VSS Unitiy roams the edges of space again (video) • Pilot and aircraft

SPACEPORT AMERICA – Virgin Galactic performed another manned flight into space these days. VSS Unitiy flew from Spaceport America in the US state of New Mexico to the edge of the atmosphere, with six Virgin employees on board as test pilots. Virgin Galactic plans to make its first commercial flight with space tourists in late June.

VSS Unity decoupled from VMS Eve at an altitude of 44,500 feet (13,654 m) that day before reaching a speed of Mach 2.94 before reaching an altitude of 54.2 nm (100 .4m). The plane landed again an hour and 27 minutes after launch

VSS Unitiy’s last flight was on July 21, 2021 when Richard Branson, along with three other passengers and two pilots, performed a maiden flight on the Space Shuttle. At the end of April 2023, the space shuttle performed a glider flight with two test pilots on board.

Virgin Galactic announced in July 2022 its partnership with Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences to design and produce the next generation of the company’s two motherships.

Photos: Galactic Virgin.