Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc faced an in-flight hardware challenge during its recent crewed space tourism flight, according to a statement released by the Richard Branson-founded company on Monday (Feb 5).

The issue involved a pin crucial for aligning Virgin Galactic's spaceplane, VSS Unity, and its carrier aircraft, VMS Eve, while attached on the ground.

However, during the January 26 flight, this alignment pin became detached. It's worth noting that this pin doesn't bear the weight of the spaceplane during its ascent to altitude, reported Bloomberg.

"At no time did the detached alignment pin pose a safety impact to the vehicles or the crew on board," the company said in its statement.

<h2>Post-flight discovery&nbsp;</h2>

Virgin Galactic discovered the detached pin during routine post-flight evaluations and informed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on January 31.

The cause of the pin malfunction remains unspecified, and the company, in collaboration with the FAA, is currently conducting a comprehensive review.

As of now, the FAA has not commented on the matter.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/giant-atom-smasher-proposal-seeks-to-unravel-universes-hidden-95-687085">Also read |&nbsp;Giant atom-smasher proposal worth billions of dollars seeks to unravel universe's hidden 95%</a>

<h2>Virgin Galactic's history of in-flight challenges</h2>

Having inaugurated commercial spaceflight operations in 2023 after nearly two decades of development, Virgin Galactic has encountered various in-flight issues over the years.

Notably, in 2021, during founder Branson's space journey, the spaceplane deviated from its intended flight path, prompting an FAA-led mishap investigation.

Furthermore, in 2014, a Virgin Galactic-operated spaceplane crashed, resulting in the death of a test pilot and injuring another due to premature wing shifting midflight.

Virgin Galactic, currently planning its next mission between April and June, committed to providing further updates after completing the review with the FAA.

This examination occurs against the backdrop of increased scrutiny directed at the FAA and the aerospace industry, since the fallout from manufacturing issues with Boeing Co.'s 737 Max 9 jets.

Also watch |&nbsp;Vyommitra to fly solo space mission ahead of ISRO's Gaganyaan

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/vyommitra-to-fly-solo-space-mission-ahead-of-isros-gaganyaan-687272/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

However, it's worth noting that the FAA currently lacks the authority to enforce safety standards on commercial spacecraft carrying humans to space.

This legislative limitation is expected to expire on March 8.

The January 26 flight marked a significant milestone for Virgin Galactic as it was the first time the company sent four tourists to space without a Virgin Galactic astronaut serving as support staff.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc faced an in-flight hardware challenge during its recent crewed space tourism flight, according to a statement released by the Richard Branson-founded company on Monday (Feb 5).

Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc faced an in-flight hardware challenge during its recent crewed space tourism flight, according to a statement released by the Richard Branson-founded company on Monday (Feb 5). The issue involved a pin crucial for aligning Virgin Galactic's spaceplane, VSS Unity, and its carrier aircraft, VMS Eve, while attached on the ground. However, during the January 26 flight, this alignment pin became detached. It's worth noting that this pin doesn't bear the weight of the spaceplane during its ascent to altitude, reported Bloomberg. "At no time did the detached alignment pin pose a safety impact to the vehicles or the crew on board," the company said in its statement. Post-flight discovery Virgin Galactic discovered the detached pin during routine post-flight evaluations and informed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on January 31. The cause of the pin malfunction remains unspecified, and the company, in collaboration with the FAA, is currently conducting a comprehensive review. As of now, the FAA has not commented on the matter. Also read | Giant atom-smasher proposal worth billions of dollars seeks to unravel universe's hidden 95% Virgin Galactic's history of in-flight challenges Having inaugurated commercial spaceflight operations in 2023 after nearly two decades of development, Virgin Galactic has encountered various in-flight issues over the years. Notably, in 2021, during founder Branson's space journey, the spaceplane deviated from its intended flight path, prompting an FAA-led mishap investigation. Furthermore, in 2014, a Virgin Galactic-operated spaceplane crashed, resulting in the death of a test pilot and injuring another due to premature wing shifting midflight. Virgin Galactic, currently planning its next mission between April and June, committed to providing further updates after completing the review with the FAA. This examination occurs against the backdrop of increased scrutiny directed at the FAA and the aerospace industry, since the fallout from manufacturing issues with Boeing Co.'s 737 Max 9 jets. Also watch | Vyommitra to fly solo space mission ahead of ISRO's Gaganyaan However, it's worth noting that the FAA currently lacks the authority to enforce safety standards on commercial spacecraft carrying humans to space. This legislative limitation is expected to expire on March 8. The January 26 flight marked a significant milestone for Virgin Galactic as it was the first time the company sent four tourists to space without a Virgin Galactic astronaut serving as support staff. (With inputs from agencies)

