Richard Branson Returns In The Space Race With Virgin Galactic's Last Test Flight

The company's double-configured VMS Eve aircraft took off from the Spaceport America site. (photo: Twitter @virgingalactic)

JAKARTA - Billionaire Richard Branson is again participating in the space race. Virgin Galactic, Branson's company, successfully completed a test flight that is expected to be the last flight before bringing paying customers to make a short trip into space.

The company's double-configured VMS Eve aircraft took off from Virgin Galactic's Spaceport America site in New Mexico at around 11:15 a.m. local time with four company employees on crew. The VSS Unity spacecraft flew 54.2 miles above Earth's surface for the first time.

The FAA, federal aviation Authority, has banned the launch of Virgin Galactic after Branson's inaugural flight in 2021 led to an investigation when the plane deviated from its path as it descended back onto the runway in the New Mexico desert.

Unlike other companies that use vertical launch rockets, Virgin Galactic uses carriers with two pilots that take off from the runway, reaches high altitude, and releases rocket-powered aircraft that fly into space before landing by flying back to Earth.

The carrier aircraft launched on a spacecraft beneath its stomach, which was then released at an altitude of 44,500 feet.

VSS Unity then started its engine and rose about 262,000 feet - the altitude recognized as the space boundary.

"A successful boy, WE HAVE REACHED SPACE!" Virgin Galactic tweeted on Thursday, May 25.

The total travel time is 90 minutes, with passengers feeling few minutes without gravity in the spacecraft cabin before returning to Earth at 12:37 p.m. local time.

The company's Unity 25 mission is an important final test flight before launching its first commercial mission at the end of June, in the hope of traveling about every month after that.

The flight comes 22 months after billionaire Branson and employees boarded the edge of space on the SpaceShipTwo spacecraft which is the center of attention.

Virgin Galactic hopes the widely paid attention mission will open the door to routine flights shortly thereafter, but suffered a failed landing that put the company to a halt until Thursday.

In September 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it was investigating irregularities in the flight.

The FAA, which oversees commercial aviation of air and space in the US, found that spacecraft "obstructed approval of Air Traffic Control" and did so for about a minute and 41 seconds.

At the time, everything seemed to be going as planned, with the aircraft carrier taking off as expected and the spacecraft released at an altitude of 50,000 feet to continue the 40-mile journey into space before landing safely on the runway at Spaceport America.

However, reports suggest that in the cockpit there is a warning light that the spacecraft deviated from its path and may be having difficulties in returning without action.

Virgin Galactic said "the final flight crossing of the aircraft deviated from our original plan," but added that the plane "does not fly beyond the lateral boundaries of protected airspace."

The company said it was working with the FAA in an investigation into deviation of the return route to the runway and increasing communication.

In a statement regarding the FAA investigation, Virgin Galactic acknowledged that "the flight fell below the altitude of the airspace", but ensured that this would occur "for short distances and times (1 minute and 41 seconds) before entering limited airspace."

"When the plane faces high-altitude winds that change track, the pilots and the system monitor the track to ensure it remains within mission parameters," Virgin Galactic was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.

The company added that "not a single time airplanes above the population center or pose a danger to society."

The company said it was "working closely with the FAA to address the airspace for future flights," including informing them of any issues.

The FAA banned Virgin Galactic from launching until the matter was fixed and finally gave federal approval for spaceflight last Thursday.

Next is customers who have bought tickets years ago for their chance to feel gravity free.

As many as 800 tickets have been sold over the past decade, with an initial ticket price of 200,000 US dollars (Rp 3 billion) each person. Now, the ticket price is 450,000 US dollars (Rp 6.7 billion) per person.