{"product_id":"united-states-nasa-virgin-galactic-flight-helmet","title":"United States NASA - Virgin GALACTIC Flight Helmet","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eDescription \"NEW\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-v-fe4833fc=\"\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWhat's Included:\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e Please review all photos prior to buying; you will receive a complete HGU-GENTEX Custom Made \u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVirgin Galactic Space Mission Flight Helmet\u003c\/strong\u003e, 20\/P Custom Made Oxygen Mask, with a new flight helmet carry bag. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThis helmet comes with a comm system that was not installed only because the space mission was for investors of this failed Virgin Galactic Mission. We will not cut nor modify this helmet to install added comms which will be included.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eLaws Prohibit International Sales ****\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e This flight helmet was specially made for a 2019 Virgin Galactic Space Mission which failed to launch. Complete history about Virgin Galactic missions written below.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e* \"NEW\" HGU-GENTEX 55\/P United States Air Force Jet Fighter Pilot Helmet Combat\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e * \"NEW\" Custom Made GENTEX MBU- 20\/P United States NASA - Virgin GALACTIC Mission\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e* \"NEW\" 55\/P Grey UV Visor\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e* \"NEW\" 55\/P Black Leather Visor Cover\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e* \"NEW\" Comms - Ears Work Crystal Clear\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e* \"NEW\" Chin Strap\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e * \"NEW\" X-INER\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e * \"NEW\" Ear Phones - Very Comfortable\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e * \"NEW\" Bayonet Quick Release\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e * \"NEW\" Military Helmet Bag\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e * \"Mannequin Head Not Included\"\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e You Get Exactly What You See In My Pictures\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e These pictures have not been enhanced other then room lighting may slightly change the color pixels of the camera, and what you see is exactly what you will get, NOT Including the Mannequin head.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e Once again, you get exactly what you see in the pictures, (100% New)\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e * USA Physical Addresses, \"NO P.O. BOXES\"\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e * No shipping \"International, Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii, APO's or United States Embassy's\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e * Once again secured packaging for safe shipping\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e * Handling Time is 1 to 10 Business Days After Confirmed Payment\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e * Military and Tactical Items Only\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eHistory:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVirgin Galactic\u003c\/strong\u003e is an American spaceflight company within the Virgin Group. It is developing \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Commercial_spacecraft\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Commercial_spacecraft\"\u003ecommercial spacecraft\u003c\/a\u003e and aims to provide suborbital spaceflights to space tourists and suborbital launches for \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Space_science\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Space_science\"\u003espace science\u003c\/a\u003e missions.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-1\"\u003e[1]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SpaceShipTwo\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SpaceShipTwo\"\u003eSpaceShipTwo\u003c\/a\u003e, Virgin Galactic's suborbital spacecraft, is \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_launch\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_launch\"\u003eair launched\u003c\/a\u003e from beneath a carrier airplane known as \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/White_Knight_Two\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/White_Knight_Two\"\u003eWhite Knight Two\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVirgin Galactic's founder, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Richard_Branson\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Richard_Branson\"\u003eRichard Branson\u003c\/a\u003e, had originally hoped to see a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Maiden_flight\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Maiden_flight\"\u003emaiden flight\u003c\/a\u003e by the end of 2009,\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-bbc1-2\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-bbc1-2\"\u003e[2]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e but the date was delayed for several years, most seriously by the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Enterprise_crash\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Enterprise_crash\"\u003eOctober 2014 in-flight crash\u003c\/a\u003e of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Enterprise\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Enterprise\"\u003eVSS \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEnterprise\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e. Branson said Virgin Galactic was \"in the best position in the world\" to provide rocket-powered, point-to-point 3,000 mph (4,800 km\/h) air travel.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-3\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-3\"\u003e[3]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-4\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-4\"\u003e[4]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-5\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-5\"\u003e[5]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-6\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-6\"\u003e[6]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e Finally, on 13 December 2018, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Unity\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Unity\"\u003eVSS \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eUnity\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e achieved the project's first suborbital space flight, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Unity_VP-03\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Unity_VP-03\"\u003eVSS Unity VP-03\u003c\/a\u003e, with two pilots, reaching an altitude of 82.7 kilometres (51.4 mi), and officially entering \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Outer_space#Boundary\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Outer_space#Boundary\"\u003eouter space\u003c\/a\u003e by US standards.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-7\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-7\"\u003e[7]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-8\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-8\"\u003e[8]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e In February 2019, the project carried three people, including a passenger, on \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Unity_VF-01\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Unity_VF-01\"\u003eVSS Unity VF-01\u003c\/a\u003e, with a member of the team floating within the cabin during a spaceflight that reached 89.9 kilometres (55.9 mi).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eHistory and operations\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFormation and early activities\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVirgin Galactic was founded in 2004 by British \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Entrepreneur\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Entrepreneur\"\u003eentrepreneur\u003c\/a\u003e Sir \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Richard_Branson\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Richard_Branson\"\u003eRichard Branson\u003c\/a\u003e, who had previously founded \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Atlantic\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Atlantic\"\u003eVirgin Atlantic\u003c\/a\u003e airline and the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Group\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Group\"\u003eVirgin Group\u003c\/a\u003e, and who had a long personal history of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hot_air_balloon\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hot_air_balloon\"\u003eballoon\u003c\/a\u003e and surface record-breaking activities. As part of Branson's promotion of the firm, he has added a variation of the Virgin Galactic livery to his personal business jet, the Dassault Falcon 900EX \"Galactic girl\" (G-GALX).\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-9\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-9\"\u003e[9]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-10\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-10\"\u003e[10]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Spaceship Company\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMain article: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Spaceship_Company\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Spaceship_Company\"\u003eThe Spaceship Company\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Spaceship_Company\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Spaceship_Company\"\u003eThe Spaceship Company\u003c\/a\u003e (TSC) was founded by Richard Branson through Virgin Group (which owned 70%), and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Burt_Rutan\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Burt_Rutan\"\u003eBurt Rutan\u003c\/a\u003e through Scaled Composites (which owned 30%), to build commercial spaceships and launch aircraft for space travel. From the time of TSC's formation in 2005, the launch customer was Virgin Galactic, which contracted to purchase five SpaceShipTwos and two WhiteKnightTwos\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-Sdc20050725-11\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-Sdc20050725-11\"\u003e[11]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e Scaled Composites was contracted to develop and build the initial prototypes of WK2 and SS2, and then TSC began production of the follow-on vehicles beginning in 2008.