Virgin Galactic faced in-flight hardware challenge as alignment pin detached during space flight

World's first space tourism flight has made it back to Earth with its three civilian passengers.&nbsp;The 'space tourists' that went to the edge of space are quite naturally "starstruck". Video released by Virgin Galactic, the company behind Galactic-02, shows them peering outside the spacecraft's windows and glimpsing our planet from the vast emptiness of space.

<h2>Surreal experience&nbsp;</h2>

In a press conference that took place after the successful conclusion of humanity's first ever space "trip," one of the passengers, 80-year-old Jon Goodwin, said "The most impressive thing was looking at Earth from space. Just the pure clarity was very moving."&nbsp;

"Quite surreal and without a doubt the most exciting day of my life," added the adventurer, who competed in the 1972 Olympic Games as a canoeist for Britain.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/virgin-galactics-first-space-tourism-flight-takes-off-with-three-civilian-passengers-624309">Virgin Galactic's first space tourism flight takes off with three civilian passengers</a>

Have a look at a video of the surreal journey here:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
That magical moment when your dreams comes true <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Galactic02?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Galactic02</a> <a href="https://t.co/k5NsNlXb6u">pic.twitter.com/k5NsNlXb6u</a>
— Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) <a href="https://twitter.com/virgingalactic/status/1689776235768070145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<h2>Many milestones established</h2>

As per Virgin Galactic, the flight set many milestones, including: the most women in a single mission; first mother-daughter duo to go to space; first Olympian to go to space; the sixth and seventh black women to go to space; second person with Parkinson's to go to space; the youngest person to go to space; and third oldest person to go to space.

Recounting the hours before take-off, Anastatia's mother 46-year-old Keisha Schahaff, another passenger abroad the space flight, said: "I woke up feeling really ready, and I went outside and I just looked up at the skies, and it was remarkably clear. I could see the stars, I could see the moon. And it felt like the universe was connecting with me again and says, 'You're invited, come'. So I was ready."

<h2>'Starstruck'</h2>

Talking about her experience, 18-year-old Anastatia Mayers who was the youngest ever person to go space, said: "You are so much more connected to everything than you would expect to be. You felt like a part of the team, a part of the ship, a part of the universe, a part of Earth. It was incredible, and I'm still starstruck."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/virgin-galactic-prepares-for-first-commercial-spaceflight-announces-crew-members-609205">Virgin Galactic prepares for first commercial spaceflight, announces crew members</a>

The group spent&nbsp;a few minutes floating weightless in space at around 53 miles (85 kilometres) above sea level and admired the curvature of the Earth from space, before the spacecraft glided&nbsp;back to Earth.

On Thursday (August 10th), the Virgin Galactic flight, which is a culmination of a nearly two-decade programme for commercial space tourism, lifted off from Spaceport America in New Mexico, and after spending a few minutes in space safely landed on the same runway, it took off from.

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

World's first space tourism flight has made it back to Earth with its three civilian passengers. The 'space tourists' that went to the edge of space are quite naturally "starstruck".

