Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo commercial space plane has officially made its first successful test flight out of Spaceport America,About its base in New Mexico.
On Friday, the company announced that its suborbital spacecraft, called VSS Unity, marked "an important flight test milestone in preparation for commercial service."
Though Unity had already completed several successful glide tests — including milestone flights in December 2018 and February 2019— this was the first successful free flight in the New Mexico airspace.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
According to the online statement, "The milestone flight took off from the Spaceport America runway, with VSS Unity attached to the carrier aircraft, VMS Eve." The company went on to explain that all vehicles rose to an altitude of 50,000 feet before Unity was released.
"The spaceship achieved a glide speed of Mach 0.70 and completed multiple test-points, before touching back down smoothly for a runway landing at Spaceport America," Virgin Galactic said.
"This glide flight provided the first opportunity to test all the components required to fly the carrier aircraft and spaceship in glide configuration, from a new home base and in new airspace," the company's statement reads. "The flight test also provided an opportunity for the pilots and spaceflight operations team to continue familiarisation with the new airspace around the Gateway to Space and a chance to capture valuable in-flight data and conduct further pilot training."
The eventual goal is to be able to use the spacecraft to carry six passengers in commercial operations, so the fact that this test run was successful is another step closer to achieving that objective.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
"Today's VSS Unity flight is another exciting milestone for Virgin Galactic’s progress in New Mexico," Dan Hicks, Executive Director of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority said in the announcement.
He remarked that the successful flight was especially noteworthy because it also took place in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.
"We are extremely happy and proud of Virgin Galactic, not only for today's success but also for the exceptional way they have integrated into NM and supported the region and State during this stressful time dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic," Hicks continued. "Spaceport America and Virgin Galactic have adhered to new guidelines set by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to include social distancing and wearing masks. A big thank you to our foundational partner at Spaceport America!"
Per the online statement, preparation for SpaceShipTwo Unity's next flight is now underway.
Previous：The Mismeasure of Media
Contingent No More
Why do dogs tilt their heads? New research makes an intriguing discovery.
The Sex Ed Guide That Titillated Britain for Centuries
Meta Quest 3 vs. Quest 2: What are the differences?
Virtual Reality: The True Cost of Admission (and Why It Doesn't Matter)
The Book Cover in the Weimar Republic
Remembering Gordon Bishop
The Hotel Is Haunted—But No One Cares
Best Max streaming deal: Save 20% on annual subscriptions
The Hotel Is Haunted—But No One Cares
Best headphones deal: Save up to 51% on Beats at Amazon
Staffage: A Word I Learned from John Ashbery
Colleen Moore’s Fairy Castle—And Her Lost “Flaming Youth”
Jean Pagliuso’s Poutry Suite
Today's Hurdle hints and answers for May 5, 2025
Twitter / X is losing daily active users. CEO Linda Yaccarino confirmed it.
Cheddar, Cheever, and the Burbs
Twitter / X is losing daily active users. CEO Linda Yaccarino confirmed it.
Best portable power station deal: Save $179.01 on the EcoFlow River 2 Max
Avoid This Book: The Direction of Hair in Animals and Man
Seahawks player gives ref big ol' hug and gets a penalty in returnClinton didn't know about her new email drama until the plane landedHilary Duff and her boyfriend apologize for their offensive Halloween costumesThe Gods bless Australia with an epic 'world first' Marvel exhibitionKylie Jenner's 'Dirrty' Christina Aguilera costume is pop culture perfectionKelly Clarkson wigs up for a killer Halloween cover of Sia's 'Chandelier'This pair of best friends designed a superhero costume to celebrate their religionsThe most beautiful, luxurious presidential endorsements infographic you will see todayAbstinence doesn't work. So why are we telling teens to simply not sext?Justin Bieber addresses his temper tantrum in an open letterHubble telescope photo of a spooky dead star will creep you outEddie Vedder will try to save the Chicago Cubs' seasonNo, the internet does not care for politician's lame graffiti jokeSara Bareilles and Leslie Odom Jr. concocted your new favorite election songJason Kipnis' joyride in the Indians dugout is Cleveland fans everywhereSara Bareilles and Leslie Odom Jr. concocted your new favorite election songKylie Jenner's 'Dirrty' Christina Aguilera costume is pop culture perfectionUniversity makes fan remove Obama, Hillary mask with noose during gameLorelai, please, please, please drink less coffee in the 'Gilmore Girls' rebootHubble telescope photo of a spooky dead star will creep you out All Our Leavings by Jill Talbot The American Rodeo by Barrett Swanson The Perseverance of Eve Babitz’s Vision by Molly Lambert The Most Interior Text of the 1300s by Anthony Madrid The Opera Backstage by Cody Delistraty Are We All Living in a Simulation? by Rich Cohen Harold Bloom, 1930–2019 by The Paris Review Redux: Courting Sleep by The Paris Review A Bluebeard of Wives by Sabrina Orah Mark Redux: Tautology, Tautology by The Paris Review The Obsessive Fictions of László Krasznahorkai by Dustin Illingworth Artworks in the Room Where I Write by Diane Williams Redux: Volume and Color by The Paris Review The Code of Hammurabi by Jenny Slate Staff Picks: Family, Fleece, and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos by The Paris Review The Brief Idyll of Late Cooking with Shirley Jackson by Valerie Stivers The Jets, the Bills, and the Art of Losing by Rowan Ricardo Phillips I Was Dilapidated by Mary The Cult of the Imperfect by Umberto Eco