SpaceX has launched several private astronaut missions, while Virgin Galactic has just successfully completed its first one. Called ‘Galactic 02’, the six-passenger VSS Unity spaceplane launched from Spaceport America in New Mexico today at 10:44 am ET and was dropped approximately 30-minutes later, reaching a maximum speed of Mach 2.9 before peaking at 290,000 feet.
This historic mission included a mother-daughter duo – Keisha Schahaff and her 18-year-old daughter Anastatia Mayers – who won their seats in a drawing that raised funds for non-profit Space for Humanity, along with former Olympian John Goodwin as well as Beth Moses, Virgin Galactic’s chief astronaut instructor. A ticket aboard a Virgin Galactic spaceplane currently sets you back around $450,000 USD.
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This flight highlight two of Virgin Galactic’s core aspirations – increasing access to space and inspiring people around the world. Each of these astronauts are role models and beacons of inspiration in their communities. Watching Keisha, Ana and Jon embark on this transformative experience helps demonstrate that space is now opening to a broader and more diverse population across the globe, said Mihcael Colglazier, CEO of Virgin Galactic.
