Virgin Galactic targets May 25 for first spaceflight since Richard Branson's trip

Virgin Galactic is targeting arsenic aboriginal arsenic May 25 for the motorboat of its next spaceflight, which marks some its archetypal successful astir 2 years since flying laminitis Sir Richard Branson and its planned past measurement earlier opening commercialized service.

Called Unity 25, the ngo represents the company's 5th spaceflight to date, launching retired of Spaceport America successful New Mexico. It is simply a "final assessment" flight, with six Virgin Galactic employees onboard for a abbreviated travel to the borderline of space.

The update comes aft a longer-than-expected refurbishment play for the company's spacecraft: A mates months aft Branson's flight, and following an FAA probe into a mishap during his trip, the institution paused operations for what was intended to beryllium an "eight to 10 months" process – but ended up taking astir 16 months instead.

Shares of Virgin Galactic roseate astir 5% successful premarket trading Wednesday pursuing the announcement. The institution reported first-quarter results earlier this period that revealed widening losses arsenic it funds improvement and enlargement of its spacecraft fleet.

In-house pilots Mike Masucci and CJ Sturckow volition alert spacecraft VSS Unity, portion Jameel Janjua and Nicola Pecile volition alert bearer craft VMS Eve. In the rider compartment volition beryllium Chief Astronaut Instructor Beth Moses, arsenic good arsenic astronaut teacher Luke Mays, elder engineering manager Christopher Huie, and elder manager of interior communications Jamila Gilbert.

Virgin Galactic's attack to abstraction tourism is to alert up to an altitude of astir 40,000 feet, merchandise the spacecraft and occurrence its motor to ascent past 80 kilometers (or astir 262,000 feet) – the altitude the U.S. recognizes arsenic the bound of space.

Known arsenic sub-orbital, this benignant of spaceflight gives passengers a mates minutes of weightless, dissimilar the overmuch longer, much difficult, and much costly orbital flights conducted by Elon Musk's SpaceX. After flying connected his ain trade successful 2021, Branson told CNBC helium hopes to fly with SpaceX.

Depending connected the result and information gathered from Unity 25, the institution aims to alert its archetypal commercialized ngo successful "late June."