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Virgin Galactic reaches space in rocket-powered plane, eyes space tourism in 2019

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6 years ago

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Virgin Galactic, the space tourism company founded by entrepreneur Richard Branson, has successfully made it to space for the first time with VSS Unity, their SpaceShipTwo-class rocket-powered plane, during the craft’s 4th test flight. This accomplishment makes Virgin the first US-based venture to carry humans to the edge of space since the Space Shuttle program ended in 2011, edging out others with similar goals such as SpaceX and Blue Origin. After taking off at 7:11 am this morning and detaching from WhiteKnightTwo, its custom airliner mothership, pilots Mark “Forger” Stucky and Rick “CJ” Sturckow reached a height 51.4 miles high in the craft to the edge of the stratosphere where they experienced weightlessness and the curvature of the Earth. This success brings the company one step closer to civilian tourist trips, something Branson hopes to achieve as early as 2019.

Unlike a traditional rocket which takes off from the ground, VSS Unity is flown to 43,000 feet underneath a specially designed airliner before being dropped and subsequently lighting up its rocket engines to power it vertically to an even higher altitude. After a 60-second engine burn speeds the craft to nearly three times the speed of sound, it continues its ascent, coasting until it reaches maximum altitude. A special “feather” system is then used for reentry, wherein the craft folds its wings and behaves like a traditional space capsule until the air thickens again, at which time the wings unfold again and behave like a space plane, gliding back to Earth and landing on a landing strip.

Becoming a passenger on one of VSS Unity’s future flights doesn’t come cheap, the price tag being $250,000 per 90-minute flight. However, given the 700 or so paid reservations, including several celebrities, it’s not the money that’s the challenge, it’s the technology. On October 31, 2014, Virgin suffered a crippling setback with the death of co-pilot Mike Alsubry and injury of pilot Peter Siebold when a predecessor craft crashed due to a combination of human error and an engineering flaw. The company received an abundance of criticism focused on whether the danger of space tourism made the rewards worthwhile, but after following recommendations set forth by the National Transportation Safety Board’s report on the incident along with further design and safety enhancements, they forged ahead to make today’s event a reality. Branson started Virgin Galactic in 2004.

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At 51.4 miles high, VSS Unity reached the technical definition of space, earning its pilots commercial astronaut wings by the US Federal Aviation Administration, although the usual international standard is the 62-mile “Karman line”. A typical NASA “sounding rocket”, a small rocket generally launched with equipment on board to take measurements and scientific experiments during an approximately 30-minute sub-orbital flight only, reaches anywhere from 30-80 miles above the Earth. That said, the lower altitude of VSS Unity also provides an opportunity for research, serving the dual-purpose of science and recreation. Four research payloads from NASA’s Flight Opportunities Program were on board its historic test flight as well as a test dummy, making the trip revenue-earning for the first time as well.

Virgin Galactic has more tests of VSS Unity planned before moving to Spaceport America in New Mexico where it will set up its tourism operation. Branson hopes to compete directly with Blue Origin, the rocket company founded by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos which also plans to ferry customers to space. Bezos’s venture will use a more traditional, reusable ground-based rocket, the New Shepard, that lands after returning from sub-orbit similar to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 first stages. Unlike Virgin, crewed flights and “pre-sales” have not yet been part of Blue Origin’s process, but plenty of information is available for potential customers on its website.

The parent company of Virgin Galactic (Virgin) has another space-based venture in its wings: Virgin Orbit. Using a system similar to NASA’s Pegasus rocket, a small rocket complete with payload will launch from a modified Boeing 747-400 airliner, the combo being called LauncherOne and Cosmic Girl, respectively. The company has its sights set on the small satellite industry, identifying a need that’s not currently being met by other launch providers, and its business model centers on proving low-cost access to space for existing companies, students, entrereneurs, and other types hoping to use space as part of their research or business endeavors.

Watch the below video clip for more on Virgin Galactic’s historic flight to space:

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Accidental computer geek, fascinated by most history and the multiplanetary future on its way. Quite keen on the democratization of space. | It's pronounced day-sha, but I answer to almost any variation thereof.

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Elon Musk

Tesla Full Self-Driving’s European launch frustrations revealed by Elon Musk

Tesla plans to launch Full Self-Driving in Europe later this year, but regulatory bodies are proving to make it a bigger challenge than it needs to be.

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4 hours ago

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June 11, 2025

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Credit: Tesla Europe and Middle East | X

Tesla Full Self-Driving is set to launch in Europe in the future, but the region’s governing bodies are not giving the suite any chance to move forward, according to CEO Elon Musk, who blames the regulatory processes for robbing citizens of a safer mode of travel.

The automaker revealed late last year that it planned to bring Full Self-Driving to Europe sometime in 2025. However, Musk said that the launch of the suite is being continuously prolonged by both individual and European Union officials, dragging their feet with approvals.

In a post on X on Wednesday, Musk said the company is still dealing with and waiting for approvals from both the Dutch government and the EU’s governing officials, giving an indication that some progress has been made, but ultimately, there are still some bodies that are taking their time:

He continued by stating that the delays are “very frustrating” and they “hurt the safety of people in Europe” because of Autopilot’s statistical prowess, which shows it is much safer than human drivers.

