Future Retirement Success
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks

Future Retirement Success

Business

Branson’s Virgin Galactic commercial space flights to start this month

by June 16, 2023
June 16, 2023
Branson’s Virgin Galactic commercial space flights to start this month

Sir Richard Branson’s space tourism company Virgin Galactic says it will launch its first commercial flight before the end of this month.

The firm is targeting a launch window for the flight, which is called Galactic 01, from 27 June to 30 June.

After the announcement to investors, Virgin Galactic shares jumped more than 40% in extended New York trading.

In May, Virgin Orbit – a separate space firm owned by the UK billionaire – shut down, months after a mission failed.

Virgin Galactic said the first flight will be a scientific research mission, carrying three crew members from the Italian Air Force and the National Research Council of Italy to conduct microgravity research.

The company said its second commercial spaceflight will follow in early August, and it expects to operate monthly spaceflights from then on.

It marks a key milestone for the 19-year-old Virgin Galactic, which has had to overcome a series of accidents and technical challenges.

Last month, Virgin Galactic’s rocket plane, which is called Unity, was back in action after a gap of almost two years.

The vehicle, with two pilots and four passengers aboard, climbed high over the New Mexico desert in the US to the edge of space – before gliding back down.

It was billed as the vehicle’s final test flight before the launch of the firm’s long-awaited debut commercial service.

Virgin Galactic has sold more than 800 tickets to people who want to ride over 80km (260,000ft) above Earth.

The flights are designed to give passengers views from space at the top of its climb and allow them a few minutes to experience weightlessness. They cost $450,000 (£352,170) per person.

While Virgin Galactic focusses on space tourism, Sir Richard also had ambitions to launch satellites with his rocket company, Virgin Orbit.

However Virgin Orbit shut down in May after the failure of a mission which had been billed as a potential milestone for UK space exploration.

Earlier in the year, the firm, which was set up to launch satellites, paused operations to try to boost its finances.

Virgin Orbit has now sold off items, including its converted jet Cosmic Girl, and most of its headquarters in California.

It has been a tumultuous period for the Virgin boss.

Sir Richard told the BBC in May that he had personally lost around £1.5bn (£1.9bn) during the pandemic after lockdowns hit his airline and leisure businesses.

“There was a time when I thought we were going to lose everything”, he said. However, he has managed to retain his billionaire status – he has a net worth of £2.4bn according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List.

Read more:
Branson’s Virgin Galactic commercial space flights to start this month

0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
Safety Tips When Treating Men for Enlarged Prostate (BPH) and Chronic Prostatitis
next post
GOP Senators demand accountability from Biden after China committed ‘flagrant violation of US sovereignty’

You may also like

MMA Shorts Hayabusa

December 20, 2024

David Beckham-backed esports firm signs big sponsorship deal...

September 26, 2022

Americans increasingly wary of Trump’s tariff push as...

March 17, 2025

British Steel’s Chinese owner seeks huge government aid...

October 3, 2022

eBay announces small business grants to boost income...

December 8, 2022

UK SMEs show resilience by supporting staff and...

June 2, 2025

CBI launches Defence & Economic Growth Taskforce to...

April 23, 2025

Jeremy Hunt confirms triple lock for pensions to...

March 25, 2024

Six of the Biggest Challenges Facing the UK...

August 28, 2023

Get Ahead of the Curve: What Business Insurance...

December 28, 2022

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free

    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • Trump warns of ‘serious consequences’ if Elon Musk funds Democrats

      June 7, 2025
    • Musk jokes about reconsidering stance on Big Beautiful Bill after Schiff’s praise

      June 7, 2025
    • Musk deletes explosive posts about Trump and Epstein files

      June 7, 2025
    • House witness flips script on Dem who ambushed him during hearing with unearthed tweet: ‘Iceberg is ahead’

      June 7, 2025
    • Call with China’s Xi, and Trump-Musk exchange fueled barbs during 20th week in office

      June 7, 2025
    • Trump’s conservative allies warn Congress faces critical ‘test’ with $9.4B spending cut proposal

      June 7, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (8,152)
    • Investing (2,019)
    • Politics (15,568)
    • Stocks (3,136)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: futureretirementsuccess.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 futureretirementsuccess.com | All Rights Reserved