Latest news with #AzurX
The National
16-05-2025
- Business
- The National
Virgin Galactic to launch next-generation space tourism flights in 2026
Virgin Galactic says it is on track to begin tourist flights on its next-generation spaceplane next year, with tickets set to go on sale in early 2026. The cost per seat is reportedly to increase from the $450,000 of its predecessor to $600,000. The company is ending suborbital flights on the VSS Unity spaceplane to focus on developing its new Delta vehicle, which is being designed to fly more frequently. Virgin Galactic revealed the timetable during its first-quarter profit update, where it reported a net loss of $84 million, an improvement from the $102 million deficit during the same period last year. 'We are seeing encouraging signs from Virgin Galactic's earnings call about their progress on their new Delta-class suborbital spaceplanes,' said Anna Hazlett, founder of UAE-based space advisory firm AzurX. 'The market does need more supply as we see stronger demand signals from private customers globally.' The Delta-class vehicle would be a major upgrade from the VSS Unity, which carried out 12 flights overall since 2018. The new spaceplane would be capable of flying up to eight times a month, carrying six passengers per flight. Beginning commercial operations would also allow the company to clear an existing backlog of about 700 ticket holders. Virgin Galactic operates its spaceflights from Spaceport America in New Mexico, where customers undergo health checks and training before their suborbital journey. The company is also carrying out studies to potentially develop a second spaceport in Italy. 'I visited the airport in southern Italy that Virgin Galactic is considering for expansion last year and the enthusiasm from the local government, businesses and the community was really something,' said Ms Hazlett. 'It's clear to all how much this type of operation can benefit the local economy. It's an exciting time for human spaceflight and the impact that commercial space travel is having on new regions worldwide.' The VSS Unity flights offered a brief suborbital experience that featured several minutes of weightlessness and views of Earth from an 89km altitude. The spaceplane would land back on runway after being launch from a mothership. The Delta-class flights will offer a similar experience. Meanwhile, rival Blue Origin resumed its space tourism programme last month after a near two-year pause. On April 14, the company completed its 11th crewed suborbital flight, sending six passengers on board its New Shepard rocket, including singer Katy Perry and Jeff Bezos's fiancee Lauren Sanchez. Blue Origin's fully reusable system, which takes off vertically, also offers a few minutes of weightlessness during suborbital flights and has carried several high-profile passengers since beginning space flights in 2021.
South China Morning Post
02-03-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
China's Tiangong space station will host Pakistani astronaut as first foreign visitor
The first foreign astronaut to visit China's Tiangong space station will be from Pakistan, the two countries' space authorities have said. Advertisement China will assist Pakistan in selecting and training astronauts and the chosen candidates will then travel to China for further training, the China Manned Space Engineering Office said on Friday after the signing of a cooperation agreement in Islamabad. Later, one or more of them will join a Chinese crew for a short-term mission aboard Tiangong. 'Since the inception of China's manned space programme, we have upheld the principles of peaceful use, mutual benefit, and shared development, offering cooperation opportunities to the global community,' the office said, adding that it hoped more developing countries would be inspired to explore space. John Sheldon, a partner at Dubai-based space services and investment company AzurX, said Pakistan was one of Beijing's earliest and most important partners in its Belt and Road Initiative and the announcement signalled to other participants that they too could benefit from China's space programme. Advertisement He added this could help solidify these relationships with Beijing and bolster China's influence in countries where American influence had been diminished.
