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follow the live broadcast from 4.30pm – Corriere.it

The first private space tourism flight was delayed. Nothing special, only an hour and a half after the appointed time – therefore not 15 Italian but 16.30 -, things that happen when you have to go into the void. A simple weather question, as it says Virgin Galactic in a tweet relaunched by the patron Richard Branson. The sky above Truth or Consequences (from a 1950s radio program), la small town of the bizarre name in the New Mexico desert, seat of the SpacePort America, by then it will be clearer. And so the Unity 22 spacecraft, initially transported by the Eve space plane, will be able to carry out without problems what is described as the journey that starts the era of space tourism.


As we have told, the 71-year-old London entrepreneur has rushed the times to be the first to bring into space – actually sub-orbital flight – a private aircraft with civilians on board for a simple pleasure pleasure mission. On July 20, two days after Branson’s birthday, it will be Jeff Bezos’ turn with his New Shepard to carry out a very similar mission (although the strategy is different). Funny skirmishes between multi-billionaires: the Blue Origin of the Amazon founder – alongside the dutiful wishes for the mission – pointed out to Virgin Galactic that the journey will not even touch 100 kilometers above sea level (it will reach around 88-89, see below), ie the so-called Krmn Line which virtually defines the boundary between the earth’s atmosphere and outer space. The answer did not hide the tensions of competition: the American administration establishes a boundary with the lowest space, around 80 km.

Space tourism, to find out more

There are those who already call them Star Wars, and the race is a matter of pure marketing: today opens a new tourist season, reserved for a few, given that the tickets – on sale by Virgin since the beginning of 2022 – they will initially cost no less than $ 250,000. But if you think that already 600 people have booked, and that at full capacity launches should be 400 per yearit is clear that the new business already has its own raison d’être. In addition to being an intermediate step towards a different relationship between man and space, the new frontier. Suffice it to say that already in 2018 Virgin had signed a contract with ESA, the European space agency, to build the first European civil spaceport. Dove? In Puglia, to be precise in Grottaglie (Taranto), until then famous only for its ceramics.

The first Italian spaceport in Grottaglie: “Here’s how we will take tourists into orbit”
The space valley near Taranto

So what will happen today, at 16.30? Virgin Galactic’s original twin-fuselage aircraft will turn on the engines, ready to accompany the Unity tourist capsule with its own propulsion up to the height of about 13-14 kilometers, in a substantially vertical flight. At that point the spacecraft will move by itself, pushed by powerful engines, to the border point (debated, as mentioned) between the atmosphere and the void, around 88-89 kilometers high. The crew of six will have 3-4 minutes of suspended time at that moment, a recreation in the absence of gravity, with the magnificent view provided by the 17 mega-windows of the spacecraft. At the end of the interval, Unity will begin its descent destined to bring her back – about an hour and a half after launch, so around 6 pm – in New Mexico. In addition to Richard Branson (who will have the role of evaluating the experience in view of the opening of reservations), There will be 5 Virgin employees on board: Dave MacKay and Michael Masucci, the two pilots, the engineer Colin Bennett, Beth Moses (instructor) and Sirisha Bandla, vice president of the group.

Branson, Bezos (and Musk?): Cost, dates, crew and itineraries of the first space tourism trips
Space tourism begins

Richard Branson, waiting for the launch, tweeted a photo in the company of Elon Musk: We have a great day ahead. Great to start the morning with a friend. According to Sunday Times in the meantime, Musk himself would have already bought a ticket to travel on one of Virgin Galactic’s aircraft. According to reports, Musk paid an advance of 10 thousand dollars to book a ticket, the date was not specified. Branson confirmed the news, adding that in the future could buy a ticket for a SpaceX flight by Musk. Elon a friend and maybe someday wanting on one of his spacecraft, he said.


Pending the launch, this article is being updated …


July 11, 2021 (change July 11, 2021 | 15:28)

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