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-12\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-12\"\u003e[12]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-13\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-13\"\u003e[13]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e By July 2014, TSC was only halfway through the completion of a second SpaceShipTwo, and had commenced construction of a second WhiteKnightTwo.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e2007 disaster\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn July 2007, three Scaled Composite employees were killed and three critically injured at the Mojave spaceport while testing components of the rocket motor for \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SpaceShipTwo#2007_test_explosion\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SpaceShipTwo#2007_test_explosion\"\u003eSpaceShipTwo\u003c\/a\u003e. An explosion occurred during a cold fire test, which involved nitrous oxide flowing through fuel injectors. The procedure had been expected to be safe.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-cnn1-14\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-cnn1-14\"\u003e[14]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCommencement of sub-space test flights\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eJust a year later, in July 2008, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Richard_Branson\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Richard_Branson\"\u003eRichard Branson\u003c\/a\u003e predicted the maiden space voyage would take place within 18 months.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-bbc1-2\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-bbc1-2\"\u003e[2]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e In October 2009, Virgin Galactic announced that initial flights would take place from \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Spaceport_America\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Spaceport_America\"\u003eSpaceport America\u003c\/a\u003e \"within two years.\"\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-Fg20091027ww2-15\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-Fg20091027ww2-15\"\u003e[15]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e Later that year, Scaled Composite announced that White Knight Two's first SpaceShipTwo captive flights would be in early 2010.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-16\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-16\"\u003e[16]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e Both aircraft did fly together in March 2010.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-17\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-17\"\u003e[17]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e The credibility of the earlier promises of launch dates by Virgin Galactic were brought into question in October 2014 by its chief executive, George Whitesides, when he told \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c\/em\u003e: “We’ve changed dramatically as a company. When I joined in 2010 we were mostly a marketing organisation. Right now we can design, build, test and fly a rocket motor all by ourselves and all in Mojave, which I don’t think is done anywhere else on the planet”.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-18\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-18\"\u003e[18]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOn 7 December 2009, SpaceShipTwo was unveiled at the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mojave_Spaceport\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mojave_Spaceport\"\u003eMojave Spaceport\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-19\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-19\"\u003e[19]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e Branson told the 300 people attending, each of whom had booked rides at $200,000 each, that flights would begin “in 2011”. However, in April 2011, Branson announced further delays, saying “I hope 18 months from now, we’ll be sitting in our spaceship and heading off into space”.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-Beam_us_up,_Beardie!-20\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-Beam_us_up,_Beardie!-20\"\u003e[20]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e By February 2012, SpaceShipTwo had completed 15 test flights attached to White Knight Two, and an additional 16 glide tests, the last of which took place in September 2011.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-21\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-21\"\u003e[21]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e A rocket-powered test flight of SpaceShipTwo took place on 29 April 2013, with an engine burn of 16 seconds duration. The brief flight began at an altitude of 47,000 feet, and reached a maximum altitude of 55,000 feet. While the SS2 achieved a speed of Mach 1.2 (920 mph),\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-22\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-22\"\u003e[22]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e this was less than half the 2,000 mph speed predicted by Richard Branson. SpaceShipTwo's second supersonic flight achieved a speed of 1,100 mph for 20 seconds; while this was an improvement, it fell far short of the 2,500 mph for 70 seconds required to carry six passengers into space. However, Branson still announced his spaceship would be capable of \"launching 100 satellites every day\".\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-23\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-23\"\u003e[23]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOn 14 May 2013, Richard Branson stated on Virgin Radio Dubai's \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eKris Fade Morning Show\u003c\/em\u003e that he would be aboard the first public flight of SpaceShipTwo, which had again been rescheduled, this time to December 25, 2013.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-24\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-24\"\u003e[24]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e \"Maybe I’ll dress up as Father Christmas\", Branson said.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-Beam_us_up,_Beardie!-20\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-Beam_us_up,_Beardie!-20\"\u003e[20]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e The third rocket-powered test flight of SpaceShipTwo took place on 10 January 2014 and successfully tested the spaceship's Reaction Control System (RCS) and the newly installed thermal protection coating on the vehicle's tail booms. Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides said “We are progressively closer to our target of starting commercial service in 2014\".\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-25\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-25\"\u003e[25]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e Interviewed by \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Observer\u003c\/em\u003e at the time of her 90th birthday in July 2014, Branson's mother, Eve, told reporter Elizabeth Day of her intention of going to space herself. Asked when that might be, she replied: “I think it’s the end of the year”, adding after a pause, “It’s always ‘the end of the year’ ”.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-26\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-26\"\u003e[26]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn September 2014, Richard Branson described the intended date for the first commercial flight as February or March of 2015; by the time of this announcement, a new plastic-based fuel had yet to be ignited in-flight.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-abq20140911-27\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-abq20140911-27\"\u003e[27]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e By September 2014, the three test flights of the SS2 had only reached an altitude of around 71,000 ft, approximately 13 miles; in order to receive a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Federal_Aviation_Administration\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Federal_Aviation_Administration\"\u003eFederal Aviation Administration\u003c\/a\u003e licence to carry passengers, the craft needs to complete test missions at full speed and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/K%C3%A1rm%C3%A1n_line\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/K%C3%A1rm%C3%A1n_line\"\u003e62-mile height\u003c\/a\u003e. Following the announcement of further delays, UK newspaper \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Sunday_Times\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Sunday_Times\"\u003eThe Sunday Times\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e reported that Branson faced a backlash from those who had booked flights with Virgin Galactic, with the company having received $80 million in fares and deposits.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-28\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-28\"\u003e[28]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tom_Bower\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tom_Bower\"\u003eTom Bower\u003c\/a\u003e, author of \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBranson: The Man behind the Mask\u003c\/em\u003e, told the \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/em\u003e: \"They spent 10 years trying to perfect one engine and failed. They are now trying to use a different engine and get into space in six months. It's just not feasible.\"\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-29\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-29\"\u003e[29]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e BBC science editor David Shukman commented in October 2014, that \"[Branson's] enthusiasm and determination [are] undoubted. But his most recent promises of launching the first passenger trip by the end of this year had already started to look unrealistic some months ago.”\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-bbc_report_1-30\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-bbc_report_1-30\"\u003e[30]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eDue to a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases in New Mexico, Virgin Galactic had to postpone a key test flight of its spacecraft in November 2020.