It’s certainly taken long enough to get to this point but Virgin Galactic has finally sent some of its paying customers to space. The company has yet to start chipping away at the list of paid tickets sold from 2012, however.
Perhaps it was the company’s hesitancy to risk a civilian who wasn’t Richard Branson (who volunteered for his trip) but Virgin Galactic took a batch of Italian military crew (we assume Italy paid for the tickets) and some 13 scientific experiments on the company’s inaugural commercial trip.
Virgin Galactic flies (at last)
Based on the flight’s stream — which kicks in just before the exciting bit so you don’t need to watch a modified plane flying vaguely upward for almost two hours — this was very much a working trip for the members of the Italian Air Force and the National Research Council of Italy. The moment that VSS Unity, the rocket-powered section of Virgin Galactic’s take on a space launch system, reaches space — approximately 85km up, the crew begins operating various experiments.
There’s little time to experience weightlessness or any of the other things that space tourists are supposed to be able to do. That’s probably how Italy’s transport minister authorised the expenditure — “They’re going to work, it’s a work trip.” And since they’re on camera… well, that’s one way for your boss to make sure you’re doing what you’re paid for.
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What is notable is that this trip was filled with mission specialists. The three Italian passengers were divided into mission commander, medic, and engineer roles. Civilian passengers will receive some training but we don’t know if you’re allowed to call yourself an engineer after six weeks at Space Camp.
But the video also shows just how short the experience really is. Passengers just get a couple of minutes of weightlessness before the extremely unique plane flips over and heads back to Earth. Whether that’s worth R8.5 million a pop ($450,000) is between you and the kids who are no longer inheriting your accumulated wealth.