Virgin Galactic, a space travel and launch company, conducted its first suborbital launch after a nearly two-year hiatus. Named Unity 25, the mission carried a crew of six and two pilots to an altitude of 44,500 ft for 90 minutes.

This mission achieved two key objectives: 1) A final assessment of VMS Eve and VSS Unity and 2) an evaluation of astronaut training and spaceflight experience.

With the success of this mission, the company plans to begin commercial services from June 2023 onwards, with the first flight slated to carry three Italian Air Force officers as a part of a contract formed in 2019.

Analyst QuickTake: The company has been gearing up for a commercial launch since November 2022 . In August 2021, the company opened ticket sales at the USD 450,000 price, requiring a USD 150,000 deposit, of which USD 25,000 was not refundable. With Virgin Galactic’s sister company, Virgin Orbit, ceasing operations due to a lack of launches and funding, the company will look to commercial space flights to reel in revenue.