Next SpaceShipTwo powered test flight coming “very soon”

SpaceShipTwo flies on its second powered test flight on September 5. (credit: MarsScientific.com and Clay Center Observatory)

The next powered test flight of Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo suborbital vehicle is coming up “very soon,” a top company executive said at a conference Thursday, as some observers continue to speculate about the reasons for the extended […]

Miley Cyrus claims she wants to fly on Virgin Galactic

Pop star Miley Cyrus has become famous—or infamous—for a number of things, including her performance at the MTV VMAs a few weeks ago. But in an interview in Rolling Stone magazine, she reveals something else: an interest in going in space. “I’ve always dreamed of going into space. I’m going to go at some point,” […]

More on Virgin’s Mojave event, and Branson’s “cheap” space plans

Yesterday, Sir Richard Branson blogged about Wednesday’s Virgin Galactic customer event in Mojave, where several hundred future Virgin astronauts got to hear about the progress the company has made and future plans but, due to winds, not see a test flight of SpaceShipTwo. (Interestingly, Branson’s post says about 300 customers attended the event, while the […]

Virgin puts on a (no) show for its customers

Attendees at Virgin Galactic’s customer event in Mojave Wednesday didn’t see SpaceShipTwo fly, but did at least get a group photo with Sir Richard Branson. (credit: Mark Greenberg/Virgin Galactic)

For months, there had been speculation about what Virgin Galactic might do at an event for its customers in Mojave in September. An engine test […]

Shatner doesn’t want to fly in space? That’s not news.

You might have seen a surprising revelation in the news in the last few days: William Shatner, the actor best known as Captain James T. Kirk from the Star Trek franchise, turned down an opportunity to fly on Virgin Galactic because… he’s afraid of flying? It generated headlines around the globe, primarily in tabloids and […]

SpaceShipTwo flies a little higher and a little faster

SpaceShipTwo flies on its second powered test flight on September 5. (credit: MarsScientific.com and Clay Center Observatory)

SpaceShipTwo did indeed take to the skies on Thursday, performing its second powered flight and the first since late April. SpaceShipTwo fired its hybrid rocket motor for 20 seconds after being released from its WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft, […]

Virgin Galactic “gearing up” for second powered SpaceShipTwo flight

Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides speaking Friday at the DC-X 20th anniversary event at Spaceport America in New Mexico. (credit: J. Foust)

After a hiatus of more than three and a half months that has raised questions by some industry observers, Virgin Galactic is making preparations for a second powered test flight of its […]

Waiting on SpaceShipTwo’s next powered flight

SpaceShipTwo lands at the Mojave Air and Space Port on Thursday, July 25, after a successful glide flight: the first flight for the vehicle since its initial powered flight nearly three months ago. (credit: Virgin Galactic)

The last few months have been eventful for Virgin Galactic. The suborbital spaceflight company announced last month that […]

Virgin confirms plans to raise ticket prices

It took a couple of days, but Virgin Galactic officials confirmed late Thursday that the company will “likely” raise ticket prices by as much as $50,000 to adjust for inflation since ticket sales started. In a statement provided by a Virgin Galactic spokesman late Thursday (after initially contacting them midday Tuesday), the company said prices […]

Is Virgin Galactic raising its ticket price?

As the space community celebrated Virgin Galactic’s successful powered test flight of SpaceShipTwo on Monday, the company may be using the test as an opportunity to raise its ticket price. In an interview with Los Angeles TV KABC station after Monday’s flight, Sir Richard Branson appeared to indicate a 25-percent price increase was in the […]