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-31\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-31\"\u003e[31]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVSS \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEnterprise\u003c\/em\u003e crash\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMain article: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Enterprise_crash\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Enterprise_crash\"\u003eVSS Enterprise crash\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAt 10:51 PST 31 October 2014, the fourth rocket-powered test flight of one of the company's SpaceShipTwo craft, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Enterprise\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Enterprise\"\u003eVSS \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEnterprise\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, ended in disaster, as it broke apart in midair, with the debris falling into the Mojave desert in California, shortly after being released from the mothership. Initial reports attributed the loss to an unidentified \"in-flight anomaly\".\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-NYT-20141031-KC-32\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-NYT-20141031-KC-32\"\u003e[32]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-33\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-33\"\u003e[33]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e The flight was the first test of SpaceShipTwo with new plastic-based fuel, replacing the original—a rubber-based solid fuel that had not met expectations.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-34\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-34\"\u003e[34]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e 39-year-old co-pilot \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Michael_Alsbury\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Michael_Alsbury\"\u003eMichael Alsbury\u003c\/a\u003e was killed and 43-year-old pilot \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Peter_Siebold\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Peter_Siebold\"\u003ePeter Siebold\u003c\/a\u003e was seriously injured.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eInvestigation and media comment\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eInitial investigations found that the engine and propellant tanks were intact, showing that there had not been a fuel explosion. \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Telemetry\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Telemetry\"\u003eTelemetry\u003c\/a\u003e data and cockpit video showed that instead, the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_brake_(aeronautics)\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_brake_(aeronautics)\"\u003eair braking\u003c\/a\u003e system appeared to have deployed incorrectly and too early, for unknown reasons, and that the craft had violently broken apart in midair seconds later.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eU.S. National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Christopher Hart said on 2 November 2014 that investigators had determined SpaceShipTwo's tail system was supposed to have been released for deployment as the craft was traveling about 1.4 times the speed of sound; instead, the tail section began pivoting when the vehicle was flying at Mach 1. \"I'm not stating that this is the cause of the mishap. We have months and months of investigation to determine what the cause was.\" Asked if pilot error was a possible factor, Hart said: \"We are looking at all of these issues to determine what was the root cause of this mishap.\" He noted that it was also unclear how the tail mechanism began to rotate once it was unlocked, since that maneuver requires a separate pilot command that was never given, and whether the craft's position in the air and its speed somehow enabled the tail section to swing free on its own.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-35\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-35\"\u003e[35]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn November 2014, Branson and Virgin Galactic came under criticism for their attempts to distance the company from the disaster by referring to the test pilots as Scaled Composites employees.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-Private_Eye_Issue_1379-36\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-Private_Eye_Issue_1379-36\"\u003e[36]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e Virgin Galactic's official statement on 31 October 2014 said: “Virgin Galactic’s partner Scaled Composites conducted a powered test flight of SpaceShipTwo earlier today. [...] Local authorities have confirmed that one of the two Scaled Composites pilots died during the accident”.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-37\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-37\"\u003e[37]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e This was in strong contrast to public communications previously released concerning the group's successful flights, which had routinely presented pilots, craft, and projects within the same organizational structures, as being \"Virgin Galactic\" flights or activities of \"the Galactic team\".\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-Private_Eye_Issue_1379-36\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-Private_Eye_Issue_1379-36\"\u003e[36]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-38\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-38\"\u003e[38]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-39\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-39\"\u003e[39]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e The BBC's David Shukman commented that: “Even as details emerge of what went wrong, this is clearly a massive setback to a company hoping to pioneer a new industry of space tourism. Confidence is everything and this will not encourage the long list of celebrity and millionaire customers waiting for their first flight\".\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-bbc_report_1-30\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-bbc_report_1-30\"\u003e[30]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-40\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-40\"\u003e[40]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAt a hearing in Washington D.C. on 28 July 2015,\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-41\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-41\"\u003e[41]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-42\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-42\"\u003e[42]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e and a press release on the same day\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-NTSB-43\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-NTSB-43\"\u003e[43]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e the NTSB cited inadequate design safeguards, poor pilot training, lack of rigorous \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/FAA\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/FAA\"\u003eFAA\u003c\/a\u003e oversight and a potentially anxious co-pilot without recent flight experience as important factors in the 2014 crash. They determined that the co-pilot, who died in the accident, prematurely unlocked a movable tail section some ten seconds after SpaceShip Two fired its rocket engine and was breaking the sound barrier, resulting in the craft's breaking apart. But the Board also found that the Scaled Composites unit of Northrop Grumman, which designed and flew the prototype space tourism vehicle, did not properly prepare for potential human slip-ups by providing a fail-safe system that could have guarded against such premature deployment. “A single-point human failure has to be anticipated,” board member Robert Sumwalt said. Instead, Scaled Composites “put all their eggs in the basket of the pilots doing it correctly.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eNTSB Chairman Christopher Hart emphasized that consideration of human factors, which was not emphasized in the design, safety assessment, and operation of SpaceShipTwo's feather system, is critical to safe human spaceflight to mitigate the potential consequences of human error. “Manned commercial spaceflight is a new frontier, with many unknown risks and hazards. In such an environment, safety margins around known hazards must be rigorously established and, where possible, expanded. For commercial spaceflight to successfully mature, we must meticulously seek out and mitigate known hazards, as a prerequisite to identifying and mitigating new hazards.”\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-NTSB-43\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-NTSB-43\"\u003e[43]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e In its submission to the NTSB, Virgin Galactic reports that the second SS2, currently nearing completion, has been modified with an automatic mechanical inhibit device to prevent locking or unlocking of the feather during safety-critical phases. An explicit warning about the dangers of premature unlocking has also been added to the checklist and operating handbook, and a formalized crew resource management (CRM) approach, already used by Virgin for its WK2 operations, is being adopted for SS2. However, despite CRM issues being cited as a likely contributing cause, Virgin confirmed that it would not modify the cockpit display system.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-44\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-44\"\u003e[44]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWhile Virgin has been pursuing the development of a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Smallsat\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Smallsat\"\u003esmallsat\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Launch_vehicle\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Launch_vehicle\"\u003elaunch vehicle\u003c\/a\u003e since 2012, the company began in 2015 to make the smallsat launch business a larger part of Virgin's core business plan, as the Virgin human spaceflight program has experienced multiple delays.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-telegraph20150822-45\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-telegraph20150822-45\"\u003e[45]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e This part of the business was spun off into a new company called \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Orbit\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Orbit\"\u003eVirgin Orbit\u003c\/a\u003e in 2017.