World's first space tourism flight has made it back to Earth with its three civilian passengers. The 'space tourists' that went to the edge of space are quite naturally "starstruck". Video released by Virgin Galactic, the company behind Galactic-02, shows them peering outside the spacecraft's windows and glimpsing our planet from the vast emptiness of space. Surreal experience In a press conference that took place after the successful conclusion of humanity's first ever space "trip," one of the passengers, 80-year-old Jon Goodwin, said "The most impressive thing was looking at Earth from space. Just the pure clarity was very moving." "Quite surreal and without a doubt the most exciting day of my life," added the adventurer, who competed in the 1972 Olympic Games as a canoeist for Britain. Also read | Virgin Galactic's first space tourism flight takes off with three civilian passengers Have a look at a video of the surreal journey here: That magical moment when your dreams comes true #Galactic02 pic.twitter.com/k5NsNlXb6u — Virgin Galactic (@virgingalactic) August 10, 2023 × Many milestones established As per Virgin Galactic, the flight set many milestones, including: the most women in a single mission; first mother-daughter duo to go to space; first Olympian to go to space; the sixth and seventh black women to go to space; second person with Parkinson's to go to space; the youngest person to go to space; and third oldest person to go to space. Recounting the hours before take-off, Anastatia's mother 46-year-old Keisha Schahaff, another passenger abroad the space flight, said: "I woke up feeling really ready, and I went outside and I just looked up at the skies, and it was remarkably clear. I could see the stars, I could see the moon. And it felt like the universe was connecting with me again and says, 'You're invited, come'. So I was ready." 'Starstruck' Talking about her experience, 18-year-old Anastatia Mayers who was the youngest ever person to go space, said: "You are so much more connected to everything than you would expect to be. You felt like a part of the team, a part of the ship, a part of the universe, a part of Earth. It was incredible, and I'm still starstruck." Also read | Virgin Galactic prepares for first commercial spaceflight, announces crew members The group spent a few minutes floating weightless in space at around 53 miles (85 kilometres) above sea level and admired the curvature of the Earth from space, before the spacecraft glided back to Earth. On Thursday (August 10th), the Virgin Galactic flight, which is a culmination of a nearly two-decade programme for commercial space tourism, lifted off from Spaceport America in New Mexico, and after spending a few minutes in space safely landed on the same runway, it took off from. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Virgin Galactic's tourist 'astronauts' left 'starstruck' after trip to edge of space. Watch!

The long-awaited, first-ever civilian space tourism flight has taken off into the weightlessness of space with three passengers.

On Thursday, the Virgin Galactic flight, which is a culmination of a nearly two-decade programme for commercial space tourism, lifted off from Spaceport America in New Mexico.

<h2>The three civilian passengers</h2>

Aboard the space tourism flight are 80-year-old Jon Goodwin, an adventurer who competed in the 1972 Olympic games as a canoeist for Britain; 46-year-old Keisha Schahaff, a health coach from Antigua and Barbuda; and her daughter, 18-year-old Anastatia Mayers, a student of philosophy and physics at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/virgin-galactic-prepares-for-first-commercial-spaceflight-announces-crew-members-609205">Virgin Galactic prepares for first commercial spaceflight, announces crew members</a>

The group, as per AFP, will spend a few minutes floating weightless in space at around 53 miles (85 kilometres) above sea level. There, they will get to admire the curvature of the Earth from space, before the spacecraft glides back to Earth.

<h2>Touchdown</h2>

As the spacecraft pushed above 80 kilometres (50 miles) in altitude,&nbsp;—&nbsp;the level that marks&nbsp;the edge of space where the pull of gravity is minimal, Virgin Galactic announcer Sirisha Bandla exclaimed that the civilian passengers "are officially astronauts. Welcome to space."

The craft started descending after spending a few minutes in space. As per AFP, it has safely landed in the US state of New Mexico, on the same runway they took off from.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-technology/musk-branson-space-race-heats-up-as-virgin-galactic-announces-first-commercial-passenger-space-mission-604988">Musk-Branson space race heats up as Virgin Galactic announces commercial space mission</a>

<h2>Virgin Galactic</h2>

This mission is Richard Branson's company's second commercial flight. It has been named Galactic 02.&nbsp;The previous flight carried a group of senior Italian Air Force officers at the end of June. They carried out several experiments on board, which means that the trip wasn't purely for pleasure.

