Virgin Galactic said Wednesday that it has been contracted by the Italian air force for a suborbital research flight aboard its winged rocket ship.
The mission will be flown as early as next year, carrying three Italian payload specialists who will tend to the experiments while the craft is in space, the company said.
Virgin Galactic — founded by British billionaire Richard Branson — is best known for its plans to carry tourists into the lower fringes of space to experience weightlessness and view the Earth far below, but its spaceships also are designed to carry experiments that require several minutes of microgravity.
Virgin Galactic crews have reached space twice on test flights. A dozen experiments organized under a NASA program were flown in December duringThe Italian experiments were only generally described as including measuring biological effects on the human body during the transition from gravity to microgravity and possibly research on the chemistry of so-called green fuels.
Having the mission specialists aboard will enable researchers to respond to the experiments in real time and may improve reliability of the process by eliminating the complexity of automation, Virgin Galactic said.The company recently moved staff from its development and production site in Mojave, Calif., toVirgin Galactic has not yet said when it will begin its commercial flights. In July, Branson said three or four test flights would be conducted from New Mexico, beginning this fall.
The company, which has one operational craft, reported significant progress in construction of its next spaceship. An additional craft is also under construction.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
China's fake meat trend is on the rise, researchers sayChina's demand for 'mock meat' is growing amid concerns that domestic supply won't be enough to meet demand, according to Fitch Solutions.
Read more »
How to Carve a Pumpkin Like a ProHow to carve a pumpkin just like the pros.
Read more »
The iThrone Evaporative Toilet Answers The Call For Healthy CitiesIt’s described as a portable, space-saving, waste-shrinking toilet that eliminates up to 95% of daily waste on-site.
Read more »
The Sweet-Scented Body Cream Beauty Editors Can't Stop Talking AboutLet's just say there's a good reason why it's a favorite.
Read more »
25 Products To Help Make A Tiny Space Feel RoomierNo matter how small your space is, remember...it's all about the art of ~illusion.~ *jazz hands*
Read more »
Starry space bubbles captured by Spitzer telescopeNASA's Spitzer Space Telescope spied something magical: gigantic bubbles in space with stars trapped inside them.
Read more »