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-46\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-46\"\u003e[46]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVSS \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eUnity\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMain article: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Unity\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Unity\"\u003eVSS Unity\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFollowing the crash of VSS \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEnterprise\u003c\/em\u003e, test flights of the replacement spaceship, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Unity\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Unity\"\u003eVSS \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eUnity\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, were set to begin after ground tests completed in August 2016.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-47\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-47\"\u003e[47]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e VSS \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eUnity\u003c\/em\u003e completed its first flight, a successful glide test, in December 2016. The glide lasted ten minutes.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-48\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-48\"\u003e[48]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e By January 2018, seven glide tests had been completed,\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-space2018jan11-49\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-space2018jan11-49\"\u003e[49]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e and on 5 April 2018 it performed a powered test flight, the first since 2014.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-50\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-50\"\u003e[50]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e By July 2018, \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eUnity\u003c\/em\u003e had gone considerably higher and faster in its testing program than had its predecessor.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-geekwire072618-51\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-geekwire072618-51\"\u003e[51]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e On 13 December 2018, VSS \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eUnity\u003c\/em\u003e reached a height of 82.7 km (51.4 miles) above the Earth at speeds close to three times the speed of sound. The two pilots, Mark \"Forger\" Stucky and Frederick \"CJ\" Sturckow earned \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Commercial_astronaut\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Commercial_astronaut\"\u003ecommercial astronaut\u003c\/a\u003e wings from the US government for the accomplishment, and brought Virgin Galactic closer to becoming the first private company to take customers to space.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-52\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-52\"\u003e[52]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-53\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-53\"\u003e[53]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eInvestors\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAfter a claimed investment by Virgin Group of US$100 million,\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-abcnews-54\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-abcnews-54\"\u003e[54]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e in 2010 the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sovereign_wealth_fund\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sovereign_wealth_fund\"\u003esovereign wealth fund\u003c\/a\u003e of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Abu_Dhabi\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Abu_Dhabi\"\u003eAbu Dhabi\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aabar_Investments\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aabar_Investments\"\u003eAabar Investments\u003c\/a\u003e group, acquired a 31.8% stake in Virgin Galactic for US$280 million, receiving exclusive regional rights to launch tourism and scientific research space flights from the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_Arab_Emirates\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_Arab_Emirates\"\u003eUnited Arab Emirates\u003c\/a\u003e capital.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-abcnews-54\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-abcnews-54\"\u003e[54]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e In July 2011, Aabar invested a further US$110 million to develop a program to launch \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Smallsat\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Smallsat\"\u003esmall satellites\u003c\/a\u003e into low Earth orbit, raising their equity share to 37.8%.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-55\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-55\"\u003e[55]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e Virgin announced in June 2014 that they were in talks with \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Google\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Google\"\u003eGoogle\u003c\/a\u003e about the injection of capital to fund both development and operations.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-sn20140612-56\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-sn20140612-56\"\u003e[56]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e The New Mexico government has invested approaching $200m (£121m) in the Spaceport America facility, for which Virgin Galactic is the anchor tenant; other commercial space companies also use the site.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOn Monday 28 October 2019, Virgin Galactic listed into the New York Stock Exchange, trading under the ticker symbol 'SPCE'.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-57\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-57\"\u003e[57]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn 2020, Branson transferred part of his $1.1bn (£900m) stake in Virgin Galactic Holdings to the British Virgin Islands, a tax haven, where he has lived for 14 years. Those shares had been held by a Delaware-based holding company, which had been set up for Virgin Galactic's float. A spokesperson for Richard Branson told Bloomberg the move in assets had been an “internal reorganisation that has no effect on our ownership interest”.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-58\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-58\"\u003e[58]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCollaborations\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePotential collaboration with NASA\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn February 2007, Virgin announced that they had signed a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Memorandum_of_understanding\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Memorandum_of_understanding\"\u003ememorandum of understanding\u003c\/a\u003e with NASA to explore the potential for collaboration,\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-59\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-59\"\u003e[59]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-60\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-60\"\u003e[60]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e but, to date, this has produced only a relatively small contract in 2011 of up to $4.5 million for research flights.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-nasa2011-61\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-nasa2011-61\"\u003e[61]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOneWeb satellite Internet access provider\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVirgin Group in January 2015, announced an investment into the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/OneWeb_satellite_constellation\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/OneWeb_satellite_constellation\"\u003eOneWeb satellite constellation\u003c\/a\u003e providing world Internet access service of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/WorldVu_satellite_constellation\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/WorldVu_satellite_constellation\"\u003eWorldVu\u003c\/a\u003e. Virgin Galactic will take a share of the launch contracts to launch the satellites into their 1200 km orbits. The prospective launches would use the under-design \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#LauncherOne\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#LauncherOne\"\u003eLauncherOne\u003c\/a\u003e system.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-SpaceNews-01-15-15-62\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-SpaceNews-01-15-15-62\"\u003e[62]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-63\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-63\"\u003e[63]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCollaboration with Boom Technology\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVirgin Galactic and the Virgin Group are collaborating with \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Boom_Technology\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Boom_Technology\"\u003eBoom Technology\u003c\/a\u003e in order to create a new \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Supersonic_transport\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Supersonic_transport\"\u003esupersonic passenger transporter\u003c\/a\u003e as a successor to the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Concorde\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Concorde\"\u003eConcorde\u003c\/a\u003e. This new supersonic plane would fly at Mach 2.2 (similar to Concorde) for a 3-hour trans-Atlantic flight (half of standard), projected to cost $2,500–10,000 per seat (half of Concorde) for a load of 45 passengers (the Concorde held 100). It is anticipated that with the accumulation of knowledge since the design of Concorde, the new plane would be safer and cheaper with better fuel economy, operating costs, and aerodynamics. Boom would collaborate with Virgin's \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Spaceship_Company\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Spaceship_Company\"\u003eThe Spaceship Company\u003c\/a\u003e for design, engineering, and flight-test support, and manufacturing.