Monday, May 24, 2021

Virgin Galactic Launches First Human Spaceflight From NM

Virgin Galactic, the space tourism company backed by Sir Richard Branson, has launched its first vehicle to space from its new Spaceport America location over the weekend. The company launched SpaceShipTwo, its space vehicle, into space from Spaceport America in New Mexico, reaching an altitude of 55.45 miles above the earth and speeds of Mach 3. The UNITY21 spaceflight is the company's first human spaceflight from its new launch site in New Mexico, from where it hopes to start carrying passengers in the future. Virgin Galactic's vehicles were developed in Mojave, California, where its manufacturing operations at The Spaceship Company still remain. NASA and the Air Force use 50 miles above the earth as a marker for reaching space.