement: “On its latest earnings call, the company said the average price per seat on this flight was over $800,000.”

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Tags: space , space tourism , spacex , Travel Experiences , Travel Trends , virgin galactic

Photo credit: Virgin Galactic's first mission carrying passengers in August, 2023. Virgin Galactic

Watch CBS News

Virgin Galactic launches its first space tourist flight, stepping up commercial operations

By William Harwood

Updated on: August 10, 2023 / 1:06 PM EDT / CBS News

Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic picked up the pace in the space tourism marketplace with the launch Thursday of its VSS Unity rocketplane carrying an 80-year-old former British Olympian and a mother and daughter from Antigua and Barbuda who won their tickets to fly through a fundraising lottery for the nonprofit Space for Humanity.

Jon Goodwin, an Olympian canoeist in the 1972 Munich games, health and wellness coach Keisha Schahaff and her daughter Anastatia Mayers, a physics and philosophy student at Aberdeen University, were joined by Virgin Galactic commander C.J. Stuckow, pilot Kelly Latimer and chief astronaut trainer Beth Moses for the up-and-down sub-orbital spaceflight.

Schahaff and Mayers are the first mother and daughter to fly in space together and the first representing the Caribbean island nation of Antigua and Barbuda in the West Indies.

"That was like the most amazing thing I've ever done!" Schahaff said after landing. "Antigua went to space! A childhood dream has come true. I've been to space and back with my daughter. We're making history, and this is just beautiful. The pilots, everyone, they delivered exactly what they said it would be. And if anyone was wondering, Earth is round!"

Said Mayers: "I have no words. The only thought I had the entire time was wow, that's how I can sum up the experience. Just wow."

Judging by live-streamed views from inside the spacecraft as it reached a maximum altitude of nearly 55 miles — nearly five miles above the 50-mile altitude NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration recognize as the "boundary" of space — the passengers were clearly thrilled by the view and the few minutes of weightlessness they experienced.

It was Sturckow's record eighth flight to space — four aboard the space shuttle and now four at the controls of Virgin's spaceplane — while Moses, Virgin's chief astronaut instructor, took her fourth trip aloft aboard Unity. Latimer, Virgin's first female spaceplane pilot, took her first ride, as did the three passengers.

The flight marked a major milestone for Virgin owner Richard Branson, the billionaire entrepreneur and adventurer whose team has been struggling for years to transition from test flights to commercial passenger service, offering brief sojourns in weightlessness for those willing to pay $450,000 for a ticket to ride.

"The fact that I am here, the first to travel to space from Antigua, shows that space really is becoming more accessible," Schahaff said in a pre-flight statement. "I know I will be changed by my experience, and I hope I will be able to share that energy and inspire the people around me in my role as a life coach, a mother and as an ambassador for our beautiful planet."

Schahaff and Mayers won their tickets through a lottery benefiting Space for Humanity, a nonprofit founded by philanthropist and space entrepreneur Dylan Taylor that is devoted to "expanding access to space for all of humanity." Branson personally delivered the tickets.

Goodwin, who bought his ticket to fly in 2005 — the fourth person to reserve a flight — was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2014. But that did not deter him or Virgin Galactic.

"That was by far the most awesome thing I've ever done in my life," Goodwin said after landing. "The thing that surprised me more than everything else was the beauty of the Earth from space. It is completely surreal. I've got some fast cars, but that acceleration was just unbelievable. Thank you Virgin Galactic. It's been 20 years for the wait. But it's been worth every moment of it. Thank you."

With the Unity space plane strapped to the wing of Virgin's twin-fuselage VMS Eve carrier jet, the flight got underway at about 11 a.m. EDT, taking off from Spaceport America's 12,000-foot runway in the New Mexico desert near White Sands Missile Range.

After climbing to an altitude of about 45,000 feet, Unity was released, dropping like a bomb from the carrier jet's wing. Seconds later its hybrid rocket motor ignited, propelling the ship up on a near-vertical climb out of the dense lower atmosphere.

Reaching a velocity of about three times the speed of sound, the rocket motor shut down and the crew was suddenly weightless. Unity continued upward, coasting to a maximum altitude of 54.9 miles.