Tesla is readying for the launch of a completely driverless Robotaxi platform in the U.S., which is set to occur in the coming days. While the initial rollout of the platform will be reserved for a select few, public rides are slated for June 22, meaning anyone will be able to come to Austin and hail a Tesla Robotaxi through the company’s smartphone app.

The first Robotaxi without a driver was spotted in Austin yesterday and shared on X:

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First Tesla driverless robotaxi spotted in the wild in Austin, TX

Musk dropped several hints that the Robotaxi launch, which has been rumored for June 12, is imminent. For now, the operation will take place in Austin and will eventually expand, likely to California next, as noted in past reports. The City’s official website confirmed that Tesla gained a license as an Autonomous Vehicle operator in the City of Austin earlier this week.

Tesla applied for a similar license in California earlier this year.

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Energy

Tesla Lathrop Megafactory celebrates massive Megapack battery milestone

The Tesla Megapack is the backbone of Tesla Energy’s battery deployments.

Published

9 hours ago

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June 11, 2025

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Credit: Tesla Megapack/X

The Tesla Lathrop Megafactory recently achieved a new milestone. As per the official Tesla Megapack account on X, the Lathrop Megafactory has produced its 15,000th Megapack 2 XL battery.

15,000 Megapack Batteries

Tesla celebrated the milestone with a photo of the Lathrop Megafactory team posing with a freshly produced Megapack battery. To commemorate the event, the team held balloons that spelled out “15,000” as they posed for the photo.

The Tesla Megapack is the backbone of Tesla Energy’s battery deployments. Designed for grid-scale applications, each Megapack offers 3.9 MWh of energy and 1.9 MW of power. The battery is extremely scalable, making it perfect for massive energy storage projects.

https://twitter.com/Tesla_Megapack/status/1932578971700638203

More Megafactories

The Lathrop Megafactory is Tesla’s first dedicated facility for its flagship battery storage system. It currently stands as the largest utility-scale battery factory in North America. The facility is capable of producing 10,000 Megapack batteries every year, equal to 40 GWh of clean energy storage.

Thanks to the success of the Megapack, Tesla has expanded its energy business by building and launching the Shanghai Megafactory, which is also expected to produce 40 GWh of energy storage per year. The ramp of the Shanghai Megafactory is quite impressive, with Tesla noting in its Q1 2025 Update Letter that the Shanghai Megafactory managed to produce over 100 Megapack batteries in the first quarter alone.

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Tesla Energy’s Potential

During the first quarter earnings call, CEO Elon Musk stated that the Megapack is extremely valuable to the energy industry. 

“The Megapack enables utility companies to output far more total energy than would otherwise be the case… This is a massive unlock on total energy output of any given grid over the course of a year. And utility companies are beginning to realize this and are buying in our Megapacks at scale,” Musk said.

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News

Tesla launches “TeslaVision” video contest to celebrate Model Y deliveries

The program marks a revival of Tesla’s popular Project Loveday initiative back in 2017.

Published

11 hours ago

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June 11, 2025

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Credit: Tesla Asia/X

Tesla has announced the TeslaVision Contest, a global video showcase inviting fans and owners to highlight the impact of the company’s vehicles on people. 

The program marks a revival of its Project Loveday initiative in 2017, which was extremely well-received by the electric vehicle community. 

A Contest to Celebrate the New Model Y

As per the TeslaVision contest’s official website, the program is being rolled out to commemorate the launch and deliveries of the new Model Y across all continents. Thus, the contest could be seen as a global celebration and showcase of owners and fans who made Tesla the household brand that it has become today.

Participants are tasked with creating a 90-second or shorter video demonstrating how Tesla vehicles provide “more freedom, more safety, more fun, more convenience.” Submissions must be uploaded to YouTube and shared on X and Instagram with the tag @Tesla and the phrase “TeslaVision contest.” 

Videos must align with Tesla’s mission to accelerate sustainable energy, be suitable for all ages, and avoid references to non-Tesla brands. English text or voice-overs are required, and entrants must relinquish rights to their content for Tesla’s commercial use.

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https://twitter.com/Tesla/status/1932559030892802153

A Big Prize Awaits

When Tesla launched Project Loveday in 2017, the company noted that the contest’s winner would receive an all-expenses paid invitation to an upcoming Tesla product launch. For TeslaVision, the grand prize is a lot more tangible, with the winner receiving a new Model Y AWD. They will also get an all-expenses-paid trip to Gigafactory Texas. Second and third-place winners will also receive a Giga Texas tour. 

Finalists will be selected based on creativity, originality, relevance to the prompt, and entertainment value. Tesla will shortlist 100 videos, with the top 10 subject to public voting to influence the final judging. The contest is open to legal residents of the United States, Mexico, and Canada, aged 18 or older, with a valid driver’s license and Tesla account. No purchase is necessary, though entries are limited to just one per person. 

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