Founded in 2004, Virgin Galactic between 2005 and 2014 sold around 800 tickets for seats on future commercial flights. 600 of these were sold for $200,000 to $250,000, and 200 more since then were sold for $450,000 each.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

The long-awaited, first-ever civilian space tourism flight has taken off into the weightlessness of space with three passengers. On Thursday, the Virgin Galactic flight, which is a culmination of a nearly two-decade programme for commercial space tourism, lifted off from Spaceport America in New Mexico.

The long-awaited, first-ever civilian space tourism flight has taken off into the weightlessness of space with three passengers. On Thursday, the Virgin Galactic flight, which is a culmination of a nearly two-decade programme for commercial space tourism, lifted off from Spaceport America in New Mexico. The three civilian passengers Aboard the space tourism flight are 80-year-old Jon Goodwin, an adventurer who competed in the 1972 Olympic games as a canoeist for Britain; 46-year-old Keisha Schahaff, a health coach from Antigua and Barbuda; and her daughter, 18-year-old Anastatia Mayers, a student of philosophy and physics at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. Also read | Virgin Galactic prepares for first commercial spaceflight, announces crew members The group, as per AFP, will spend a few minutes floating weightless in space at around 53 miles (85 kilometres) above sea level. There, they will get to admire the curvature of the Earth from space, before the spacecraft glides back to Earth. Touchdown As the spacecraft pushed above 80 kilometres (50 miles) in altitude, — the level that marks the edge of space where the pull of gravity is minimal, Virgin Galactic announcer Sirisha Bandla exclaimed that the civilian passengers "are officially astronauts. Welcome to space." The craft started descending after spending a few minutes in space. As per AFP, it has safely landed in the US state of New Mexico, on the same runway they took off from. Also read | Musk-Branson space race heats up as Virgin Galactic announces commercial space mission Virgin Galactic This mission is Richard Branson's company's second commercial flight. It has been named Galactic 02. The previous flight carried a group of senior Italian Air Force officers at the end of June. They carried out several experiments on board, which means that the trip wasn't purely for pleasure. Founded in 2004, Virgin Galactic between 2005 and 2014 sold around 800 tickets for seats on future commercial flights. 600 of these were sold for $200,000 to $250,000, and 200 more since then were sold for $450,000 each. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Virgin Galactic's first space tourism flight takes off with three civilian passengers

Anastatia Mayers, an 18-year-old student at Aberdeen University and her mother&nbsp;Keisha Schahaff will become the first mother-daughter duo to go to space after they were selected for a place on&nbsp;Richard Branson's exploration company Virgin Galactic's second commercial flight in a prize draw.

Schahaff was travelling from Antigua to the UK aboard a Virgin Atlantic flight when she saw an ad about the competition. Curious about the prize,&nbsp;Schahaff entered the competition without any expectation of becoming the winner.&nbsp;

"I filled out this sweepstake and then suddenly months later I'm getting correspondences saying that you're a top 20 finalist, then a top five finalist, to becoming a winner," Schahaff was quoted as saying by BBC.&nbsp;

"Suddenly, who's walking into my yard? Richard Branson. The whole team just swarmed into my house saying 'you're the winner, you're going to space'."

Schahaff said her daughter Anna looked at her and said she should be coming with her when the organisers asked who would join her in the space expedition.&nbsp;

"Anna looked at me and she says, mum if anyone's going to space with you it should be me."

Mayers said her decision to travel from the Caribbean to the UK to study at the Scottish university may have led to the opportunity to go to space.&nbsp;

"Had I not randomly chosen Aberdeen University and had we not had to take a massive detour to get my visa - we wouldn't be going to space," she said.&nbsp;

Mayers is currently studying&nbsp;philosophy and physics at the University of Aberdeen and said she was fortunate to have been given the opportunity.&nbsp;

"There's so many other people like me who want to do something involving space and don't think they have the opportunity to do that," she said.&nbsp;

"I'm proud to be part of this mission and how it will expand access for more people."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/virgin-galactic-completes-first-commercial-rocket-plane-flight-to-space-610255">Also read |&nbsp;Virgin Galactic completes first commercial rocket plane flight to space</a>

