Virgin Galactic has announced that it will open its space travel to the general public beginning tomorrow, February 16, allowing them to purchase reservations on spaceflights for $450,000 USD per individual, with an initial deposit of $150,000 USD.
Following several days of activities to prepare future astronauts, the space flights take off from Spaceport America in New Mexico. The entire journey is 90-minutes, including a signature air launch and Mach-3 boost to space. Astronauts will have the opportunity to experience several minutes of out-of-seat weightlessness as the spaceship flips, all the while enjoying once-in-a-lifetime views of planet Earth.
“At Virgin Galactic, we believe that space is transformational,” CEO Michael Colglazier said. “We plan to have our first 1,000 customers on board at the start of commercial service later this year, providing an incredibly strong foundation as we begin regular operations and scale our fleet.”
Spaceflight reservations additionally provide access to Virgin Galactic’s Future Astronaut membership community, which hosts events, trips and space-readiness programs for travelers awaiting their flights.
Those interested in a mini vacation to outer space can start the application process of Virgin Galactic’s website.
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