Galactic 07, Last Time of VSS Unity In Action

On June 8, 2024, Virgin Space Ship Unity (VSS Unity) went to (US-defined) space for the last time with a six-member crew aboard, running several experiments and enjoying the overview effect. 

Successful take-off from @Spaceport_NM confirmed! Let’s go #Galactic07! pic.twitter.com/liY1s0mGRq

— Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) June 8, 2024

Commander Nicola Pecile ignited the RocketMotorTwo engine at 15:26 UTC for 60 seconds, bringing VSS Unity to an apogee of 87,5 Km. After some minutes of zero-g flight, VSS Unity commenced the gliding maneuver, landing at 15:41 UTC at Spaceport America’s runway.

With the grounding of VSS Unity, Virgin Galactic aims to dedicate all its resources and efforts to constructing its Delta Class spaceship, which will improve the company’s flight operations and financial performance.

VSS Unity, an obstacle course to unlock space tourism and suborbital science

Since its first successful suborbital flight in 2018, it took 5 years to see VSS Unity bringing to space the first group of commercial customers with mission Galactic01. It was grounded the first time in 2020 after an abort of the engine just after the ignition. It was grounded again in 2021 for a long time after the first crewed flight with its founder Richard Branson went off the reserved airspace.

The spaceship resumed its suborbital flights in May 2023 with the Unity 25 mission, flying with a monthly cadence until the Galactic 06 mission, during which Virgin Galactic reported the unexpected detachment of a pin from the mothership VMS Eve. The related investigation with the FAA revealed some small adjustments to prevent such an issue from occurring again but delayed its last mission for some months.

Despite all the problems, Virgin Galactic managed to bring the first space tourists with the Galactic 02 mission, and from that moment on for all the other galactic missions.

VSS Unity was also used as a zero-g laboratory for every flight, allowing automatic and astronaut-driven experiments to be run. During the Galactic 07 mission, a crew member from Axiom Space, Tuva Atasever of the Turkish Space Agency, tested wearable payloads and participated in four human physiology research investigations by Turkish researchers.

Getting profitable with the new Delta Class spaceplane

Virgin Galactic intentionally grounded VSS Unity to focus on the next-generation vehicle. This Delta Class spaceship promises to reach a higher flight cadence at lower costs and to support the company in improving its financial performance.

The recent opening of the new Integration Facility is an important milestone in the Delta Class roadmap, aiming to fly the vehicle for the first time in 2025 and open to commercial flights in 2026.

“Galactic 07 marks and celebrates VSS Unity’s final commercial flight – an exciting and historic turning point for the business as we dedicate our resources fully to the production of our next-generation Delta spaceships, on track for commercial service in 2026.”

— Michael Colglazier, CEO of Virgin Galactic

_{*Cover image credits: Virgin Galactic}