<h2>The space flight&nbsp;</h2>

The&nbsp;Virgin Galactic 02 flight is scheduled to take off on Thursday (August 10) from New Mexico. It will be the second commercial flight by the company after the first took off in June and reached an altitude of about 85 kilometres.&nbsp;

Alongside the mother-daughter duo,&nbsp;Jon Goodwin, a former Olympic canoeist will also be joining the crew. He will also become the second person to go to space with Parkinson's disease.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/virgin-galactic-sends-first-paying-customers-to-the-edge-of-space-610319">Watch |&nbsp;Virgin Galactic sends first paying customers to the edge of space</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/virgin-galactic-sends-first-paying-customers-to-the-edge-of-space-610319/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

NASA and the US&nbsp;Air Force both define an astronaut as anyone who has flown 50 miles (80 km) high or more.

Virgin Galactic has said it has already booked a backlog of some 800 customers, charging most from $250,000 to $450,000 per seat, and envisions eventually building a large enough fleet to accommodate 400 flights annually.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Anastatia Mayers, an 18-year-old student at Aberdeen University and her mother Keisha Schahaff will become the first mother-daughter duo to go to space after they were selected for a place on Richard Branson's exploration company Virgin Galactic's second commercial flight in a prize draw.

Anastatia Mayers, an 18-year-old student at Aberdeen University and her mother Keisha Schahaff will become the first mother-daughter duo to go to space after they were selected for a place on Richard Branson's exploration company Virgin Galactic's second commercial flight in a prize draw. Schahaff was travelling from Antigua to the UK aboard a Virgin Atlantic flight when she saw an ad about the competition. Curious about the prize, Schahaff entered the competition without any expectation of becoming the winner. "I filled out this sweepstake and then suddenly months later I'm getting correspondences saying that you're a top 20 finalist, then a top five finalist, to becoming a winner," Schahaff was quoted as saying by BBC. "Suddenly, who's walking into my yard? Richard Branson. The whole team just swarmed into my house saying 'you're the winner, you're going to space'." Schahaff said her daughter Anna looked at her and said she should be coming with her when the organisers asked who would join her in the space expedition. "Anna looked at me and she says, mum if anyone's going to space with you it should be me." Mayers said her decision to travel from the Caribbean to the UK to study at the Scottish university may have led to the opportunity to go to space. "Had I not randomly chosen Aberdeen University and had we not had to take a massive detour to get my visa - we wouldn't be going to space," she said. Mayers is currently studying philosophy and physics at the University of Aberdeen and said she was fortunate to have been given the opportunity. "There's so many other people like me who want to do something involving space and don't think they have the opportunity to do that," she said. "I'm proud to be part of this mission and how it will expand access for more people." Also read | Virgin Galactic completes first commercial rocket plane flight to space The space flight The Virgin Galactic 02 flight is scheduled to take off on Thursday (August 10) from New Mexico. It will be the second commercial flight by the company after the first took off in June and reached an altitude of about 85 kilometres. Alongside the mother-daughter duo, Jon Goodwin, a former Olympic canoeist will also be joining the crew. He will also become the second person to go to space with Parkinson's disease. Watch | Virgin Galactic sends first paying customers to the edge of space × NASA and the US Air Force both define an astronaut as anyone who has flown 50 miles (80 km) high or more. Virgin Galactic has said it has already booked a backlog of some 800 customers, charging most from $250,000 to $450,000 per seat, and envisions eventually building a large enough fleet to accommodate 400 flights annually. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Caribbean women to become first mother-daughter duo to go to space together

On Monday, a United States district judge said that the British billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson must face a lawsuit filed by the shareholders of Virgin Galactic who have alleged that he withheld information regarding issues faced by the company’s spaceship programme. Furthermore, Branson is also accused of selling hundreds of millions of dollars worth of stock at inflated prices.&nbsp;

