SpaceShipTwo

After Virgin Orbit vanished in bankruptcy court, Virgin Galactic announced its first spaceflight in two years as the Unity 25 mission rocketed to an altitude of 54.2 miles (87.2 km) on May 25, 2023 in the skies over Spaceport America, New Mexico.

Virgin Galactic is set to carry passengers into space on its spaceplane VSS Unity for the first time. The flight window for the mission, which will consist of two pilots and four mission specialists, including Sir Richard Branson, opens on July 11.

Virgin Galactic has made history, becoming the first spaceliner to be certified by the US Federal Aviation Administration to carry passengers on its spaceplanes. The approval comes as the company prepares for its first fully crewed test flight.

Virgin Galactic has revealed the cabin interior design for the first of its SpaceshipTwo vehicles – the VSS Unity, which will allow would be astronauts and space enthusiasts explore the edge of space in style and comfort.

Virgin Galactic has come one step closer to full commercial operations as it relocates its SpaceShipTwo, VSS Unity, from the company's manufacturing facility in Mojave, California, to its Spaceport America’s Gateway to Space building in New Mexico.

Virgin Galactic has signed a contract with the Italian Air Force to conduct research using the SpaceShip Two suborbital spaceplane.

Virgin Galactic's second commercial spacecraft has passed an important milestone. The fuselage, cabin, and wing assembly of the next SpaceShipTwo have been joined together, and the two tail booms have been mated to the rear feather flap assembly.

Virgin Galactic may finally reach space tomorrow, with the company's VSS Unity spacecraft currently being prepared for its fourth powered test flight. If weather and technical issues permit, the spaceplane will reach supersonic speeds on a suborbital trajectory to reach an altitude of about 62 mi.

Virgin Galactic's manned spaceplane has hit another milestone, breaking Mach 2 as it roared into the mesosphere. With test pilots Dave Mackay and Mike “Sooch” Masucci at the controls, VSS Unity reached 170,800 ft (32.3 miles, 52 km) and a speed of Mach 2.47 (1,832 mph, 2,948 km/h).

​Virgin Galactic has shown the first firing of its spaceplane’s chemical rocket engine was no fluke, following last month’s effort with another successful outing In California. The latest test flight takes the tourist-carrying space vehicle a little closer to space, literally and figuratively.

Virgin Galactic's tourist-carrying spaceplane has taken a step closer to entering service after its chemical rocket engine was fired for the first time. VSS Unity reached Mach 1.87 (1,424 mph, 2,290 km/h) within 30 seconds of igniting its engine.

Virgin Galactic's passenger-carrying spaceship VSS Unity has completed its seventh unpowered glider test flight during which it reached a transonic velocity of Mach 0.9 (690 mph) – almost the highest it can attain without an engine.