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Col. Walter Villadei Italian Air Force Astronaut 008
In 2021, Col. Villadei started his professional astronaut training at NASA through Axiom and in 2022 qualified as the Ax-2 mission backup pilot. He performed multiple extreme analog training activities including centrifuge, parabolic flight, NOLS, survival training, flight training and scuba diving.
Qualified on Soyuz, ISS systems, and Orlan for EVA activities.
Col. Villadei is the 'Virtute 1' mission commander. He will be tending to the rack-mounted payloads and wearing a state-of-the-art smart suit to measure his biometric data and physiological responses. He is in charge of the research execution and this spaceflight is part of his astronaut training for a future orbital space mission to the ISS.
Lt. Col. Angelo Landolfi Physician, Italian Air Force Astronaut 009
Undergraduate degrees in medicine & surgery, diving & hyperbaric medicine, and forensic medicine.
Master's degrees in public health and preventative medicine, and in international military strategic studies.
Ph.D. in Legal Medicine and Forensic Science.
Trained as a crew surgeon as part of Cosmonaut training program and is a trained flight test surgeon.
EASA Aeromedical Examiner and CRM trainer.
Lt. Col. Landolfi plans to conduct tests on 'Galactic 01' to measure cognitive performance in microgravity and to investigate how certain liquids and solids mix in microgravity.
Pantaleone Carlucci Engineer, National Research Council of Italy (CNR) Astronaut 010
Technical engineer and pilot that has worked at the CNR for more than 8 years in the fields of engineering of scientific instrumentation on aircraft platforms, with a focus on the implementation of payloads.
In charge of technical coordination of strategic projects on stratospheric platforms and air launch.
Member of various coordination committees set up under framework agreements that the CNR has signed with companies operating in the space and aerospace sectors.
On the 'Galactic 01' mission Carlucci will be conducting tests that involve wearing multiple sensors that examine heart rate, brain function and other human performance metrics during spaceflight and in microgravity.
Colin Bennett Astronaut Instructor, Virgin Galactic Astronaut 003
Colin is the lead astronaut instructor carrying out all training and preparation for the Italian Air Force mission and will fly with the crew to assess the research flight experience during the mission.
Colin is Astronaut 003, who joined Sir Richard Branson on Virgin Galactic's first fully crewed mission, Unity 22.
Previously served several roles in Mission Control including Flight Director.
Meet The Pilots
VSS Unity
Mike Masucci Commander
Flying Since: 1982
No. of Types Flown: 80+
Main Types Flown: U-2, F-16, T-38, Citation X
Total Experience: 10,000+ Hours
Spaceflights: 4th
US Air Force Lt Col (Retired)
Nicola Pecile Pilot
Flying Since: 1991
No. of Types Flown: 170
Main Types Flown: Tornado FMK.3 ADV, NH-500E
Total Experience: 7,700+ Hours
Spaceflights: 1st
Former Italian Air Force Lt Col
VMS Eve
Kelly Latimer Commander
Flying Since: 1989
No. of Types Flown: 50+
Main Types Flown: T-38, C-141, C-17, T-34, B-747SP
Total Experience: 6,700+ Hours
US Air Force Lt Col (Retired)
Jameel Janjua Pilot
Flying Since: 1995
No. of Types Flown: 60+
Main Types Flown: CF-18, F-16, Tornado GR4, F-15, Learjet
Total Experience: 4,000+ Hours
Canadian Air Force Major (Retired)
"We're proud to be facilitating international collaboration between spacefaring nations and industry pioneers to expand human knowledge. This flight will showcase our distinctive spaceflight system, which allows researchers to fly with their experiments, and our capacity to offer regular access to space for the science and technology comm"unity," said Sirisha Bandla, Vice President, Government Affairs and Research Operations.
"Virtute 1 mission is the first Italian and European suborbital flight. A breakthrough and pathfinder mission, conceived and designed with Italian National Research Council and Virgin Galactic to test the versatility of suborbital spaceflight for scientific and technological research.
"We are flying payloads from multiple disciplines in one mission and are utilizing the entire flight profile to collect invaluable data. Suborbital spaceflight will revolutionize aeronautics transportation in the future, expanding access to space for a much larger community," said Col. Walter Villadei, 'Virtute 1' Mission Commander.
Robert Pearlman
Virgin Galactic updates (via Twitter; time stamps are reflective of posts and not necessarily mission events):
10:39 a.m. EDT — We have Galactic-01 take-off from Spaceport New Mexico!
11:08 a.m. EDT — VSS Unity is currently climbing to release altitude. Our Galactic-01 crew from the Italian Research Council and Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche are preparing to conduct 13 scientific research experiments throughout the stages of flight.
11:33 a.m. EDT — Release release, release! VSS Unity has successfully released from our mothership VMS Eve and ignited the rocket motor.
11:37 a.m. EDT — Benvenuti nello spazio, Galactic-01! Our crew from the Italian Air Force and CNR have reached space.
11:44 a.m. EDT — Allora, andiamo a casa! VSS Unity is now on the way home to Spaceport America, New Mexico.
11:49 a.m. EDT — Welcome back to Earth, Galactic-01! Our pilots, crew and spaceship have landed smoothly at Spaceport America in New Mexico.
Galactic 01 spaceflight carried 13 research payloads and three crew members from the Italian Air Force and the National Research Council of Italy.
"Today (June 29), our team successfully flew six people and more than a dozen research payloads to space in VSS Unity, our unique, suborbital science lab. This historic flight was our first commercial flight and our first dedicated commercial research mission – ushering in a new era of repeatable and reliable access to space for private passengers and researchers," said Michael Colglazier, CEO of Virgin Galactic.
"'Galactic 02,' our first spaceflight with private astronauts, is planned for August and we expect VSS Unity to continue with monthly space missions while we simultaneously work to scale our future spaceship fleet for a global audience," said Colglazier.
In Flight Facts
Take-off Time: 10:30 a.m. EDT
Altitude at Release: 44,500 feet
Apogee: 52.9 miles
Top Speed: Mach 2.88
Landing Time: 11:42 a.m. EDT
"I am beyond proud to be a part of this historic spaceflight. 'Galactic 01' is Italy's first commercial suborbital research spaceflight, and an amazing achievement made possible thanks to the long-lasting collaboration between the Italian Air Force and the National Research Council of Italy. During the centennial year of both Italian institutions, we fly to the highest point of our history," said Col. Walter Villadei with the Italian Air Force.
"This groundbreaking collaboration propels Italy into the new era of commercial spaceflight as a pathfinder, fostering innovation and paving the way for further technological enhancement in this strategic domain. Together, and in partnership with Virgin Galactic, we have set a precedent for future endeavors and the boundless possibilities that lie ahead. We honor today all the people who not only have made possible this amazing flight, but all the ones who have dedicated their life to our beliefs in this past 100 years. Virtute Siderum Tenus," said Villadei.
Next Steps
Post-flight inspections and analysis in preparation for next commercial space mission, 'Galactic 02,' which will bring Virgin Galactic's unique experience to private astronauts. The mission is planned for August, with monthly flights to space beginning thereafter.
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