Virgin Galactic Spacecraft Reaches Space With First Test Passenger

In another step toward space tourism, Virgin Galactic's spacecraft Unity completed another successful test flight last week, this time with the company’s first test passenger.

According to CNBC.com, Virgin Galactic launched its second test flight Friday with two pilots and astronaut trainer Beth Moses onboard. Unity reached three times the speed of sound on its path to the edge of space, just two months after its inaugural flight.

Friday’s flight was the first time a non-pilot was onboard during a test flight, with Moses being added to the crew to work on validating “some of the cabin design elements,” a Virgin Galactic spokeswoman told CNBC.

Three new @virgingalactic commercial astronauts #VirginFamily pic.twitter.com/SkBzMzQBv9

— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) February 22, 2019

Gutted I couldn’t be on the flight line to see @virgingalactic reach space for the second time as I had promised to help organise #VenezuelaAidLive - but a huge congratulations to the team! https://t.co/t2mG9TrR9h pic.twitter.com/rcnmZ8ksE9

— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) February 22, 2019

SpaceShipTwo gliding back home to Earth from our second spaceflight: https://t.co/t2mG9TrR9h @virgingalactic pic.twitter.com/JihmAffN9f

— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) February 23, 2019

When pilots Dave Mackay and Michael Masucci reached an altitude of 55.9 miles, they joined Moses as astronauts, becoming three of the less than 600 people to ever fly in space. Unity holds up to six passengers in addition to the two pilots, and the work Moses is conducting will help prepare Virgin Galactic for commercial operations.

The spacecraft was released horizontally at an altitude of around 45,000 feet by its carrier aircraft, WhiteKnight Two, and reached a speed of Mach 3 as it entered space. The Unity then glided back and safely landed at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California.

The second test flight was delayed two days because of high winds in the region.