As they climbed, arced over the top of the trajectory and began descending, Schahaff, Mayers, Goodwin and Moses were able to unstrap and float about the cabin if they wished — the pilots remained strapped in throughout — taking in spectacular views of Earth and space.

Then, with Unity's wings "feathered," that is, swept up about 60 degrees to increase atmospheric drag and slow the descent, the spacecraft plunged back into the discernible atmosphere. The wings then were rotated back to their more traditional orientation and the pilots guided Unity, now flying as a glider, back to touchdown at Spaceport America.

The flight was Virgin's second commercial mission, following on the heels of a flight June 29 that carried  three Italian air force researchers , two Virgin pilots and a company engineer to an altitude of nearly 53 miles.

That flight was chartered by the Italian government while Thursday's flight was the first with "private astronauts." Virgin officials say some 800 applicants are on the waiting list to fly aboard the company's spaceplane.

Blue Origin, owned by Amazon-founder Jeff Bezos, has offered commercial sub-orbital flights aboard its New Shepard spacecraft since 2021, but the company is currently grounded amid work to resolve a booster problem that derailed an unpiloted research mission last year.

Thursday's flight was Virgin's seventh piloted sub-orbital mission since an initial test flight on December 13, 2018. After two more test flights,  Branson and a crew of six  completed the company's fourth space flight on July 11, 2021, climbing to an altitude of 53 miles.

After standing down to upgrade the Eve carrier jet, Virgin launched a fifth piloted test flight with six company employees on May 25, followed by the Italian research mission on June 29. Virgin plans to eventually ramp up to a flight per month.

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• Richard Branson

Bill Harwood has been covering the U.S. space program full-time since 1984, first as Cape Canaveral bureau chief for United Press International and now as a consultant for CBS News.

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You Can Now Book a Ticket to Outer Space

Are you ready to make a spaceflight reservation.

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The VSS “Imagine” is the first SpaceShip III, set to carry space tourists.

Courtesy of Virgin Galactic

It’s one small step for Virgin Galactic . . . and one giant check to write for humankind. As of February 16, spaceflight is back on sale: Today Virgin Galactic reopened online registration for its first commercial flights beyond the Earth’s atmosphere—90-minute, four-passenger journeys that mark the beginning of citizen space tourism.

A limited number of reservations are available for these historic trips, slated to start in late 2022, and a limited number of intrepid travelers will be able to afford the $450,000 ticket . Bookings began as far back as 2014, when high-profile passengers —the Brad Pitts and Lady Gagas of the world—reserved a seat in space for $250,000 apiece. Following successful test flights last summer with Virgin Group founder and billionaire Sir Richard Branson onboard, Virgin Galactic resumed reservations in August with a “purposeful range of product offerings,” CEO Michael Colglazier said in a statement.

“For the private astronaut flights, our products will include a single seat, multi-seat couples, a families and friends package, and a full-flight buyout,” he said. “Prices for this next phase of private astronaut sales will begin at $450,000 per seat. Microgravity research and professional astronaut training flights remain priced at $600,000 on a per seat equivalent basis.”

Given that there isn’t, say, a Kayak for spaceflights yet, all of this begins on the virgingalactic.com website. Click “I want to make a spaceflight reservation now”—which is a scary/exhilarating first step unto itself—so Virgin Galactic receives your application and adds you to the waiting list. (Note: I didn’t go so far as to apply, since I don’t want to be on the hook for a half-mil, but I did fill out the form to learn more about any to-be-determined, way -in-the-future flights. Because why not?!)

By securing a reservation, you also become a Future Astronaut, something akin to Virgin Galactic’s loyalty program of like-minded “pioneers” who have also registered. The company expects more than 700 Future Astronauts to fly, while also receiving access to Virgin Galactic training, tech, and tours. Curiosity-seekers can opt to stay on terra firma and simply learn more about events and experiences, STEM programs and scholarships, and merch (naturally), as well as geek out over space news with fellow amateur and professional scientists. And so, a community is born.

After the first fully crewed spaceflights took off in July 2021—Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity with Branson on July 11, and competitor Blue Origin’s New Shepherd , with founder Jeff Bezos onboard , nine days later—a private space race was officially on. Still, the pursuit of innovation and exploration isn’t without its costs; we don’t know much yet about the environmental toll of space tourism.

