Virgin Galactic has announced its target dates to officially start its commercial spaceflight operations — lifting tourists off the ground into the upper atmosphere.
Having officially completed its Unity 25 spaceflight alongside routine analysis and vehicle inspections, Richard Branson's set a launch window between June 27 and 30.
This first flight — dubbed Galactic 01 — will be a science mission, carrying three crew members from the Italian Air Force and the National Research Council of Italy to conduct microgravity research.
The craft will be equipped with scientific payloads and will "showcase the value and power of the unique suborbital science lab that Virgin Galactic offers".
The second launch — called Galactic 02 — will take place in August. This will be manned by private astronauts who pay for the adventure.
The company hopes to embark on monthly spaceflights after that.
"We are launching the first commercial spaceline for Earth with two dynamic products — our scientific research and private astronaut space missions," Virgin Galactic chief executive Michael Colglazier said.
"This next exciting chapter for Virgin Galactic has been driven by innovation, determination and a commitment to delivering an unparalleled and truly transformative customer experience."
The announcement comes as the world sees a corporate space race — with mega companies competing to see who can offer the best tourist space experiences.
Amazon, SpaceX and Virgin are all offering different experiences to those who can afford the expensive ticket.
A number of "space tourists" have already boarded the International Space Station, with the average ticket costing around NZ$88 million for eight days.
Virgin Galactic's spaceflights will be on the cheaper side, costing around NZ$721,563 per seat.
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