Virgin Galactic's third commercial spaceflight scheduled for September 8
What's the story
Virgin Galactic is all set to fly its third commercial spaceflight, Galactic 03, on September 8.
The mission will take three astronauts to suborbital space and back, making them the 14th, 15th, and 16th astronauts to fly with the company.
The crew hasn't been revealed but the company calls them ''Founder astronauts" implying they have been among the early ticket buyers.
The upcoming spaceflight marks Virgin Galactic's eighth overall mission. It will launch from Spaceport America in New Mexico.
Members
The Galactic 03 crew purchased their tickets in 2005
"The three Galactic 03 crewmembers are the first of Virgin Galactic's group of 'Founder' astronauts—the first customers whose forward-thinking vision and early ticket purchases helped make the dream of regular commercial spaceflights a reality," said Virgin Galactic.
"The Galactic 03 crew bought their tickets as early as 2005 and, since then, have been an active part of the company's vibrant Future Astronaut community."
Flying along with the three-membered crew will be one of the Virgin Galactic's astronaut instructors, Colin Bennett.
Details
The crew will be flying on the VSS Unity spacecraft
The spacecraft, VSS Unity, will be carried by VMS Eve, the carrier aircraft, to an altitude of roughly 50,000 feet. After that, VSS Unity will ignite its engine to reach suborbital space.
Passengers onboard VSS Unity will experience a brief period of weightlessness and get breathtaking views of the Earth against the backdrop of space. The space ride will end with a landing on the runway at Spaceport America.
VSS Unity will be piloted by Nicola Pecile and Michael Masucci.
Pricing
The company charges about Rs. 3.7 crore per seat
While current ticket prices for a seat on Virgin Galactic's spacecraft stand at $450,000 (about Rs. 3.7 crore), the three "founding astronauts" on Galactic 03 likely paid less due to their early commitment.
The rising prices reflect the growing demand for commercial space travel and attract a more affluent customer base, further fueling the industry's development.
The company's previous commercial flight happened earlier this month. Aboard that mission, called Galactic 02, were a mother-daughter duo and a former Olympian.