What we do know, however, is a little about the experience. Follow along on virgingalactic.com and you learn the following:

Aeronautical engineer Sirisha Bandla was among the gobsmacked passengers on the VSS “Unity” 22 flight.

Aboard a winged spaceship attached to a mothership, Virgin Galactic astronauts will climb to 50,000 feet—about 20,000 feet higher than the average commercial flight—at which point the pilots will call “3, 2, 1, release” and jettison the mothership. (There’s a metaphor about motherhood somewhere in there.) Rockets flare, and the spaceship takes off for suborbit at speeds of up to 2,600 miles per hour, or about three and a half times the speed of sound.

After a one-minute burst, the rockets will go off and passengers will experience what they came all this way for: pure, magical weightlessness in microgravity and views of Earth from 17 windows. For a hospitality company like Virgin Group—Branson’s empire of airlines, hotels, cruises, and now, spaceships—it’s the epitome of a #roomwithaview. But obviously, this trip is so much more than a pretty view. “You can just stop . And look. And soak it in,” says Beth Moses, a Virgin Galactic astronaut and chief astronaut instructor, in a testimonial. “You do get a connection to the home planet . . . on a really solid, spiritual, fundamental level that just sticks with you.”

Despite how life changing that sounds, if you find it hard to commit this week (or you don’t want to sell all your worldy possessions for a ticket), don’t worry: Blue Origin is taking reservations for 2022, 2023–2024, and “2025 and beyond .”

>>Next: Omaze and Virgin Galactic Give Away Seats on a Flight to Space

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Virgin galactic launches first outer space tour.

Passengers included a former Olympian and a mother-daughter duo from Antigua.

By DeMicia Inman

DeMicia Inman

Staff Writer, News

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As a whistleblower claims the United States government has evidence of extraterrestrials visiting Earth , companies are making strides for human beings to leisurely explore space. On Thursday (Aug. 10), hopeful space tourists arrived at Spaceport America in New Mexico to take off on Virgin Glactic’s Galactic-02 space-flight mission on the VSS Unity.

Passengers included six people total — three professionals and three private passengers. Leading the journey were the commander and former Nasa astronaut CJ Sturckow, the pilot Kelly Latimer, and Beth Moses, Virgin Galactic ’s chief astronaut instructor. Former Olympian Jon Goodwin and Antiguan mother-daughter duo Keisha Schahaff and Anastasia Mayers were also aboard for the historic moment.

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According to the Associated Press , Goodwin was among the first to purchase a $200,000 ticket for the mission in 2005. The 80-year-old’s later diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease would prevent him from being able to participate as the trip was delayed for years. AP reported the trip now costs $450,000.

“That was by far the most awesome thing I’ve ever done in my life,” detailed Goodwin.

“A childhood dream has come true,” said Schahaff. According to AP, she took pink Antiguan sand with her for the journey.

“I have no words. The only thought I had the whole time was ‘Wow!’” added Mayers.

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You can now book your $450,000 ticket to fly into space with Virgin Galactic

The fledgling spaceline Virgin Galactic announced it is now selling tickets for seats on its rocket ship to members of the general public who can afford a 90-minute jaunt into space.

Ticket are officially on sale to anyone who can afford one as of February 16. The cost is $450,000 per seat, a price tag the company had previously revealed last August just weeks after founder Sir Richard Branson had reached the edge of space in the Unity spacecraft . The spaceline, which is based in New Mexico, says a third of the cost of the ticket, $150,000, must be paid in an initial deposit ($25,000 of which is non-refundable), and the remaining balance due before the flight takes off.

A hefty price, for sure. But think of the points you'll accrue when you slap down your credit card to reserve your seat.

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If the sky-high price tag would keep your feet firmly planet on earth, there is a points and miles option. Anyone with 2 million Virgin Points can enter a prize draw to redeem those points for a trip with Virgin Galactic - its a three day trip including the two-hour space flight and at least five minutes of weightlessness.

You'll only need to redeem the points if you win the prize draw.

According to CNBC , Virgin Galactic has had about 600 reservations on the books from ticket sales going back several years, when a trip to suborbital space was being sold for about $200,000 to $250,000 per seat. The company actually sold about 100 tickets at the increased $450K price last summer. During Virgin Galactic's most recent earnings call in November, CEO Michael Colglazier said the company had been testing its sales process had sold about 100 seats at the new $450k price point. Its goal is to book 1,000 sales before commercial flights actually begin, which right now appears to be in October.

