posted 12-20-2023 10:00 AM               

Virgin Galactic Launches Into the New Year With January Commercial Flight

'Galactic 06' Mission Launch Window Opens January 26, 2024

Virgin Galactic today (Dec. 20) announced the 'Galactic 06' flight window will open January 26, 2024. This will be the Company's 11th spaceflight to date and will follow a year of unprecedented human spaceflight achievements that included six suborbital spaceflights in six months. Four private astronauts from three different countries will journey to space on Virgin Galactic's sixth commercial spaceflight.

The private astronauts onboard the 'Galactic 06' mission will include:

• Astronaut 023 – Private Astronaut from Ukraine and Las Vegas, United States

• Astronaut 024 – Private Astronaut from Texas, United States

• Astronaut 025 – Private Astronaut from Austria

• Astronaut 026 – Private Astronaut from California, United States

The Virgin Galactic crew will include:

• VSS Unity Commander CJ Sturckow and pilot Nicola Pecile

• VMS Eve Commander Michael Masucci and pilot Dan Alix

Michael Colglazier, CEO of Virgin Galactic, said: "Our inaugural year of commercial service demonstrated our spaceflight system's ability to regularly deliver a safe and unparalleled customer experience for our astronauts and established new turn time records for reuseable human spaceflight systems. We're excited to begin 2024 by bringing four new Virgin Galactic astronauts to space with our 'Galactic 06' mission."

posted 01-26-2024 09:39 AM               

We are continuing preparations for today's Galactic-06 spaceflight. Take-off is scheduled for approximately 10:00 a.m. MT.

Stay tuned for live updates on X.

posted 01-26-2024 12:51 PM               

Greetings from space! Huge congratulations to 023, 024, 025, and 026!

posted 01-26-2024 02:52 PM               

Virgin Galactic Completes 11th Successful Spaceflight

Virgin Galactic today (Jan. 26) announced the completion of its first spaceflight of 2024 and 11th mission to date. Today's 'Galactic 06' flight marked the first time all four seats aboard VSS Unity were occupied by private astronauts.

Onboard 'Galactic 06':

• Astronaut 023 – Lina Borozdina, Ukraine and Nevada, U.S.
  
• Astronaut 024 – Robie Vaughn, Texas, U.S.
  
• Astronaut 025 – Franz Haider, Austria
  
• Astronaut 026 – Neil Kornswiet, California, U.S.

Today's launch was watched from the ground at Spaceport America by more than 150 guests alongside Virgin Galactic's team.

VSS Unity was commanded by C.J. Sturckow with pilot Nicola Pecile. Michael Masucci commanded mothership VMS Eve joined by pilot Dan Alix.

"Today the incredible team at Virgin Galactic supported another successful mission and delivered an unforgettable experience for four new astronauts. The success of 'Galactic 06' and the Company's other commercial spaceflights in recent months only increases our confidence in the repeatability of our product and our ability to deliver a superlative experience to our customers. With the production of our next-generation Delta-class ships underway, we look forward to expanding our flight capacity with testing expected to start next year and commercial service in 2026," said Michael Colglazier, CEO of Virgin Galactic.

The Company's next mission, expected in the second quarter of 2024, will include both a researcher and private astronauts. More information on that mission will be announced soon.

G06 in flight facts

• Take-off Time: 10:00 a.m. MT
  
• Altitude at Release: 44,493 feet
  
• Apogee: 55.2 miles
  
• Top Speed: 2.98 Mach
  
• Landing Time: 10:56 a.m. MT

posted 02-05-2024 04:27 PM               

Virgin Galactic Reports Flight Issue to FAA

Standard post-flight review found an alignment pin detached from the mothership during the 'Galactic 06' flight

The alignment pin performed all primary functions during mated flight

At no time was there a safety impact to mothership, spaceship, crew on board or people on the ground

Virgin Galactic today (Feb. 5) announced that during routine post-flight reviews following its most recent spaceflight, 'Galactic 06,' the Company became aware that an alignment pin detached from the launch pylon of our mothership, VMS Eve, during flight. The Company notified the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on January 31 in accordance with regulations and is conducting a review in conjunction with the FAA.

'Galactic 06' was a safe and successful flight that was conducted in accordance with Virgin Galactic's rigorous flight procedures and protocols. At no time did the detached alignment pin pose a safety impact to the vehicles or the crew on board. Virgin Galactic flights occur in restricted airspace and at specific geographical launch locations that control the hazards to people or structures on the ground. The Company also observed no damage to the spaceship or the mothership.

The alignment pin helps ensure the spaceship is aligned to the mothership when mating the vehicles on the ground during pre-flight procedures. During mated flight, as the vehicles climb towards release altitude, the alignment pin helps transfer drag and other forces from the spaceship to the shear pin fitting assembly and into the pylon and center wing of the mothership. The shear pin fitting assembly remained both attached and intact on the mothership with no damage. While both parts play a role during mated flight, they do not support the spaceship's weight, nor do they have an active function once the spaceship is released.

The alignment pin and shear pin fitting assembly performed as designed during the mated portion of the flight, and only the alignment pin detached after the spaceship was released from the mothership.

Virgin Galactic will provide a further update at the completion of the review and will confirm the flight window for the 'Galactic 07' mission, which is planned for the second quarter of 2024.