đ Italian Trio Ready to Pimp their Galactic Ride Courtesy of Virgin Galactic: Space Tourism, Here We Come! đ
TL;DR: With Virgin Galactic’s first commercial rocket plane spaceflight imminent, an Italian trio of space enthusiasts is set to strap in for an edgy ride to the edge of space. They’re not just there for the astronaut ice cream and zero-G selfies, but they’re on a scientific mission to gather biometric data and more. đ˛đŦ
Cue the cinematic music, folks, because we’ve got an Italian trio ready to blast off in style! đŽđšđ The Branson baby, Virgin Galactic, is preparing to launch its first commercial rocket plane spaceflight, and our enthusiastic Italian team is all set to hit the ride. Space tourism? It seems the future is NOW! đĢđ
Two Italian air force officers and an aerospace engineer from the National Research Council of Italy are to board the spaceplane, accompanied by their Virgin Galactic instructor and two pilots. This crew’s galactic getaway will take them about 50 miles above the New Mexico desert. đĩâī¸
But hold on, is this just some space joyride for rich folks wanting to feel the rush of supersonic speed, weightlessness, and the spectacle of spaceflight? Well, yeah, partly. But there’s more to the story.đŠâđŦđ¨âđŦ
Our Italian squad’s mission, ironically named Galactic 01, is in fact a scientific one. The trio is planning to collect biometric data, measure cognitive performance, and record how certain liquids and solids mix in microgravity conditions. Science, meet space tourism! đđ
If we’re talking about individuals, we have the Italian Air Force Colonel Walter Villadei, who sees this flight as part of his astronaut training. He’s joined by Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Angelo Landolfi, a flight surgeon, and Pantaleone Carlucci, a research council member acting as flight engineer and payload specialist. đ¨âđđ¨ââ
The flight’s going to be a replica of the sequence Unity flew two years ago. The spaceplane will take off from Spaceport America, a state-owned facility near the New Mexico town of Truth of Consequences. If all goes well, this could be the start of a revolution in space tourism. And hey, who wouldn’t mind seeing Earth from space, given they’ve got the bucks? đ°đ
With this flight, Virgin Galactic moves a step closer to its aim of accommodating 400 flights annually. As it stands, the company has projected booking its first 1,000 paying customers, with each seat going for about $250,000. However, Virgin Galactic’s journey has been far from smooth, with a fatal crash during a test flight in 2014 reminding us all of the risks of space travel.
Yet, it isn’t just about the risks. There’s also some controversy about what constitutes true spaceflight. Jeff Bezos, the billionaire rival, whose Blue Origin has already flown several commercial passenger flights, has sneered at Virgin Galactic for falling short of a true spaceflight experience. This only goes to show that the race is on! đī¸đ
So, here’s the thought we’re left grappling with: What happens now? Could we be seeing the dawn of a new age of commercial space tourism, with ordinary folks, scientists, and billionaires all shooting for the stars? Or are we looking at a futuristic fad destined to flame out? đ¤
And hey, given the chance (and the