This marks an encouraging turnaround for the company, which saw its stock price jump by more than 30% on the news of ticket sales reopening. The Wall Street Journal says Virgin Galactic stock has lost 80% of its value in the past year after delays caused the optimism and public-relations buzz from Branson's flight to space on the air-powered Unity rocket to fade. Branson had won the "Billionaire Space Race" by beating Amazon boss Jeff Bezos to the launchpad and getting to space first. Companies like Virgin Galactic and Bezos' Blue Origin have both been trying to develop a viable business model around space tourism.

But there were also safety concerns after a story in the New Yorker revealed that the Federal Aviation Administration was investigating a red warning light that had gone off in the cockpit during Branson's flight. The FAA grounded all flights as it probed the incident, but eventually gave Virgin Galactic approval to resume operations.

Featured Image courtesy of VirginGalactic.com.

Virgin Galactic (SPCE): A Gamble on Commercial Space Flight

V irgin Galactic (NYSE:SPCE) was the first among an alluring small group, including Blue Origin and SpaceX, to advance the commercial space flight revolution. However, despite the initial hype, Virgin has shown an alarming pattern of unfulfilled promises, pauses in space flights, shareholder dilution, expectations for imminent layoffs, and projected revenue contraction, leading to its stock price plummeting 98% in the past three years. The recent reverse stock split further fueled the company’s bearish outlook.

Yet, the company reports completing its Delta spaceship manufacturing facility marks a turning point in its ability to resume flights, for which it claims to have an 800-person waitlist. The increased competition from other major players, regulatory scrutiny, and ongoing technical delays create considerable skepticism about Virgin Galactic’s long-term future. However, this negative outlook is likely fully reflected in the share price.

While not for most investors, the contrarian willing to bear the potential risks associated with such a speculative venture could capture significant rewards in the event of a positive surprise.

Virgin Galactic Reaching for the Stars

Virgin Galactic Holdings is a pioneer in aerospace and space travel. The company has paused its tourism flights to concentrate on developing its next-generation Delta spaceships, which are set to launch in 2026. Analysts predict that the regular flights of these new spacecraft could clear the backlog of around 800 ticket holders within a year and open up new sales opportunities for $600,000 per ticket.

The company recently completed its new manufacturing facility in Phoenix, Arizona. In 2025, the facility will be ready to receive significant subassemblies, including the wing, fuselage, and feathering system, for the Delta spaceships. Completed spaceships will be transported to Spaceport America, New Mexico, for flight testing before commercial operations. The new spaceships will accommodate up to six passengers and are expected to fly up to eight monthly missions.

This increase in space access is a significant step towards making space travel more widely available, opening up unprecedented opportunities for individuals, researchers, and government agencies. The global space tourism market is projected to expand at a CAGR of 44.8% from 2024 to 2030, generating over an estimated $10 billion in revenue by 2030.

Highlights of Virgin Galactic’s Financial Results & Outlook

Virgin Galactic’s financial performance in Q1 2024 demonstrated notable growth and ongoing challenges. The company reported revenue of $2 million , up from $0.4 million in Q1 2023, fueled by commercial spaceflight and future astronaut membership fees. Operating expenses of $113 million were down from $164 million in Q1 2023. Net loss decreased to -$102 million from -$159 million, primarily due to reduced operating costs and rising interest income.

The net cash used in operations was $113 million, slightly lower than the $136 million in Q1 2023. The company finishes the quarter with $867 million in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities.

The company issued 5.1 million shares, generating $7.3 million, as part of its at-the-market offering program. Virgin also recently completed a 1-for-20 reverse stock split of its common stock, aimed at increasing the per-share market price to meet the NYSE’s minimum bid price requirement for continued listing.

Management has offered financial guidance for Q2 2024, anticipating revenue to reach approximately $3.5 million and free cash flow between $110 million and $120 million.

What Is the Price Target for SPCE Stock?

The stock has been on a long, volatile descent over the past three years, shedding most of its value while sporting a beta of 2.32. Contrary to the attempt to increase the share price, shares have dropped 35% since the reverse stock split. With a P/B ratio of 0.4x, the stock appears undervalued compared to the Aerospace & Defense industry average of 4.04x.