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-LATimes-2016-12-03-64\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-LATimes-2016-12-03-64\"\u003e[64]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-DenverPost-2016-12-04-65\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-DenverPost-2016-12-04-65\"\u003e[65]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-TheManufacturer-2016-11-22-66\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-TheManufacturer-2016-11-22-66\"\u003e[66]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe initial model would be the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Boom_Technology_XB-1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Boom_Technology_XB-1\"\u003eBoom Technology \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eXB-1\u003c\/em\u003e \"Baby Boom\" Supersonic Demonstrator\u003c\/a\u003e 1\/3-size prototype. It would be capable of trans-Pacific flight, LA-to-Sydney in 6.75 hours, traveling at 2,335 km\/h (1,451 mph). XB-1 would be equipped with \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/General_Electric_J85\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/General_Electric_J85\"\u003eGeneral Electric J85\u003c\/a\u003e engines, Honeywell avionics, with composite structures fabricated by Blue Force using \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/TenCate_Advanced_Composites\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/TenCate_Advanced_Composites\"\u003eTenCate Advanced Composites\u003c\/a\u003e carbon fibre products. First flight is scheduled for late 2017. Virgin Galactic has optioned 10 units.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-DenverPost-2016-12-04-65\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-DenverPost-2016-12-04-65\"\u003e[65]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-TheManufacturer-2016-11-22-66\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-TheManufacturer-2016-11-22-66\"\u003e[66]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCollaboration with Under Armour\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOn 24 January 2019, Virgin Galactic announced a partnership with \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Under_Armour\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Under_Armour\"\u003eUnder Armour\u003c\/a\u003e for the fabrication of space suits for passengers and pilots of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SpaceShipTwo\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SpaceShipTwo\"\u003eSpaceShipTwo\u003c\/a\u003e. Under Armour will also create uniforms for Virgin Galactic employees working at Spaceport America. The full range known as the UA | VG (Under Armour | Virgin Galactic) built with UA's new Intelliknit fabric was revealed later this year, ahead of Richard Branson's inaugural commercial flight.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-67\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-67\"\u003e[67]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-68\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-68\"\u003e[68]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e This range includes a base layer, the space suit and footwear. It is said that the base layer will enhance performance and blood flow during the high and zero G portions of flight and the liner of the spacesuit is made up of new fabrics such as Tencel Luxe, SpinIt and Nomex, used for temperature control and moisture management.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-69\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-69\"\u003e[69]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOperational aspects\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eKey personnel\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/David_Mackay_(pilot)\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/David_Mackay_(pilot)\"\u003eDavid Mackay\u003c\/a\u003e, former \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Royal_Air_Force\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Royal_Air_Force\"\u003eRAF\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Test_pilot\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Test_pilot\"\u003etest pilot\u003c\/a\u003e, was named chief pilot for Virgin Galactic in 2011\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-70\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-70\"\u003e[70]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e and chief test-pilot.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-71\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-71\"\u003e[71]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e Steve Isakowitz was appointed as Virgin Galactic's president in June 2013.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-72\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-72\"\u003e[72]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e In October 2016, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mike_Moses\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mike_Moses\"\u003eMike Moses\u003c\/a\u003e replaced \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Steve_Isakowitz\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Steve_Isakowitz\"\u003eSteve Isakowitz\u003c\/a\u003e as president; Isakowitz moved to \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aerospace_Corp.\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aerospace_Corp.\"\u003eAerospace Corp.\u003c\/a\u003e to become president and CEO; Moses was promoted from VP Operations, and was once a NASA flight director and shuttle integration manager.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-73\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-73\"\u003e[73]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePersonnel\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFounder: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Richard_Branson\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Richard_Branson\"\u003eRichard Branson\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eChairman: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chamath_Palihapitiya\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chamath_Palihapitiya\"\u003eChamath Palihapitiya\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCEO: Micheal Colglazier\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCFO: Jon Campagna\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePresident: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mike_Moses\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mike_Moses\"\u003eMike Moses\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePilot corps\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eChief pilot: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/David_Mackay_(pilot)\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/David_Mackay_(pilot)\"\u003eDave \"Mac\" Mackay\u003c\/a\u003e\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-VG-20150609-74\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-VG-20150609-74\"\u003e[74]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eChief flight instructor: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Mike_Masucci\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;redlink=1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Mike_Masucci\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;redlink=1\"\u003eMike \"Sooch\" Masucci\u003c\/a\u003e\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-VG-20150609-74\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-VG-20150609-74\"\u003e[74]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVP safety: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Todd_Ericson\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;redlink=1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Todd_Ericson\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;redlink=1\"\u003eTodd \"Leif\" Ericson\u003c\/a\u003e\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-VG-20150609-74\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-VG-20150609-74\"\u003e[74]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eTest pilot: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mark_Stucky\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mark_Stucky\"\u003eMark \"Forger\" Stucky\u003c\/a\u003e\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-VG-20150609-74\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-VG-20150609-74\"\u003e[74]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eTest pilot: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kelly_Latimer\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kelly_Latimer\"\u003eKelly \"Cosmic\" Latimer\u003c\/a\u003e\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-75\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-75\"\u003e[75]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePilot: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Frederick_Sturckow\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Frederick_Sturckow\"\u003eRick \"CJ\" Sturckow\u003c\/a\u003e\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-VG-20150609-74\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-VG-20150609-74\"\u003e[74]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePilot: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Nicola_Pecile\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;redlink=1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Nicola_Pecile\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;redlink=1\"\u003eNicola Pecile\u003c\/a\u003e\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-76\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-76\"\u003e[76]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eChief astronaut instructor: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Beth_Moses\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Beth_Moses\"\u003eBeth Moses\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePassengers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Virgin Galactic passenger list is posted on a website not associated with Virgin Galactic. The site lists space tourists who have booked a flight with Virgin Galactic.