Virgin Galactic postpones first commercial flight into space

It is noteworthy that around 600 individuals put down deposits some years ago to buy seat tickets costing $200,000-250,000. Tickets sales resumed in August with prices from $450,000 (£325,000) per seat

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Virgin Galactic, the space tourism company, said it was postponing its first commercial flight. As repairs and upgrades are being conducted, the trip scheduled for the third quarter of 2022 will now be delayed until the fourth.

The second planned test flight this year has also been shelved for now. A reduction in the strength margins of certain materials had been found during routine tests revealed on its VMS Eve and VSS Unity craft. Virgin admitted to further inspection owing to safety concerns.

Around 600 individuals put down deposits some years ago to buy seat tickets costing $200,000-250,000. Tickets sales resumed in August with prices from $450,000 (£325,000) per seat

A September 30 report stated that Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic company was being permitted to resume flights of its spaceplane, Unity. It may be recalled that in July, the vehicle had been grounded as the US Federal Aviation Administration investigated the mission in which Unity had stepped outside the airspace that had been reserved for it. It was only last month that the US FAA lifted a no-fly order on Virgin Galactic.

Fare-paying passengers will be able to avail of routine flights to be started by Unity by next year. Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Elon Musk’s Space X are also all set to fly tourists into space.

It is noteworthy that around 600 individuals put down deposits some years ago to buy seat tickets costing $200,000-250,000. Tickets sales resumed in August with prices from $450,000 (£325,000) per seat.

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