Virgin Galactic is taking tourists into space for the second time

Today, the Virgin Galactic space company is making its second flight with customers pushed to the edge of space. “The rocket plane was first brought to a height of fifteen kilometers and then it went up like a rocket from there,” says space expert Rob van den Berg.

At the end of June, the Virgin Galactic space company took tourists to the edge of the atmosphere for the first time. “It was going really well at the time,” says van den Berg, a space expert at the Sonnenburg Observatory. At that time, there were three Italians on board, conducting research.

“This time it’s less science-focused,” says the space expert. “Passengers go up eighty kilometers, or fifty miles, which is where NASA says space begins.” According to van den Berg, many use the hundred kilometers as a boundary. “But this is a matter of definition.”

Requires limited setup

“It’s a must-see private jet,” says van den Berg. It has two large bodies, and a missile plane hangs between them. That was first brought to a height of fifteen kilometers, and from there it went up like a rocket by itself.

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On board this time, among others, a mother and daughter who managed to get tickets through the competition. Van den Berg says such a trip requires minimal preparation. You don’t have to run anything on the plane. You just need to know the emergency procedures and prepare for the feeling of weightlessness.

The weather plays a lesser role

Since the launch is by a carrier aircraft, weather conditions play less of a role, according to the space expert. If all goes well, Virgin Galactic’s second commercial spaceflight will take off at 4pm NST.