Las Cruces Sun News Reporter Damien Willis covers the area's top business stories including the expected launch of paying customers by Virgin Galactic. Here is a transcript of Damien's report:
KC Counts:
Well, Damien, in the Monday business watch for today, we'll be focusing on the launch that happened at Spaceport America last week, carrying Las Crucen Jamila Gilbert on board. You know, I've been trying to figure out for many years now how I could convince them that they need a media person on board one of these flights really, really soon.
Damien Willis:
Yeah, I I think everyone in our newsroom would probably jump at that opportunity. But as you said, KC, Virgin Galactic launched its Unity 25 flight Thursday morning with six people on board, including Jamila Gilbert from Las Cruces. The VSS Unity, took flight at about 9:15 AM Thursday from Spaceport America and the Unity and its six passengers landed back at Spaceport a little over an hour and a half later at 10:37 AM. The Unity 25 Flight was the first fully crewed rocket powered suborbital Space Flight. - that's a tongue twister - that the company has launched since Richard Branson joined the Unity 22 mission on July 11th of 2021. Now, according to Virgin Galactic, the goal of Unity 25, the aircraft's 25th flight, was to assess the customer experience and conduct what they call ground-based training ahead of commercial services. After they do some post flight evaluations and inspections, those are the next steps. The start of commercial flights is expected in late June, they said. So I can't even remember how long we've been talking about this.
KC Counts:
I'll tell you how long it was. It's since Paris Hilton has been in the headlines.
Damien Willis:
That's true.
KC Counts:
Because she bought a ticket, right. And we were talking about it.
Damien Willis:
That's right. I think I saw somebody on Twitter who was acknowledging that this is 17 years in the making and now we could be about a month away.
KC Counts:
All right. Well, certainly last week's successful test put us in the right direction now. So as long as the FAA is not jumping in this time around, looks like folks will be good to go. I wonder if any are having any second thoughts out there?
Damien Willis:
There are more than 800 flight reservations that have been made so far at $450,000 a ticket, so it's not for you and I at the moment, unless we get that invitation.
KC Counts:
Hold out hope for the golden ticket. OK, well, thanks so much. You can read more on this story at LC Sun Dash News Dot com and Damien have a wonderful week.
Damien Willis:
Thank you, KC.