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-77\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-77\"\u003e[77]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAircraft and spacecraft\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMothership\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWhite Knight Two on the ground\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scaled_Composites_White_Knight_Two\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scaled_Composites_White_Knight_Two\"\u003eWhite Knight Two\u003c\/a\u003e is a special aeroplane built as the mother ship and launch-platform for the spacecraft \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SpaceShipTwo\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SpaceShipTwo\"\u003eSpaceShipTwo\u003c\/a\u003e and the uncrewed launch vehicle LauncherOne. The mothership is a large fixed-wing \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aircraft\"\u003eaircraft\u003c\/a\u003e with two hulls linked together by a central wing. Two aircraft are planned – \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VMS_Eve\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VMS_Eve\"\u003eVMS \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEve\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-78\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-78\"\u003e[78]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic_Spirit_of_Steve_Fossett\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic_Spirit_of_Steve_Fossett\"\u003eVMS \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSpirit of Steve Fossett\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-79\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-79\"\u003e[79]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-80\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-80\"\u003e[80]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-81\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-81\"\u003e[81]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/LauncherOne\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/LauncherOne\"\u003eLauncherOne\u003c\/a\u003e system will use \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Boeing_747-400\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Boeing_747-400\"\u003eBoeing 747-400\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cosmic_Girl_(airplane)\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cosmic_Girl_(airplane)\"\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCosmic Girl\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e which was acquired from \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Atlantic\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Atlantic\"\u003eVirgin Atlantic\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-82\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-82\"\u003e[82]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-83\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-83\"\u003e[83]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSpaceShip Two\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMain article: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SpaceShipTwo\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SpaceShipTwo\"\u003eSpaceShipTwo\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eRichard Branson unveiled the rocket plane on 7 December 2009, announcing that, after testing, the plane would carry fare-paying passengers ticketed for short duration journeys just above the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Atmosphere_of_Earth\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Atmosphere_of_Earth\"\u003eatmosphere\u003c\/a\u003e. Virgin Group would initially launch from a base in New Mexico before extending operations around the globe. Built from lightweight carbon-composite materials and powered by a hybrid rocket motor, SS2 is based on the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ansari_X_Prize\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ansari_X_Prize\"\u003eAnsari X Prize\u003c\/a\u003e-winning SpaceShipOne concept – a rocket plane that is lifted initially by a carrier aircraft before independent launch. SS1 became the world's first private spaceship with a series of high-altitude flights in 2004.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-84\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-84\"\u003e[84]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe programme was delayed after three Scaled Composites employees – Todd Ivens, Eric Blackwell and Charles May – were killed in an accident in Mojave on 26 July 2007, where the detonation of a tank of nitrous oxide destroyed a test stand.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-85\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-85\"\u003e[85]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e They had been observing the test from behind a chain-link fence that offered no protection from the shrapnel and debris when the tank exploded. Three other employees were injured in the blast and the company was fined for breaches of health and safety rules. The cause of the accident has never been made public.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-86\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-86\"\u003e[86]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIts successor is twice as large, measuring 18 m (60 ft) in length; whereas SpaceShipOne could carry a single pilot and two passengers, SS2 will have a crew of two and room for six passengers. By August 2013, 640 customers had signed up for a flight,\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-87\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-87\"\u003e[87]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e initially at a ticket price of $200,000 per person, but raised to $250,000 in May 2013.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-88\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-88\"\u003e[88]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e Tickets are available from more than 140 \"space agents\" worldwide.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-89\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-89\"\u003e[89]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch6 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSpaceShipTwo's projected performance\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h6\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSpaceShipTwo is projected to fly to a height of 110 km, going beyond the defined \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/K%C3%A1rm%C3%A1n_line\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/K%C3%A1rm%C3%A1n_line\"\u003eboundary of space\u003c\/a\u003e (100 km) and lengthening the experience of weightlessness for its passengers. The spacecraft would reach a top speed of 4000 km\/h (2485 mph). On 23 May 2014, Virgin Galactic announced that they had abandoned use of the Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) nitrous-oxide-rubber motor for SpaceShipTwo;\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-Virgin_Galactic-90\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-Virgin_Galactic-90\"\u003e[90]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e on 24 July 2014, SNC confirmed that they had also abandoned use of this motor for its \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dream_Chaser\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dream_Chaser\"\u003eDream Chaser\u003c\/a\u003e space shuttle.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-SNC_abandons_hybrid_motor-91\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-SNC_abandons_hybrid_motor-91\"\u003e[91]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e Future testing will see SpaceShipTwo powered by a polyamide grain powered motor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn honor of the science-fiction series \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Star_Trek\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Star_Trek\"\u003eStar Trek\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, the first ship is named after the fictional starship \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEnterprise\u003c\/em\u003e. To reenter the atmosphere, SpaceShipTwo folds its wings up and then returns them to their original position for an unpowered descent flight back onto the runway. The craft has a very limited cross-range capability, and until other planned spaceports are built worldwide, it has to land in the area where it started. Further spaceports are planned in Abu Dhabi and elsewhere, with the intention that the spaceline will have a worldwide availability and commodity in the future.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch6 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOverview of the SS2 spacecraft flights\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h6\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SpaceShipTwo\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SpaceShipTwo\"\u003eSpaceShipTwo\u003c\/a\u003e's planned trajectory would achieve a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sub-orbital_spaceflight\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sub-orbital_spaceflight\"\u003esuborbital\u003c\/a\u003e journey with a short period of weightlessness. Carried to about 16 kilometers, or 52,000 ft, underneath a carrier aircraft, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scaled_Composites_White_Knight_Two\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scaled_Composites_White_Knight_Two\"\u003eWhite Knight II\u003c\/a\u003e, after separation the vehicle would continue to over 100 km (the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/K%C3%A1rm%C3%A1n_line\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/K%C3%A1rm%C3%A1n_line\"\u003eKármán line\u003c\/a\u003e, a common definition of where \"space\" begins). The time from liftoff of the White Knight booster carrying SpaceShipTwo until the touchdown of the spacecraft after the suborbital flight would be about 2.5 hours. The suborbital flight itself would be only a small fraction of that time, with weightlessness lasting approximately 6 minutes.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-Shatner2-92\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-Shatner2-92\"\u003e[92]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e Passengers will be able to release themselves from their seats during these six minutes and float around the cabin. In addition to the suborbital passenger business, Virgin Galactic will market SpaceShipTwo for suborbital \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Outline_of_space_science\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Outline_of_space_science\"\u003espace science\u003c\/a\u003e missions and market White Knight Two for \"small satellite\" launch services. It had planned to initiate \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Request_for_proposal\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Request_for_proposal\"\u003eRFPs\u003c\/a\u003e for the satellite business in early 2010, but flights had not materialized as of 2014. In February 2014, cracks in WhiteKnightTwo, where the spars connect with the fuselage, were discovered during an inspection conducted after Virgin Galactic took possession of the aircraft from builder Scaled Composites.