This comes after the US District Judge Allyne Ross in Brooklyn, New York, dismissed most claims in the proposed class action, however, the shareholders could attempt to prove that Virgin and Branson defrauded them into overpaying for the space tourism company’s shares, said a report by Reuters.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/richard-branson-realises-his-lifelong-dream-with-virgin-galactic-spaceflight-397593">Richard Branson realises his lifelong dream with Virgin Galactic spaceflight</a>

The aforementioned shares are now trading more than 90 per cent lower than their peak in February last year. In a 55-page decision, Ross said that the shareholders can sue for approximately $301 million of stock which was sold one month after the flight in 2021.&nbsp;

This was in the context of Branson’s statement in July last year, in which he claimed that his flight on the rocket Unity, in which the British entrepreneur soared 80.47 kilometres above the earth, was “flawless”. On the contrary, reports show that Unity had strayed from its assigned airspace. Therefore, Branson might be asked to defend these remarks in court. &nbsp;

ALSO WATCH:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/richard-branson-and-virgin-galactics-successful-space-flight-397533">Richard Branson and Virgin Galactic's successful space flight</a>

Furthermore, shareholders can also sue the founder of the Virgin group over his statements made in July 2019 which claimed that the company oversold their “great progress” in overcoming “hurdles” to commercial spaceflight. The test flight of Unity, five months prior, was a near disaster and suffered critical damage.&nbsp;

According to Forbes magazine, the 72-year-old Branson is worth $3.7 billion. The British entrepreneur's California-based company Virgin went public in October 2019 after a merger with a special purpose acquisition vehicle, Social Capital.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/aim-for-stars-richard-bransons-journey-from-record-store-to-space-trip-397420">‘Aim for stars’: Richard Branson's journey from record store to space trip</a>

The lawsuit filed in the US district court, eastern district of New York includes shareholders who owned the stock of either of the companies from July 10, 2019, to October 14, 2021. This period also marks the time when Virgin had grounded Unity, delaying its bid on commercial space travel which led its share prices to fall by 16.8% the following day.&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

On Monday, a United States district judge said that the British billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson must face a lawsuit filed by the shareholders of Virgin Galactic who have alleged that he withheld information regarding issues faced by the company’s spaceship programme.

On Monday, a United States district judge said that the British billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson must face a lawsuit filed by the shareholders of Virgin Galactic who have alleged that he withheld information regarding issues faced by the company’s spaceship programme. Furthermore, Branson is also accused of selling hundreds of millions of dollars worth of stock at inflated prices. This comes after the US District Judge Allyne Ross in Brooklyn, New York, dismissed most claims in the proposed class action, however, the shareholders could attempt to prove that Virgin and Branson defrauded them into overpaying for the space tourism company’s shares, said a report by Reuters. ALSO READ: Richard Branson realises his lifelong dream with Virgin Galactic spaceflight The aforementioned shares are now trading more than 90 per cent lower than their peak in February last year. In a 55-page decision, Ross said that the shareholders can sue for approximately $301 million of stock which was sold one month after the flight in 2021. This was in the context of Branson’s statement in July last year, in which he claimed that his flight on the rocket Unity, in which the British entrepreneur soared 80.47 kilometres above the earth, was “flawless”. On the contrary, reports show that Unity had strayed from its assigned airspace. Therefore, Branson might be asked to defend these remarks in court. ALSO WATCH: Richard Branson and Virgin Galactic's successful space flight Furthermore, shareholders can also sue the founder of the Virgin group over his statements made in July 2019 which claimed that the company oversold their “great progress” in overcoming “hurdles” to commercial spaceflight. The test flight of Unity, five months prior, was a near disaster and suffered critical damage. According to Forbes magazine, the 72-year-old Branson is worth $3.7 billion. The British entrepreneur's California-based company Virgin went public in October 2019 after a merger with a special purpose acquisition vehicle, Social Capital. ALSO READ: ‘Aim for stars’: Richard Branson's journey from record store to space trip The lawsuit filed in the US district court, eastern district of New York includes shareholders who owned the stock of either of the companies from July 10, 2019, to October 14, 2021. This period also marks the time when Virgin had grounded Unity, delaying its bid on commercial space travel which led its share prices to fall by 16.8% the following day. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Billionaire Richard Branson to face lawsuit in US court amid fraud allegations over Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic recently created history by flying its first ever executive jet to the space. However, months after his trip, the Federal Aviation Administration in investigation a route deviation.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it is conducting an investigation about a deviation during the descent of the Virgin Galactic rocket plane.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/aim-for-stars-richard-bransons-journey-from-record-store-to-space-trip-397420">‘Aim for stars’: Richard Branson's journey from record store to space trip</a>

