Watch Virgin Galactic launch Richard Branson to space on historic Unity 22 mission
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Speaker 1: 3, 2, 1 release release release, clean release ignition. Good rock and motor burn [00:00:30] 5, 3, 2, 1 release release release, [00:01:00] clean release ignition. Good rocket motor burn. There's mock one trimming. Now
Speaker 1: Trim complete unity is pointed directly up and heading to space. Things are looking great. We are 25 seconds into the burn. Now approaching mock two [00:01:30] 30 seconds. Mock two, everything's looking really good and stable and 60 seconds. And that is a full duration burn folks. We are headed to space and the passengers in the back have been cleared to unstrap. Our predicted AGY is 279,000 feet and climbing the pilots are now unlocking the feather. And, um, as soon [00:02:00] as they do that, it's gonna initiate a back flip for spaceship, unity. This is normal. We want those windows pointed down towards the earth to maximize that incredible view. So feather is coming up now and the pilots are also enable at the RCS or reaction control system, which is what they'll use to control the attitude of the vehicle while we're outside the atmosphere. All right, feather is all the way up. We are at [00:02:30] about 250,000 feet now in climbing. As soon as we cross the boundary to space, we'll hear a word from our founder, sir. Richard Branson.
Speaker 1: There we go. Welcome to space unity 22. Remember the day, remember where you are and remember who you shared this with and remember the name Virgin gala galactic, because today space is Virgin territory. The culmination of a life's work [00:03:00] more than a half a century since the world rejoiced in and was transformed by humans, leaving planet earth, sir, Richard Branson fulfills his long held dream of experiencing space with his crew. Congratulations again, Richard and congratulations also to Siria and Colin on becoming astronauts today and welcome back to space to Dave, Mike and Beth. Oh, you can see 'em now.
Speaker 1: [00:03:30] So we are on the reentry portion of our flight now, and the mission specialists are heading back to their seats. Our train team has worked really hard on this portion of the flight to make it very natural and intuitive for passengers. Now, when we talk about space travel, a lot of people know and expect the boost portion of the flight to be loud and thrilling. Uh, but what's interesting is re-entry is also [00:04:00] very similar as super Sonic air is flowing over the vehicle and the feathered configuration shockwaves form on top, top of the cabin, which are audible to those inside. And for those of you on site watching on the ground, you should be able to hear a double Sonic boom as spaceship unity. Once again, breaks the sound barrier.
Speaker 1: [00:04:30] All right, folks, we are now subsonic just under 75,000 feet in altitude. Now, as the feather comes down, the nose of spaceship is gonna drop. This is normal and expected. Once that [00:05:00] feather's down and locked, the pilots will begin a gentle pull up to a level attitude. And I'm hearing the feather is down and locked now. So at this point, spaceship, unity is a glider. So it's all about balancing her potential and kinetic energy. So if the pilots wanna go faster, they point the nose down and if they wanna go slower, they bring the nose up. I don't know about you all, but I am still feeling overwhelmed and excited about what we just witnessed. And there's one person in particular. [00:05:30] Who's gotta be having all of the feels right now. You can see him sending a congratulatory shake to his passenger, Colin Bennett, there with him. Let's see if we can connect with the crew again here,
Speaker 2: His man dump to 200
Speaker 3: Well, uh, [00:06:00] built experiences. It's a complete experience for lifetime. And now I'm looking down at a beautiful space, congratulations to everybody for, uh, so creating such a beautiful, beautiful place. And that taste is all a wonderful team. I think like takes for 17 years. It hard, hard work together this time.
Speaker 1: [00:06:30] All right, we have three landing gear down and locked. Now the pilots are gonna be landing on runway three, four today. So that's coming from this south and towards the north. For those of you onsite watching and for the non pilots tuning in those numbers represent the first two numbers of the magnetic heading of the runway. So for example, three, four is 340 degrees on your compass. We are just about [00:07:00] a thousand feet above the field now and on final 500 feet, the runway 300 feet over the threshold main gear touchdown, [00:07:30] and we're gonna hold it just like this for a minute before bringing the nose down can see are already celebrating inside there. And the nose is coming down now, nose gear, touchdown, and breaking. [00:08:00] Get that incredible Joan drone footage here as we come in and there is full stop. All right, a perfect landing, [00:08:30] Virgin gala galactic or mission specialist on board. So,
Speaker 4: Uh, the mission statement that I wrote inside my space suit was to, uh, turn the dream of space, travel into a reality for, uh, my grandchildren, who, who are here for your grandchildren, uh, and for many people who are alive today for everybody, um, and having flown to space, I can see even more clearly how Virgin galactic is the space line for earth. Um, we're [00:09:00] here to make space more accessible to all all, and we wanna turn the next generation of dreamers into the astronauts of, uh, today and tomorrow. Um, we've all of asked on this stage, just had the most extraordinary experience and we'd love it if a number of you can have it too. Um, and with that in mind, I have some news. Um, so today Virgin galactic is thrilled to announce that we have partnered with [00:09:30] maze, uh, to open space for, for everyone. Um, so if you go to maze.com, I think, um, uh, slash space to enter, um, uh, you have a chance to go to space. Um, and every donation supports, uh, a charity called space for humanity. Uh, and you'll be entered into the maze, uh, sweep states for the chance to win, not one, but to see eats award one of the first commercial Virgin galactic space light,
Speaker 4: [00:10:00] And, uh, with my Willy Wonka hat on a guided tour of space board America given by yours truly. And I promised lots of chocolate in the factory. Yeah.
Speaker 4: I mean, the exciting thing about this is that if enough people all over the world participate, it, it just means we can just keep on, you know, the charity can keep on, uh, doing tickets for people. So it's a lovely [00:10:30] sort of self propelling, uh, self propelling, um, uh, yeah, way of just trying to get lots of people who couldn't have otherwise afforded to go to space, to go to space. Um, so just imagine a world where people of all ages, all backgrounds from anywhere of any gender of any ethnicity have equal access to space and they will in turn, I think, inspire us back here on earth. If you ever had a dream now is the time to make it [00:11:00] come true. And I'd just like to end by saying welcome to the Dawn of a new space age. Thank you.
Speaker 5: Let's do pens. It's a ridiculous honor for me, sir, to be able to give you something that you have earned. So, so handily. Thank you. Thank you. Nice chest Richard. That's cool. Ladies and gentlemen, this here is sir Richard Branson astronauts.
