Virgin Galactic takes its first flight  with tourists to the edge of space

American space craft company Virgin Galactic is ready to take the first set of space tourists on a rocket-ship ride to the edge of the space. The trip has been a long delayed ride  and will see the former British Olympian apart from a mother and daughter duo from the Carribean, who had brought the tickets nearly 18 years back. The aircraft is rocket-powered  and was carried from Spaceport America  at the New Mexico Desert on August 10, 2023. The rocket is expected to reach the edge of the space.

If things go as per plan, then the company owned by Richard Branson will start offering trips on a monthly basis to the customers on its space aircraft. Virgin Galactic will join other space tourism businesses including Blue Origin by Jeff Bezos and SpaceX owned by Elon Musk. Jon Goodwin, the passenger of Virgin Galactic was among the first to buy a ticket way back in 2005. He had then said that he had faith that he would make the trip. Goodwin is an 80 year old athlete who had competed in canoeing during the 1972 Olympics. He has Parkinson’s disease and wishes to be an inspiration to others.

When Goodwin had signed up for the trip, the tickets prices were $200,000 and now the cost is $450,000. He is joined by health coach Keisha Schahaff, who is 46 years old and will be accompanied by her 18 years old daughter Anastasia Mayers, who is a student at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. The aircraft also has two pilots and  the astronaut trainer of the company.  This will be the seventh trip of Virgin Galactic since 2018 but will be the first with a ticket holder. The founder of the company, Branson was present in its first full-sized  crew trip back in 2021.

As of now at least 800 people are on the waitlist of the Virgin Galactic.

Photo Credits: Virgin Galactic Official Instagram Account