Virgin Galactic edges closer to commercial travel as test flight reaches space

The release of VSS Unity from VMS Eve and ignition of rocket motor over Spaceport America, New Mexico. AP Photo

Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity, piloted by CJ Sturckow and Dave Mackay, is released from its mothership, VMS Eve. Reuters

VSS Unity is seen in a still image from video during its first manned spaceflight after being released from its mothership. Reuters

VSS Unity achieved a speed of Mach 3 after being released from the mothership. Reuters

Virgin Galactic rocket plane, the WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft, with SpaceShipTwo passenger craft takes off from Mojave Air and Space Port in the US. Reuters

Virgin Galactic Holdings flew a test flight to space for the first time in more than two years, a critical step in its path toward commercial service following a series of issues that have beset the company.

The VSS Unity test flight from New Mexico on Saturday helps put the company back on its stated schedule of flying company founder Richard Branson to suborbital space as early as this summer and resuming ticket sales.

Mr Branson and chief executive Michael Colglazier observed the liftoff from Virgin Galactic’s operations centre at Spaceport America, near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.

Piloted by CJ Sturckow and Dave Mackay, the VSS Unity flight was the company’s first to space from New Mexico, which became the third US state from which people have flown to space after Florida and California. A 1982 Space Shuttle mission landed at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

The flight was the company’s first rocket burn since February 2019, when Beth Moses, a Virgin engineer and astronaut instructor, joined a test flight from Mojave, California. The trip paves the way for Virgin’s next test flight, which is expected to carry additional employees as the company prepares for its commercial service.

After the 2019 flight engineers discovered hull damage on the spacecraft from air pressure that had built up after ventilating holes were accidentally covered, according to “Test Gods,” a book published this month by New Yorker writer Nicholas Schmidle who was given access to observe the company for several years.

Amid delays caused by the pandemic, with many employees working from home, Virgin Galactic’s testing programme suffered another setback in December when VSS Unity dropped from its carrier aircraft but the rocket motor failed to ignite. The craft glided back to Spaceport America and landed without incident.

A second flight attempt in February was scuttled by electrical interference detected in the spacecraft’s avionics system. The company spent about two months repairing the interference issues, which engineers traced to the installation of a more powerful flight computer last year.

Earlier this month, Virgin Galactic warned investors that it was reviewing “fatigue and stress” issues in its four-engine carrier aircraft, VMS Eve. The airplane was cleared to fly after “a detailed inspection and thorough analysis,” the company said on Thursday.