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-93\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-93\"\u003e[93]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eLauncherOne\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e is an \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Orbital_launch_vehicle\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Orbital_launch_vehicle\"\u003eorbital launch vehicle\u003c\/a\u003e that was publicly announced by Virgin Galactic in July 2012. It is being designed to launch \"\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Smallsat\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Smallsat\"\u003esmallsat\u003c\/a\u003e\" \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Payload_(air_and_space_craft)\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Payload_(air_and_space_craft)\"\u003epayloads\u003c\/a\u003e of 200 kilograms (440 lb) into \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Low-Earth_orbit\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Low-Earth_orbit\"\u003eEarth orbit\u003c\/a\u003e. Several \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Private_spaceflight\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Private_spaceflight\"\u003ecommercial\u003c\/a\u003e customers have already contracted for launches, including GeoOptics, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Skybox_Imaging\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Skybox_Imaging\"\u003eSkybox Imaging\u003c\/a\u003e, Spaceflight Services, and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Planetary_Resources\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Planetary_Resources\"\u003ePlanetary Resources\u003c\/a\u003e. Both \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Surrey_Satellite_Technology\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Surrey_Satellite_Technology\"\u003eSurrey Satellite Technology\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sierra_Nevada_Corporation\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sierra_Nevada_Corporation\"\u003eSierra Nevada Space Systems\u003c\/a\u003e are developing \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Satellite_bus\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Satellite_bus\"\u003esatellite buses\u003c\/a\u003e \"optimized to the design of LauncherOne.\"\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-nsj20120711-94\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-nsj20120711-94\"\u003e[94]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-bbc20120711-95\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-bbc20120711-95\"\u003e[95]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn October 2012, Virgin announced that LauncherOne could place 200 kg (440 lb) in \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sun-synchronous_orbit\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sun-synchronous_orbit\"\u003eSun-synchronous orbit\u003c\/a\u003e. Virgin plans to market the 200 kg (440 lb) payload delivery to Sun-synchronous orbit for under \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_States_dollar\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_States_dollar\"\u003eUS$\u003c\/a\u003e10,000,000 per mission,\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-nsj20120711-94\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-nsj20120711-94\"\u003e[94]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e while the maximum payload for LEO missions is 230 kg (500 lb).\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-nbc20140123-96\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-nbc20140123-96\"\u003e[96]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVirgin Galactic has been working on the LauncherOne concept since at least late 2008,\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-fgh20081209-97\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-fgh20081209-97\"\u003e[97]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e and the technical specifications were first described in some detail in late 2009.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-bbc20090713-98\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-bbc20090713-98\"\u003e[98]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e The LauncherOne configuration is proposed to be an expendable, two-stage, liquid-fueled rocket \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_launch_to_orbit\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_launch_to_orbit\"\u003eair-launched\u003c\/a\u003e from a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/White_Knight_Two\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/White_Knight_Two\"\u003eWhite Knight Two\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-Space.com-2012-07-11-99\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-Space.com-2012-07-11-99\"\u003e[99]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e This would make it a similar configuration to that used by \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Orbital_Sciences\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Orbital_Sciences\"\u003eOrbital Sciences\u003c\/a\u003e' \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pegasus_(rocket)\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pegasus_(rocket)\"\u003ePegasus\u003c\/a\u003e, or a smaller version of the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/StratoLaunch\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/StratoLaunch\"\u003eStratoLaunch\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn 2015, Virgin Galactic established a 150,000-sq.ft. research, development and manufacturing center for LauncherOne at the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Long_Beach_Airport\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Long_Beach_Airport\"\u003eLong Beach Airport\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-100\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-100\"\u003e[100]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e The company reported in March 2015 that they are on schedule to begin test flights of LauncherOne with its Newton 3 engine by the end of 2016.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-sn20150316-101\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-sn20150316-101\"\u003e[101]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e On 25 June 2015, the company signed a contract with \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/OneWeb\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/OneWeb\"\u003eOneWeb Ltd.\u003c\/a\u003e for 39 satellite launches for its \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/OneWeb_satellite_constellation\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/OneWeb_satellite_constellation\"\u003esatellite constellation\u003c\/a\u003e with an option for an additional 100 launches.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-OneWebLaunchContract-102\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-OneWebLaunchContract-102\"\u003e[102]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAs of August 2019 a first flight was planned for the end of 2019,\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-rocketlaunch.live-103\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-rocketlaunch.live-103\"\u003e[103]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e and this has slipped to 19 February 2020.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-104\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-104\"\u003e[104]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOn June 25, 2020 Virgin Galactic carried out its second successful glide flight of its spaceship over Spaceport America in southern New Mexico. The first flight took place in May 2020.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-105\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-105\"\u003e[105]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch6 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEngines\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h6\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eLauncherOne will be a two-stage air-launched vehicle using Newton engines, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/RP-1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/RP-1\"\u003eRP-1\u003c\/a\u003e\/\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/LOX\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/LOX\"\u003eLOX\u003c\/a\u003e liquid rocket engines. The second stage will be powered by NewtonOne, a 16 kilonewtons (3,500 lbf) thrust engine. It was originally intended that the first stage will be powered by a scaled-up design of the same basic technology as NewtonOne, called NewtonTwo, with 211 kilonewtons (47,500 lbf) of thrust. Both engines have been designed, and as of January 2014 first articles have been built. NewtonOne was tested up to a full-duration burn of five minutes. NewtonTwo made several short-duration firings by early 2014.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-nbc20140123-96\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-nbc20140123-96\"\u003e[96]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eNewtonThree is a 260–335-kilonewton (58,000–75,000 lbf)-thrust engine, and has only recently begun \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Hot-fire_test\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;redlink=1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Hot-fire_test\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;redlink=1\"\u003ehot-fire tests\u003c\/a\u003e as of March 2015. More recent reports suggest that a NewtonThree will power the first stage of LauncherOne.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-sn20150316-101\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-sn20150316-101\"\u003e[101]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-106\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-106\"\u003e[106]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eLauncherOne will be launched from this former \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Atlantic\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Atlantic\"\u003eVirgin Atlantic\u003c\/a\u003e Boeing 747, named \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cosmic_Girl_(airplane)\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cosmic_Girl_(airplane)\"\u003eCosmic Girl\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eNews reports in September 2015 indicate that the higher payload is to be achieved by longer fuel tanks and the NewtonThree engine but this will mean that White Knight Two will no longer be able to lift it to launch altitude. The rocket will be carried to launch altitude by a 747.