Elaine Jean Science 02.15.2022 14:Feb PM EST

Virgin Galactic is Inviting 1000 People; How Much Does The Spaceflight Ticket Costs?

Virgin Galactic, the aerospace company, owned by Richard Branson, is looking for 1000 people to bring to space.

The space tourism company Virgin Galactic has announced that it will begin selling tickets to the general public on Wednesday (Feb. 16). The company wants to give people the opportunity to take a ride on the venture's spaceplane, which will take them to the edge of space and back.

Customers who are interested in experiencing space flight need to shell out a huge amount of money. Virgin Galactic spaceflight tickets cost $450,000. People must pay a $150,000 deposit and then the remaining $300,000 before their flight to secure their seats. Individuals can apply for a position with Virgin Galactic by completing an application on the company's website.

The Joyride To Space

Engadget reported that the Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier stated, "We plan to have our first 1,000 customers on board at the start of commercial service later this year, providing an incredibly strong foundation as we begin regular operations and scale our fleet."

According to the company, the $450,000 price tag will allow space tourists to experience a 90-minute ride to the edge of space, including a "signature air launch and Mach-3 boost to space".

Passengers will experience several minutes of weightlessness as well as breathtaking views of the Earth from the 17 windows. It also includes several days of astronaut training, an Under Armour spacesuit that is tailored to the participant's body, and membership in the Future Astronaut community. Spaceport America in New Mexico serves as the launch site for all flights.

Virgin Galactic Space Tourism

According to NBC News, the company's rocket-powered spaceflight vehicle, SpaceShipTwo Unity, will be the spacecraft used to transport space tourists.

The craft is planned to take off from the underside of a carrier ship on a standard runway. Unity's engine ignites at 50,000 feet, propelling the vehicle to the edge of space.

Virgin Galactic's first trip with a full crew went out last year, and Branson was there to experience it with his Virgin Galactic team. However, after this particular spaceflight happened, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration looked into the July flight as a possible mishap because it was found that the SpaceShipTwo craft went off course from its assigned airspace as it came down from space.

During the investigation, Virgin Galactic was put on hold by the FAA. However, by the end of September, the company was allowed again to resume its operation. At that time, the FAA said that the company had made "required changes" to how it communicated with other people during missions.

Furthermore, after the said investigation, Virgin Galactic said that it had made more airspace safe for future flights.

Virgin Galactic Spaceflight

As reported by The Verge, some people who want to go to space have already made reservations with Virgin Galactic. In the first ticketing round, which started about a decade ago, about 600 people paid $250,000 to reserve seats.

For years, the company has had these people on their waitlist. Ticket sales for Virgin Galactic then started again in August, allowing people who had expressed interest in buying a ticket to the company actually to buy a seat.

Today's news comes a week before Virgin Galactic's next quarterly earnings report, which will be held on Feb. 22. This news announcement comes at the same time as Virgin Galactic rebrands. Previously, the company's logo was a close-up image of Stephen Hawking's eye.

However, the company's logo has evolved into a purple icon of the company's spaceship and the company's name.