Virgin Galactic on Wednesday will open ticket sales for initial reservations for a 90-minute journey into space, including a signature air launch and Mach-3 boost to space, the company said in an announcement Tuesday.
What You Need To Know
- Reservations for 90-minute spaceflights to go on sale Wednesday
- Tickets offered by Virgin Galactic will cost $450,000, the company said
- It expects the first 1,000 customers "on board' by the end of the year
- The announcement came as Virgin Galactic launched a corporate rebrand
According to Virgin Galactic, the spaceship will flip and provide passengers with several minutes of out-of-seat-weightlessness and views of Earth from the spaceship’s 17 windows.
Reservations will cost $450,000, and a $150,000 deposit is required, the company said in its statement. The balance must be paid before the flight. To start the application process, visit virginalactic.com.
Flights launch from Spaceport America in New Mexico. Customers will undergo several days of space preparedness activities and astronaut-specific training activities, Virgin Galactic said.
The announcement comes as Virgin Galactic, which identifies itself as an aerospace and space travel company, introduced a new consumer brand.
“At Virgin Galactic, we believe that space is transformational,” Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier said. “We plan to have our first 1,000 customers on board at the start of commercial service later this year, providing an incredibly strong foundation as we begin regular operations and scale our fleet.”
The company is expected to hold its quarterly earnings report on Feb. 22 after the stock market closes.