Published 05/26/2021

Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo completes third crewed spaceflight

All-composite VSS Unity reached suborbital space at a speed of Mach 3, marking the first human spaceflight from its New Mexico home port, and another step toward commercial operations.

Edited by: Grace Stubbins

Senior Managing Editor, CompositesWorld and Products Finishing

On May 22 Virgin Galactic (Mojave, Calif., U.S.) completed its third spaceflight (the second occured back in February 2019) and the all-composite VSS Unity’s first spaceflight from Spaceport America (Las Cruces, N.M., U.S.). This flight, reports the company, sees New Mexico become the third U.S. state to launch humans into space.

The SpaceShipTwo vehicle achieved a speed of Mach 3 after being released from the mothership, VMS Eve, and reached space, at an altitude of 55.45 miles before gliding smoothly to a runway landing at Spaceport America.

On VSS Unity’s flight deck were CJ Sturckow and Dave Mackay, while Kelly Latimer and Michael Masucci piloted VMS Eve. CJ, who flew as pilot-in-command, is said to have become the first person to have flown to space from three different states. Virgin Galactic notes that the crew experienced extraordinary views of the bright, blue-rimmed curvature of the earth against the blackness of space. New Mexico’s White Sands National Park sparkled brilliantly below. Their experience gives Virgin Galactic’s Future Astronaut customers a glimpse of what lies ahead.

“This flight showcased the inherent elegance and safety of our spaceflight system, while marking a major step forward for both Virgin Galactic and human spaceflight in New Mexico,” says Michael Colglazier, CEO of Virgin Galactic. “Space travel is a bold and adventurous endeavor, and I am proud of our talented team for making the dream of private space travel a reality. We will immediately begin processing the data gained from this successful test flight, and we look forward to sharing news on our next planned milestone.”

Virgin Galactic fulfilled a number of test objectives during the flight, including:

Carried revenue-generating scientific research experiments as part of NASA’s Flight Opportunities Program.
Collected data to be used for the final two verification reports that are required as part of the current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) commercial reusable spacecraft operator’s license.
Tested the spaceship’s upgraded horizontal stabilizers and flight controls and validated EMI reductions.

Following the flight, and in line with normal procedures, Virgin Galactic says it will conduct a review of all test data gathered and thoroughly inspect the spaceship and mothership. Once the team confirms the results, the company plans to proceed to the next flight test milestone.

To celebrate the first human spaceflight from New Mexico, the Zia Sun Symbol of New Mexico’s state flag was placed prominently on the exterior of the Spaceship. In addition, the company flew green chile seeds, synonymous with the state’s rich agricultural and culinary history.

“Fifteen years ago, New Mexico embarked on a journey to create the world’s first commercial spaceport,’’ says Sir Richard Branson. “Today [May 22], we launched the first human spaceflight from that very same place, marking an important milestone for both Virgin Galactic and New Mexico. I am proud of the team for their hard work and grateful to the people of New Mexico who have been unwavering in their commitment for commercial spaceflight from day one. Their belief and support have made this historic achievement possible.”

This spaceflight was conducted under strict COVID-19 protocols.