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-107\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-107\"\u003e[107]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-108\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-108\"\u003e[108]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e The revised LauncherOne will utilize both the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Newton_3\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;redlink=1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Newton_3\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;redlink=1\"\u003eNewton 3\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Newton_4\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;redlink=1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Newton_4\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;redlink=1\"\u003eNewton 4\u003c\/a\u003e rocket engines.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-sn20151203-109\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-sn20151203-109\"\u003e[109]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn December 2015, Virgin announced a change to the carrier plane for LauncherOne, as well as a substantially-larger design point for the rocket itself. The carrier aircraft will now be a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Boeing_747\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Boeing_747\"\u003eBoeing 747\u003c\/a\u003e, which will in turn allow a larger LauncherOne to carry heavier payloads than previously planned. The modification work on the particular 747 that Virgin has purchased is expected to be completed in 2016, to be followed by Orbital test launches of the rocket in 2017.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-sn20151203-109\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-sn20151203-109\"\u003e[109]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFleet\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSpaceShipTwo (spaceships)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Enterprise\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Enterprise\"\u003eVSS \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEnterprise\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e (2010–2014) †\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Unity\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VSS_Unity\"\u003eVSS \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eUnity\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e (2016–present)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVSS 3 (under construction)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVSS 4 (under construction)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWhiteKnightTwo (motherships)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VMS_Eve\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/VMS_Eve\"\u003eVMS \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEve\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e (2008–present )\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBoeing 747 (motherships)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cosmic_Girl_(airplane)\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cosmic_Girl_(airplane)\"\u003eCosmic Girl\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e (2015–2017, transferred to \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Orbit\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Orbit\"\u003eVirgin Orbit\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCommercial spaceflight locations\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn 2008 it was announced that test launches for its fleet of two White Knight Two mother ships and five or more SpaceShipTwo tourist suborbital spacecraft would take place from the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mojave_Spaceport\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mojave_Spaceport\"\u003eMojave Spaceport\u003c\/a\u003e, where \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scaled_Composites\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scaled_Composites\"\u003eScaled Composites\u003c\/a\u003e was constructing the spacecraft.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-launchsite-110\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-launchsite-110\"\u003e[110]\u003c\/a\u003e[\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style\/Dates_and_numbers#Chronological_items\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style\/Dates_and_numbers#Chronological_items\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eneeds update\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e]\u003c\/sup\u003e An international architectural competition for the design of Virgin Galactic's operating base, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Spaceport_America\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Spaceport_America\"\u003eSpaceport America\u003c\/a\u003e in New Mexico, saw the contract awarded to URS and Foster + Partners architects.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-111\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-111\"\u003e[111]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e In the same year Virgin Galactic announced that it would eventually operate in Europe out of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Spaceport_Sweden\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Spaceport_Sweden\"\u003eSpaceport Sweden\u003c\/a\u003e\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-112\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-112\"\u003e[112]\u003c\/a\u003e[\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style\/Dates_and_numbers#Chronological_items\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style\/Dates_and_numbers#Chronological_items\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eneeds update\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e]\u003c\/sup\u003e or even from \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/RAF_Lossiemouth\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/RAF_Lossiemouth\"\u003eRAF Lossiemouth\u003c\/a\u003e in Scotland.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-scuk2008-113\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-scuk2008-113\"\u003e[113]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWhile the original plan called for flight operations to transfer from the California desert to the new spaceport upon completion of the spaceport,\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-launchsite-110\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-launchsite-110\"\u003e[110]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e Virgin Galactic has yet to complete the development and test program of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SpaceShipTwo\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SpaceShipTwo\"\u003eSpaceShipTwo\u003c\/a\u003e. In October 2010, the 3,000 m (10,000 ft) runway at Spaceport America was opened, with SpaceShipTwo \"VSS Enterprise\" shipped to the site carried underneath the fuselage of Virgin Galactic's Mother Ship Eve.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-114\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-114\"\u003e[114]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCompetition\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVirgin Galactic is not the only corporation pursuing suborbital spacecraft for tourism. \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Blue_Origin\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Blue_Origin\"\u003eBlue Origin\u003c\/a\u003e is developing suborbital flights with its \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Shepard\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Shepard\"\u003eNew Shepard\u003c\/a\u003e spacecraft. Although more secretive about its plans, Jeff Bezos has said the company is developing a spacecraft that would take off and land vertically and carry three or more astronauts to the edge of space. New Shepard has flown above the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Karman_line\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Karman_line\"\u003eKarman line\u003c\/a\u003e, landed and been reflown to above the Karman line again.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOn 16 September 2014, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SpaceX\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/SpaceX\"\u003eSpaceX\u003c\/a\u003e and Boeing were awarded contracts as part of NASA's \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Commercial_Crew_Development#Commercial_Crew_Transportation_Capability_(CCtCap)\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Commercial_Crew_Development#Commercial_Crew_Transportation_Capability_(CCtCap)\"\u003eCCtCap\u003c\/a\u003e program to develop their \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dragon_V2\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dragon_V2\"\u003eCrew Dragon\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/CST-100_Starliner\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/CST-100_Starliner\"\u003eCST-100 Starliner\u003c\/a\u003e spacecraft, respectively. Both are capsule designs to bring crew to orbit, a different commercial market than that addressed by Virgin Galactic.\u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-115\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Galactic#cite_note-115\"\u003e[115]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eNow-defunct \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/XCOR_Aerospace\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/XCOR_Aerospace\"\u003eXCOR Aerospace\u003c\/a\u003e had also worked on rocket-powered aircraft during many of the years that Virgin Galactic had; XCOR's \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/XCOR_Lynx\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/XCOR_Lynx\"\u003eLynx suborbital vehicle\u003c\/a\u003e was under development for more than a decade, and its predecessor, the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/XCOR_EZ-Rocket\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/XCOR_EZ-Rocket\"\u003eXCOR EZ-Rocket\u003c\/a\u003e experimental rocket powered airplane did actually take flight, but the company closed its doors in 2017.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jade Tactical","offers":[{"title":"Large","offer_id":33019849769035,"sku":"","price":8500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0293\/3214\/4203\/products\/IMG_2105.jpg?v=1610122643","url":"https:\/\/www.flighthelmetshop.com\/products\/united-states-nasa-virgin-galactic-flight-helmet","provider":"Jade Tactical","version":"1.0","type":"link"}