Virgin Galactic(US:SPCE) Xin Lang Ke Ji·2025-11-26 07:42Core Insights - Virgin Galactic is set to conduct its first commercial flight with a crew of three Italian personnel, marking a significant milestone for the company in the space tourism industry [1][3] Company Overview - Virgin Galactic, founded by Richard Branson in 2004, is one of the few private spaceflight companies alongside SpaceX and Blue Origin, catering to wealthy individuals willing to pay for suborbital space experiences [3][6] - The company aims to demonstrate the safety of rocket flights to the public, especially after a tragic incident in 2014 that resulted in a fatality [6] Flight Details - The flight, named Galactic 01, will take place in New Mexico, reaching an altitude of approximately 50 miles (80 kilometers) [1][3] - The mission is defined as a scientific endeavor rather than a typical space tourism trip, with the crew planning to collect biometric data and study the behavior of certain materials in microgravity [3][4] - The flight is expected to last 90 minutes, with the spacecraft being released from a carrier aircraft at around 50,000 feet (15.24 kilometers) [4][5] Future Plans - If successful, Virgin Galactic plans to conduct another flight in early August and aims for monthly flights thereafter [6] - The company anticipates booking its first 1,000 paying customers at a price of approximately $250,000 per seat, with a vision to establish a fleet capable of 400 flights annually [6] Industry Context - The definition of spaceflight is a contentious issue within the industry, with NASA and the U.S. Air Force defining astronauts as those who fly above 50 miles (80 kilometers) [6] - Blue Origin, led by Jeff Bezos, has conducted multiple commercial flights and has criticized Virgin Galactic for not reaching the internationally recognized boundary of space, known as the Kármán line, which is above 62 miles (100 kilometers) [7]