Virgin Galactic Successfully Enters Space for Second Time
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
Sir Richard Branson’s space tourism venture, Virgin Galactic, successfully reached space on Friday for the second time.
The company launched another sub-orbital test flight of its SpaceShipTwo out of the Mojave Desert Air and Space Port (MHV). SpaceShipTwo, which was launched by its mothership WhiteKnightTwo, reached an altitude of 295,007 feet, or 55.87 miles above Earth’s surface, and reached Mach 3 speeds — that’s three times faster than the speed of sound.
SpaceShipTwo’s rocket motor burn from today’s space flight 🚀 pic.twitter.com/SC4hJSt33Z
— Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) February 22, 2019
At that altitude and speed, humans would be able to see the curvature of the Earth and experience weightlessness.
Lovely footage of take-off. WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo continue to rise to release altitude. pic.twitter.com/HnzFXBjp3Y
— Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) February 22, 2019
Not only was the test flight noteworthy because it was a successful step toward bringing paying astronaut tourists to the edge of space, but it was also the first time that a third crew member — in addition to the two pilots — rode along on the launch.
Virgin Galactic’s Beth Moses was on board SpaceShipTwo during Friday’s flight. She is the company’s Chief Astronaut Instructor, and part of her job is to test and verify the flight cabin experience and “spaceflight environment” for its commercial flights. Virgin Galactic will fly as many as six passengers at a time in the back cabin of its space ship. Customers will pay $250,000 to hitch a ride to the final frontier, and part of that fee also goes toward basic astronaut training. The company already has at least 750 passengers who have signed up and paid to be launched to the edge of Earth’s atmosphere.
Our third crew member on SpaceShipTwo today is Beth Moses, our Chief Astronaut Instructor at @VirginGalactic and our cabin evalutaion lead. She’s an expert micro-gravity researcher who’s completed over 400 zero g parabolic flights in 4 different aircrafts. pic.twitter.com/JRAnth83o6
— Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) February 22, 2019
Richard Branson said he will be launched into space before Virgin Atlantic’s customer flights begin. Earlier this month, Branson hinted that his first space flight might take place on his birthday in July, which is also the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 space mission.
“So yeah, July the 18th is my birthday so why not?” he told ABC News of his plans to board the rocket ship. “We’ll go for that.”
The company first successfully reached space in a test flight in December 2018.
Featured photo of SpaceShipTwo in the Mojave Desert by Virgin Galactic via Twitter.
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
Earn 50,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership. Plus, earn up to $100 back in statement credits for eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants with your card within the first 3 months of membership.
With Status Boost™, earn 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to two times per year getting you closer to Medallion Status. Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels, 2X Miles at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets and earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases. Terms Apply.
- Earn 50,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months.
- Plus, earn up to $100 back in statement credits for eligible purchases at US restaurants with your card within the first 3 months of membership.
- Accelerate your path to Medallion Status, with Status Boost®. Plus, in 2021 you can earn even more bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) to help you reach Medallion Status.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. *Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $75 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®.
- Enjoy an exclusive rate of $39 per person per visit to enter the Delta Sky Club® for you and up to two guests when traveling on a Delta flight.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.