Source: CBS News
Summary
Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo, also known as the VSS Unity, carried three private citizens and two pilots to an altitude of 62 miles above the Earth’s surface. The flight, which lasted around 15 minutes, marked a major milestone for the company’s commercial space tourism efforts. The passengers experienced a few minutes of weightlessness and saw the curvature of the Earth. The spaceplane then returned to Earth, landing safely in the Pacific Ocean. According to Virgin Galactic, the flight was a success.
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The launch follows a familiar script.
Virgin Galactic’s latest achievement is being hailed as a breakthrough in commercial space travel. The company has been working towards this moment for years, with numerous test flights and setbacks along the way. The VSS Unity spaceplane is designed to carry private citizens to the edge of space, offering a unique experience for those with the means to afford it. The company plans to begin commercial flights in the near future. It’s just another iteration of the same space tourism promises we’ve been hearing for decades.
Author: Evan Null
