Virgin Galactic successfully completed its final flight with the VSS Unity space plane, carrying six people into suborbital space on June 9. The Unity aircraft, mounted under the Eve transport aircraft, took off from Spaceport America in New Mexico. The rocket engine fired to propel two pilots and four passengers into space before returning to Earth. This mission, named Galactic 07, reached an altitude of 87.5 km, marking the last commercial flight of Unity before its retirement in 2026 to make way for Virgin Galactic’s new Delta-class spaceplane.
One of the passengers on this historic flight was Tuva Atasever, a Turkish Space Agency astronaut introduced by Axiom Space. Atasever conducted various scientific experiments during the flight, including monitoring brain activity and physiological data collection. The mission also carried research equipment from Purdue University and the University of California, Berkeley for experiments on in-tank propulsion and 3D printing in microgravity conditions.
Upon landing, Virgin Galactic revealed the identities of the three paying passengers on the flight: Anand “Andy” Harish Sadhwani, Irving Izchak Pergament, and Giorgi Manenti. The VSS Unity spaceplane marked the 7th commercial flight for Virgin Galactic and the company’s 12th human flight. The decision to retire Unity was made to make way for the new Delta group spaceplane, capable of carrying six passengers, flying faster, and conducting more flights per year.
With plans to conduct 125 flights annually, Virgin Galactic aims to expand its commercial spaceflight offerings with the new Delta spaceplane. This advancement in technology will allow for more frequent and efficient space travel experiences for passengers in the future.