TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, New Mexico—A twin-fuselage jet took off carrying Virgin Galactic’s rocket plane with a three-man crew from Italy into the New Mexico sky on Thursday for a high-altitude launch of the company’s first flight of paying customers to the edge of space. The two Italian air force colonels and an aerospace engineer from…
Virgin Galactic Rocket Plane Carried Aloft for Commercial Launch to Space
Virgin Galactic Completes Final Test Flight Before Launching Paying Customers to Space
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M—Virgin Galactic completed what is expected to be its final test flight Thursday before taking paying customers on brief trips to space, marking what the space tourism company described as a “fantastic achievement” in what has been a long road to commercial operations. Six of the company’s employees, including two pilots, landed at Spaceport…
Virgin Orbit Bankruptcy Casts Shadow Over Japan’s Space Dreams
TOKYO—The bankruptcy filing by Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit Holdings Inc. has dealt a blow to Japan’s hopes of building a domestic space industry, with plans for a Kyushu-based spaceport designed to attract tourism on hold for lack of funding. Oita prefecture, home to Japan’s largest number of hot springs, partnered with Virgin Orbit in 2020…
Virgin Wins $160 Million in Trademark Dispute With Alaska Airlines
LONDON—Virgin Group won its trademark case against Alaska Airlines Inc. for approximately $160 million on Thursday, with a judge in London ruling that it is entitled to royalties even though the U.S. airline no longer uses the Virgin brand. Virgin units Virgin Aviation TM Ltd. and Virgin Enterprises Ltd. argued Alaska is liable to pay…
US Fines Virgin Atlantic $1.05 Million for Flying Over Iraq
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Transportation Department (USDOT) said Tuesday it had fined Virgin Atlantic $1.05 million for flying in restricted airspace over Iraq on numerous occasions. USDOT has jurisdiction since the flights carried Delta Air Lines’ code. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had issued a notice prohibiting U.S. carriers from flying over Iraqi airspace without prior approval….
Virgin Orbit: Premature Shutdown Behind Rocket Launch Fail
LONDON—Virgin Orbit said Thursday its first attempt to launch satellites into orbit from the UK failed after its rocket’s upper stage prematurely shut down. The U.S.-based company used a modified Boeing 747 plane to carry one of its rockets from Cornwall in southwestern England over the Atlantic Ocean on Monday. The plane released the rocket,…
Virgin Australia to Cut Capacity by 25 Percent as COVID-19 Cases Rise
SYDNEY—Virgin Australia said on Monday it would reduce capacity across its network by around 25 percent for the rest of January and for February due to reduced travel demand and staff being required to isolate as COVID-19 case numbers rise in Australia. The airline, which competes against Qantas Airways Ltd, said it would cut some…
Virgin Galactic’s Branson Takes Off for High-Altitude Launch Into Space
TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M.—A twin-fuselage jet took off on Sunday carrying a Virgin Galactic rocket plane primed to soar more than 50 miles above the New Mexico desert with British billionaire Richard Branson aboard in the vehicle’s first fully crewed test flight to space. Branson, one of six Virgin Galactic Holding Inc employees strapping in…
Billionaire Richard Branson Soars to Space Aboard His Own Rocket Plane
TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M.—British billionaire Richard Branson on Sunday soared more than 50 miles above the New Mexico desert aboard his Virgin Galactic rocket plane and safely returned in the vehicle’s first fully crewed test flight to space, a symbolic milestone for a venture he started 17 years ago. Branson, one of six Virgin Galactic…
Billionaire Branson Set to Fly to Space Aboard Virgin Galactic Rocket Plane
Decades after burnishing his reputation as a wealthy daredevil mogul in a series of boating and hot-air balloon expeditions, Richard Branson is poised to promote his burgeoning astro-tourism venture by launching himself to the final frontier. Branson’s Virgin Galactic Holding Inc is due on Sunday to send the company’s passenger rocket plane, the VSS Unity,…
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