https://www.youtube.com/embed/RTpWYWIfP7Y
Virgin Galactic’s launch is pencilled in to blast off after 3.30pm BST today (July 11) and the affair will be broadcast live online. And if that was not exciting enough, the stream will be hosted by Stephen Colbert, host of The Late Show on CBS, and will feature singer Khalid debuting a new single. The launch, officially dubbed Unity 22, will mark the company’s 22nd flight but only its fourth foray into space.
What makes the mission stand out, however, is it will mark the first time Virgin Galactic will fly with a full crew of two pilots and four flight specialists.
Joining the crew today is Sir Richard Branson, the brainpower behind the Virgin empire.
The business mogul will personally test his company’s “private astronaut experience”, which he hopes to one day bring to the masses.
Flying aboard the SpaceShipTwo VSS Unity, the billionaire and his crew will fly to an altitude of about 56 miles where they will spend about four minutes in weightlessness.
Virgin Galactic introduces the Unity 22 crew
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Virgin Galactic tweeted early on Sunday: “Wake up and watch the launch of the next space age! Our crew of #Unity22 mission specialists including @RichardBranson are just hours away from our test flight launch.”
How to watch the Virgin Galactic launch live online:
Courtesy of Virgin Galactic, you can watch the launch from start to finish in the embedded video player above.
The broadcast will be hosted by Stephen Colbert and feature guest appearances from singer Khalid, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield and future Virgin Galactic astronaut Kellie Gerardi.
The stream was originally due to kick off at 2pm BST (9am EDT/7am MDT/6am PST).
However, due to overnight weather in the launch area, the flight is now targeting 3.30pm BST (10.30am ET/8.30am MT/7.30am PT).
If past test flights are any indication, the VSS Unity should take off shortly after the stream begins.
The rocket-powered spacecraft will first be carried into the sky, attached to the VMS Eve aircraft.
The pair will take off from the company’s base of operations at Spaceport America in the state of New Mexico, US.
At an altitude of about 10 miles (15km), the VSS Unity will detach and engage its rocket motor.
The spacecraft will then blast off even higher into the atmosphere, targeting an altitude of about 56 miles.
Once in space, the VSS Unity’s crew will spend about four minutes in weightlessness before heading back to Earth.
The spacecraft will then dive back towards the ground and coast back to Spaceport America.
Virgin Galactic estimates the mission will take about 90 minutes from start to finish.
A total of four people will fly on today’s mission, including four flight specialists and two pilots.
The pilots are Dave Mackay, former Royal Air Force and Virgin Atlantic pilot, and Michael Masucci, a retired US Air Force colonel.
Speaking ahead of the flight, Sir Ricard said Virgin Galactic is on the cusp of a major spaceflight revolution.
He believes “space belongs to all of us” and hopes to make spaceflight more accessible to the public.
He also revealed recently SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has put down a deposit to fly on a future Virgin Galactic flight.
He said: “Elon’s a friend and maybe I’ll travel on one of his ships one day.”
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