Galactic 02 Mission Flies First Virgin Galactic Customers
In its third successful spaceflight in just over three months, Virgin Galactic's 'Galactic 02' mission carried the company's first paying customers. The mission flew first Olympian, first female astronauts from the Caribbean and most women flown in a single mission to space.
Jon, Keisha and Ana each embody our fundamental belief that space is for everyone, and we are proud that today’s flight has inspired people and communities around the world."
Michael Colglazier, Virgin Galactic
Flying private astronauts Jon Goodwin from the United Kingdom, and Keisha Schahaff and Anastatia Mayers from Antigua and Barbuda, ‘Galactic 02’ achieved multiple firsts:
First female astronauts from the Caribbean
First mother-daughter duo to go to space
Most women flown in a single space mission
Youngest person to go to space
First Olympian to go to space
First majority female spaceflight
The flight also marked the sixth and seventh Black women to go to space, the second person with Parkinson’s to go to space, and third oldest person to go to space.
Galactic 02 Just the Beginning: Colglazier
“Today Virgin Galactic took another historic leap forward by flying our first private astronaut mission and demonstrating how our spaceflights will broaden access to space. Jon, Keisha and Ana each embody our fundamental belief that space is for everyone, and we are proud that today’s flight has inspired people and communities around the world," said Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier. "This is just the beginning, as we plan to continue flying monthly spaceflights while also developing our Delta Class production spaceships to scale our business.”
“It is a surreal and humbling experience to have flown Unity today. The wonder and excitement of spaceflight never loses its magic," said VSS Unity Commander CJ Sturckow. "I had the honor of being joined in the cockpit by Kelly Latimer, one of the first female commercial spaceship pilots. I’m proud of the work we’re doing here at Virgin Galactic to fly more people to space.”
“In my entire career, from the Air Force Academy to being a test pilot for NASA, nothing tops what I have just experienced at the controls of VSS Unity. Going to space today fulfilled an ambition I’ve had since I was a child," Latimer said. "It is a privilege to be part of a majority-women crew making history as the most female astronauts flying to space in a single mission.”
The flight departed Spaceport America at 08:30 am MDT, and Unity was released at an altitude of 44,300 feet, reaching an apogee of 55 miles.
(Source: Virgin Galactic. Images provided)