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Virgin Galactic rolls out latest generation of spaceship

In this undated photo provided by Virgin Galactic is the VSS Imagine, the first SpaceShip III in the Virgin Galactic Fleet in Mojave, Calif. Virgin Galactic rolled out its newest spaceship Tuesday, March 30, 2021, as the company looks to resume test flights in the coming months at its headquarters in the New Mexico desert. (Virgin Galactic via AP). ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Virgin Galactic rolled out its newest spaceship Tuesday as the company looks to resume test flights in the coming months at its headquarters in the New Mexico desert. Virgin Galactic is one of a few companies looking to cash in on customers with an interest in space. “We expect as we get going on this to see a much quicker turnaround time and that really will help us grow the business.”AdFirst, Virgin Galactic needs regulatory approval for the current generation and that means successful rocket-powered test flights.

Timing of next Virgin Galactic flight still up in the air

This photo provided by Virgin Galactic shows SpaceShipTwo Unity being released from the carrier mothership, VMS Eve for second successful glide flight in New Mexico on Thursday, June 25, 2020. Virgin Galactic is celebrating the second successful glide flight of its spaceship over Spaceport America in southern New Mexico. (Virgin Galactic via AP)ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Virgin Galactic on Friday put off plans to make another attempt at a rocket-powered flight from New Mexico to the fringe of space, saying it needed more time for technical checks. In June, Virgin Galactic marked its second successful glide flight over Spaceport America. Virgin Galactic is one of a few companies looking to cash in on customers with an interest in space.

Virgin Galactic makes first flight from New Mexico site

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Virgin Galactic on Saturday completed its first rocket-powered flight from Spaceport America in southern New Mexico. The flight was the first from Virgin Galactic’s new headquarters at the futuristic desert outpost but it wasn't immediately clear from information released by the space tourism company whether the hour-long test flight actually reached space as planned. A Virgin Galactic representative did not immediately respond to an emailed request for clarification. The next phase of final testing for the Virgin Galactic team will involve company mission specialists and engineers being loaded into the spaceship’s passenger cabin for powered flights. They will evaluate all the hardware, camera settings and which angles will provide the best views.

Window opens for Virgin Galactic test flight from spaceport

Virgin Galactic is celebrating the second successful glide flight of its spaceship over Spaceport America in southern New Mexico. Virgin Galactic posted on social media that the flight crew is ready but do not plan to fly before Saturday. Officials with Virgin Galactic and the state-financed spaceport said the test flight will mark another key milestone in the march toward commercial flights. The impending flight will be the third space flight for Virgin Galactic and the first from New Mexico. In addition to those who have put down deposits for a ride with Virgin Galactic, several thousand more have registered their interest online.

Virgin Galactic plans 1st New Mexico space launch this month

LOS ANGELES – Virgin Galactic said Thursday that it expects to launch its first manned test flight into space from New Mexico this month. The company’s spacecraft, VSS Unity, conducted two previous test spaceflights from Mojave, California, before moving in to its facilities at Spaceport America in New Mexico. The spaceport will be Virgin Galactic's base for launching passengers on brief trips high above the Earth, starting with billionaire founder Richard Branson next year. In addition to passengers, Unity can carry small science experiments and will do so on this month’s flight, generating some revenue through a NASA program. Virgin Galactic also has made progress on a second spaceship in its planned fleet and plans to roll it out during the first quarter of 2021, CEO Michael Colglazier said in a statement.

Virgin Galactic soars in its stock exchange debut

(CNN) - Virgin Galactic began trading on the New York Stock exchange Monday -- another sign that entrepreneur-built space companies are maturing. Branson started Virgin Galactic in 2004 after watching a privately funded two-seater space plane rocket into the upper atmosphere to win the Ansari X Prize. Galactic CEO George Whitesides called the company's debut on the NYSE the "start of a new era for the human spaceflight industry." The biggest name in the arena, Elon Musk's SpaceX, launches rockets and spacecraft for NASA, the US military and commercial satellite companies. And Blue Origin, which is gearing up to compete directly with Galactic in the suborbital space tourism market, is funded directly by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos.

Space tourism company could go public for investors Monday

Virgin Galactic(CNN) - Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic is set to become the first publicly traded commercial human spaceflight company. Galactic could be only months away from its first commercial space flight, according to Branson. About 600 people have already have reserved tickets on a Virgin Galactic at prices up to $250,000 apiece. Passengers, outfitted in specially designed spacesuits by Under Armour, will hurtle in a rocket-powered space plane to more than 50 miles into the atmosphere. The startup has notched successful demonstration flights of its rocket-powered space plane called SpaceShipTwo.

Designs revealed for incredible new space hotel

What the Von Braun Station space hotel might look like inside. If a career as an astronaut isn't for you, perhaps the promise of a sojourn in a space hotel might be appealing. The Von Braun Station is also not the only space hotel design in the works. Earlier in 2019, US-based space tech startup Orion Span released plans for a luxury space hotel called Aurora Station, which it hopes to launch in 2022. He says recycling will be woven into the fabric of the space hotel.

Virgin Galactic unveils luxury lounge at its airport for space tourism

(CNN) - Richard Branson's space tourism startup, Virgin Galactic, is showing off a luxurious lounge area and top-shelf amenities for its wealthy clientele. Hundreds of people are lined up to ride a short high-speed trip aboard a Virgin Galactic space plane. Branson, who founded the venture in 2004, plans to be the first tourist aboard a Virgin Galactic space plane. Virgin Galactic now says it's ready to fulfill its promise of making New Mexico a space tourism and flight viewing destination, offering a major boon for the local economy. The company is squared up to compete directly with Blue Origin, a space tourism venture founded by Amazon multibillionaire Jeff Bezos.

Space travel is possible, for the rich

FreeImages.com/bruno sersocima(CNN) - A space revolution is upon us so says the new wave of tech entrepreneurs pledging to colonize the cosmos. But the galactically curious should take heed: Space travel will probably remain prohibitively expensive for anyone outside the 1% for a long, long time. Most recently, Cirque Du Soleil billionaire Guy Laliberte paid $35 million to spend a couple weeks in space. On the cheapest end of the spectrum is Virgin Galactic. They've gained die-hard fans, as well as critics who question how equitable the future of space travel would be if it is built by the world's most affluent people.