New Space Flight Date Finally Given

Space flights are all the rave as trips to space are becoming popular for those who can afford them. One such company offering the once-in-a-lifetime trips is Virgin Galactic, which has recently completed its last test flight before accepting customers, according to Newsmax

The test flight involved six company employees, including two pilots, who experienced a few minutes of weightlessness before landing at Spaceport America in southern New Mexico. The spaceplane was carried by its mother ship to an altitude of 44,500 feet before it was released from it and carried further by its rocket motor. After the test’s success, the company tweeted that they arrived in space. 

Virgin Galactic has been trying to offer its service to customers for over a decade before it was finally approved by the federal government in 2021. But it isn’t the only company vying for space dominance. Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin was beaten to space by Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson. Bezos followed up with a flight of his own where he traveled for nine days from West Texas. Blue Origin is now reportedly accepting passengers. 

Tickets have increased from $200,000 per person to $450,000 per person and around 800 have been sold since the launch of the endeavor. Virgin Galactic’s goal is to conduct 400 flights per year from Spaceport America after it completes production for its planes. 

Branson’s initial trip ran into issues and the Federal Aviation Administration halted its flights after noticing that the planes would steer off course during its descent. However, the company argued that no one’s safety is at risk because of it.  

The news comes as two Saudi astronauts went aboard a private hosted by Space X, according to Newsmax. The moment marked the first time in almost 40 years that the Saudis have flown to the International Space Station. The first time was in 1985 when Saudi Arabia launched a shuttle.