Virgin Galactic could send one of its rockets into space for the first time this week.
Richard Branson's space firm says its next test flight, currently scheduled for Thursday, will 'burn the rocket motor for durations which will see our pilots and spaceship reach a space altitude for the first time.'
Branson has previously said his space tourism firm will carry passengers beyond orbit 'not too long after' that - with him on the first flight.
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Virgin Galactic's last saw a 42 seconds rocket burn , taking pilots and spaceship through the Stratosphere and, at an apogee of 170,800 ft, pictured, into an areas of the atmosphere known as the Mesosphere for the first time. 'Dark sky, blue glow, totally amazing; a million dollar view' Michael 'Sooch' Masucci, Pilot VSS Unity, said.
'Our SpaceShipTwo, VSS Unity, is entering the next stage of testing,' Galactic said.
'During this phase of the flight program we will be expanding the envelope for altitude, air speed, loads, and thermal heating.
'We also plan to burn the rocket motor for durations which will see our pilots and spaceship reach a space altitude for the first time.
'Although this could happen as soon as the next flight, the nature of flight test means that it may take us a little longer to get to that milestone.'
Virgin has not specified what it means by 'space altitude,' but company officials have previously said they were using the altitude of 50 miles, or approximately 80 kilometers, used by NASA and the U.S. Air Force for awarding astronaut wings.
'For Virgin Galactic, the major milestone that we perceive is the altitude at which NASA and Air Force folks get their astronaut wings, which is 50 miles,' George Whitesides, chief executive of Virgin Galactic, said last month.
'For us and our customers, I think we'll be focused on 50 miles, at least at the start.'
Bransonis in a race with SpaceX founder Elon Musk and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to be the first to send paying tourists into space.
Virgin Galactic, which is charging £190,000 ($250,000) for a spot on one of its commercial flights, has previously said it would send passengers to space in 2019.
The multi-millionaire admitted earlier this year that the number of spurious claims he has made about Virgin Galactic flight dates was 'embarrassing'.
'Incremental flight test programs are by definition open-ended and, to a great extent, each test depends on the data from the test that precedes it,' Galactic said regarding this weeks test.
'There is no guarantee that everything will work perfectly first time and, like all programs seeking to take bold steps, we will inevitably have times when things don't go as planned.'
The window for the fourth powered test flight opens on December 13, 2018.
'If all goes to plan our pilots will experience an extended period of micro-gravity as SpaceShipTwo coasts to apogee, although they will remain securely strapped in throughout.
'They should also have some pretty spectacular views which we look forward to sharing as soon as possible post flight.'
Richard Branson's space firm says its next test flight, currently scheduled for Thursday, will 'burn the rocket motor for durations which will see our pilots and spaceship reach a space altitude for the first time.'
The fledgling space firm also plans to carry four research payloads that are part of the NASA Flight Opportunities Program.
'Whether we complete all our objectives during the next flight or need to wait a little longer, we remain committed to completing the final stages of this extraordinary flight test program as quickly, but more importantly as safely, as possible.'
Virgin Galactic is 'weeks away' from sending one of its rockets into space for the first time, according to founder and chairman Sir Richard Branson. He said his space tourism firm will carry passengers beyond orbit 'not too long after' that (file photo)
Virgin Galactic, founded by Branson in 2004, is working to carry tourists on a brief journey to space, dozens of miles above the Earth's surface.
Tourists will spend several minutes floating in zero gravity, aboard a spaceship that approaches or passes through the Karman line, the boundary of Earth's atmosphere and space, some 62 miles (100 kilometers) high.
Pictured is Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity spacecraft during a test flight earlier this year. The company is charging a reported £190,000 ($250,000) for a spot on one of its commercial flights
For comparison, astronauts at the orbiting International Space Station fly some 250 miles (400 km) above Earth.
The company first promised to fly tourists into space by the start of 2009, but multiple delays and a fatal test flight crash in 2014 have pushed its first spaceflight back numerous times.
Virgin Galactic completed its first supersonic flight since the infamous crash, which killed one test pilot and severely injured another, earlier this year, bringing it closer to its goal of offering commercial spaceflight to the 600 patrons who have paid $250,000 for a ride.
Branson said 'ultimately' he would like to see the price fall to around £30,000 ($40,000) or £38,000 ($50,000) over the next ten years.
Plans call for six passengers and two pilots to ride the SpaceShipTwo VSS Unity (pictured), which resembles a private jet. The VSS Unity will be attached to a carrier spacecraft - the WhiteKnightTwo - from which it will detach at around 49,000 feet (15,000 meters)
Plans call for six passengers and two pilots to ride the SpaceShipTwo VSS Unity, which resembles a private jet.
The VSS Unity will be attached to a carrier spacecraft - the WhiteKnightTwo - from which it will detach at around 49,000 feet (15,000 meters.)
Once released, the spaceship will fire up its rocket, and head for the sky.
Passengers will float in zero-gravity for several minutes, before coming back to Earth.
The total trip time would last between 90 minutes and two hours.
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News Pictures Virgin Galactic could send its tourist rocket to space THIS WEEK
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