Analysts following the company have taken a cautious stance on the stock. For instance, Goldman Sachs analyst Noah Poponak has recently reiterated a Hold rating on the shares, noting that while the company is progressing towards its future Delta class of vehicles, its revenue generation remains modest compared to its significant cash burn rates. Future value hinges on demand for space flight rising to levels that would support the company’s growth plans.

Overall, Virgin Galactic is rated a Hold based on seven analysts’ recommendations and recently assigned price targets. The average price target for SPCE stock is $36.40 , representing a potential upside of 352.74% from current levels.

A word of caution: many price targets were assigned before the reverse stock split, and downward adjustments are likely.

Final Thoughts on Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic may not have met investors’ expectations to date, but its planned increase in accessibility to space travel could reshape the industry and bring substantial returns. The company has faced a series of setbacks, yet with the completion of its manufacturing facility and a lengthy waitlist for flights, the company could be on the brink of a breakout. The long-term growth potential of this niche market, driven by the rise in demand for space flight, may make it a speculative but intriguing option for daring contrarian investors.

Virgin Galactic completes new Delta space plane manufacturing facility in Arizona

The company says the factory is "an important milestone in the development of our fleet of next-generation spaceships."

Virgin Galactic's future fleet of commercial space planes will now have a home where they will be brought to life starting next year.

Virgin Galactic's new "Delta" class space planes are set to take flight no earlier than 2026. The final flight of their previous space plane, VSS Unity, took place on June 8 and saw a Turkish astronaut and three space tourists reach suborbital space and experience a few minutes of weightlessness. Virgin Galactic has already named an international group of crew members for one of the first Delta class flights, which will include past Virgin Galactic American private astronaut Kellie Gerardi , who flew aboard Galactic 05 in November 2023, along with Canadian Shawna Pandya and Ireland's Norah Patten to space no earlier than 2026.

To help build its fleet of Delta class vehicles, The aerospace company announced in a statement that its new multi-use facility has been completed in Mesa, Arizona, and preparations are now underway to make it the main location for building and assembling its next generation Delta space planes. 

Virgin Galactic expects to install final manufacturing hardware at the end of the year. After that, upon the arrival of major subassemblies such as the feathering system , fuselage, and wings, Virgin Galactic's team anticipates the building to begin on its initial pair of Delta ships in 2025. 

Once production and ground testing are complete, the finished spaceships will head to Spaceport America in New Mexico to undergo a flight test before commercial operations are anticipated to start in 2026.

"The completion of our new manufacturing facility is an important milestone in the development of our fleet of next-generation spaceships, the key to our scale and profitability," Michael Colglazier, Virgin Galactic CEO, said in the statement. "Tooling will begin arriving in a matter of months to support spaceship final assembly, which we expect to commence in Q1 2025."

—  Virgin Galactic opening new spaceship factory in Arizona

 — Virgin Galactic announces international crew for flight on new Delta class space plane

— Virgin Galactic launches VSS Unity space plane on final suborbital spaceflight with crew of 6 (photos, video)

There are two hangars that include several bays at the multiuse facility, which will allow for utmost flexibility when it comes to the manufacturing and testing of space vehicles. Virgin Galactic uses a digital twin technology, which will allow a "seamless" connection with real-time collaboration between workers at the facility and the company's suppliers.

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Each of the Delta spaceships have room for up to six passengers and can carry out missions up to eight times per month. 

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

Meredith is a regional Murrow award-winning Certified Broadcast Meteorologist and science/space correspondent. She most recently was a Freelance Meteorologist for NY 1 in New York City & the 19 First Alert Weather Team in Cleveland. A self-described "Rocket Girl," Meredith's personal and professional work has drawn recognition over the last decade, including the inaugural Valparaiso University Alumni Association First Decade Achievement Award, two special reports in News 12's Climate Special "Saving Our Shores" that won a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award, multiple Fair Media Council Folio & Press Club of Long Island awards for meteorology & reporting, and a Long Island Business News & NYC TV Week "40 Under 40" Award.

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Admin said: Virgin Galactic has completed its new multi-use manufacturing facility in Arizona, where it plans to begin assembly on its new Delta space plane fleet in 2025. Virgin Galactic completes new Delta space plane manufacturing facility in Arizona : Read more

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