Virgin Galactic Commercial Space Flight Is Happening This Month
Virgin Galactic's first commercial space flight is going to launch at the end of June.
Al Jazeera reports that Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic space tourism company has finally cracked the code for commercial space flight, and will be embarking on its maiden voyage, Galactic 01, sometime between June 27 and June 30. Having completed their final test flight this past May, Virgin Galactic will be carrying three crew members from the Italian Air Force and National research council of Italy to conduct research on microgravity before opening up subsequent trips to the public. And this is a long time coming, considering that the public has been waiting patiently for over a decade to get their chance to experience the weightlessness of zero gravity, for a nominal fee.
If you thought going to Disneyland was expensive, then you’re going to lose your mind when you hear about the ticket prices for a short trip on a Virgin Galactic Vessel. Over the past 10 years, Virgin Galactic has sold tickets for $200,000 a pop, and the cost has more than doubled, with a final per-ticket cost of $450,000. In other words, your FICO credit score better be in tip-top form if you want to secure your spot; submitting a temporary credit card authorization will run you $10,000, which will go toward the initial security deposit of $150,000.
The Virgin Galactic site states that the remaining balance of $300,000 needs to be paid in full during the year leading up to your flight. If you’re still reading at this point, then it’s safe to say that you’ve got deep pockets, and you’re ready to go on the journey of a lifetime. Let’s hope some complimentary beverages and snacks are provided, considering the hefty price tag that a Virgin Galactic flight requires.
Now that we’ve got the finances in order, it’s time to get into what a Virgin Galactic ticket actually offers you aside from years of debt. With your ticket, you become a Future Astronaut community member, meaning there will be extensive training and flight wear provided, so you look the part. During this training retreat which will take place at Spaceport America, you can spend time with your family and friends before taking flight and getting a birds-eye view of Earth from above before landing in the New Mexico desert.
But it’s worth noting that your family and friends won’t be in on all of the goodies if they’re not also ticket holders, so you better start saving your pennies now if you want to share such a breathtaking moment with your loved ones.
After your training, you will be boarded onto the Virgin Galactic space plane, which will take you 50,000 feet into the air before being released from the carrier aircraft and using its own rocket to reach space. But if you want to get in on the action, it’s safe to say that you better fill out the enrollment form on the Virgin Galactic website sooner rather than later. We can only imagine that the wait list is quite long, considering that 800 ticket holders from the past decade are at the front of the line.
