Virgin Galactic set to launch first commercial space flight on June 27

On Friday (16), Virgin Galactic, the space tourism company of billionaire Sir Richard Branson, saw a 45% jump in its shares after announcing the launch date of its first commercial passenger mission.

Scheduled for June 27, less than two weeks away, the much-anticipated flight marks the beginning of Virgin Galactic’s commercial operations after a series of delays.

The inaugural flight, dubbed Galactic 01, will host researchers from the Italian Air Force and Italy’s National Research Council.

With the initiation of its commercial flights, Virgin Galactic paves the way for hundreds of space tourists who have already bought their six-figure tickets (i.e., costing over US$100,000) to experience the company’s unique offering.

The news led to a spike in Virgin Galactic’s shares by up to 45% during pre-market trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

According to Michael Leshock, an analyst at KeyBanc Capital Markets, the announcement of a concrete launch date is an “important milestone” and aligns with the company’s previous indications.

Virgin Galactic has marked a window for its space journey from June 27 to 30, utilizing its spaceplane VSS Unity, launched from Spaceport America in New Mexico.

The Galactic 01 crew will carry out experiments in the microgravity environment of space.

Upon the completion of this mission, Virgin Galactic plans a follow-up flight, Galactic 02, in early August, indicating the start of regular monthly missions.

While the crew for Galactic 02 hasn’t been announced yet, Virgin Galactic hinted at the possibility of finally ferrying tourists who had reserved their seats years ago.

CEO Michael Colglazier stated that the commercial debut would “open the doors” for approximately 800 individuals from 66 countries who have signed up for the seats.

Virgin Galactic has recently resumed space flights after a nearly two-year hiatus with a test flight called Unity 25, assessing the “complete spaceflight system and astronaut experience” before commercial operations.

The company had plans for commercial operations since its founder, Branson, was taken to space in July 2021, but the start was repeatedly deferred due to vehicle upgrades.

Virgin Galactic has completed five successful trips to space and back with its VSS Unity.