Virgin Galactic is preparing to finally begin commercial flights into space

After years of testing, Virgin Galactic’s space travel line will begin commercial space flights later this month. It is reported by TechCrunch with a reference to the company.

If there are no delays, Galactic 01 should be launched between June 27-30. This flight is planned as the first research mission. It will be attended by members of the Italian Air Force and the country’s National Research Council, who will conduct microgravity research. The experiments on board will also show the potential for other researchers.

Galactic 02 will be the first real flight of a private mission. Its participants have not yet been announced, but we can expect them to include wealthy and influential people. After that, Virgin Galactic intends to launch monthly flights.

For several years now, Virgin Galactic has been working to improve the launch method, whereby a spacecraft is landed on a special carrier aircraft at a high altitude and takes off from there.

We remind you that last year Virgin Galactic postponed its commercial space flight to the second quarter of 2023. The company cited “extended completion dates (i.e., a delay) in the mothership improvement program” as the reason.