Branson’s space rocket "deviated from its Air Traffic Control clearance as it returned to Spaceport America. The FAA investigation is ongoing," an FAA spokesperson told news agency Reuters.

As per initial reports in the New Yorkers, the space rocket few outside the designated airspace for one minute and 41 seconds, and failed to notify the FAA.

One of the most worrying things however was that the pilot, reportedly, noticed a red light flashing on the ship console, that indicated an 'entry glide-cone warning'. As per the experts, this warning light refers to the cone-shaped trajectory that goes on when the VSS Unity is not descending at the correct angle. In such a situation, it slips outside of the cone and the set airspace, which can lead to an emergency landing. This situation could have also ended with the VSS Unity colliding with some other aircraft.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/space-race-for-billionaires-richard-branson-to-make-space-trip-before-rival-jeff-bezos-395263">Space race for billionaires: Richard Branson to make space trip before rival Jeff Bezos</a>

The craft was being flown by two skilled pilots of the company, who were able to handle the frightening situation and bring back the passengers onboard safely back to the ground.

Richard Branson was accompanied by Dave Mackay, chief pilot, Michael Masucci, pilot, Sirisha Bandla, vice-president of government affairs and research operations, Colin Bennett, lead operations engineer, and Beth Moses, chief astronaut instructor.

The spaceship flew to an altitude of 55 miles before the pilots cut the engines, giving the passengers a chance to experience weightlessness and observe the Earth’s curvature through the windows.

Virgin Galactic recently created history by flying its first ever executive jet to the space. However, months after his trip, the Federal Aviation Administration in investigation a route deviation.

Virgin Galactic recently created history by flying its first ever executive jet to the space. However, months after his trip, the Federal Aviation Administration in investigation a route deviation. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it is conducting an investigation about a deviation during the descent of the Virgin Galactic rocket plane. Also read | ‘Aim for stars’: Richard Branson's journey from record store to space trip Branson’s space rocket "deviated from its Air Traffic Control clearance as it returned to Spaceport America. The FAA investigation is ongoing," an FAA spokesperson told news agency Reuters. As per initial reports in the New Yorkers, the space rocket few outside the designated airspace for one minute and 41 seconds, and failed to notify the FAA. One of the most worrying things however was that the pilot, reportedly, noticed a red light flashing on the ship console, that indicated an 'entry glide-cone warning'. As per the experts, this warning light refers to the cone-shaped trajectory that goes on when the VSS Unity is not descending at the correct angle. In such a situation, it slips outside of the cone and the set airspace, which can lead to an emergency landing. This situation could have also ended with the VSS Unity colliding with some other aircraft. Also read | Space race for billionaires: Richard Branson to make space trip before rival Jeff Bezos The craft was being flown by two skilled pilots of the company, who were able to handle the frightening situation and bring back the passengers onboard safely back to the ground. Richard Branson was accompanied by Dave Mackay, chief pilot, Michael Masucci, pilot, Sirisha Bandla, vice-president of government affairs and research operations, Colin Bennett, lead operations engineer, and Beth Moses, chief astronaut instructor. The spaceship flew to an altitude of 55 miles before the pilots cut the engines, giving the passengers a chance to experience weightlessness and observe the Earth’s curvature through the windows.

Pilots of Richard Branson's spaceflight saw a 'red light' warning during historic trip: Reports

British&nbsp;billionaire&nbsp;Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic is restarting ticket sales beginning at $450,000 for space tourism.

The company,&nbsp;to cash in on the success of last month's fully-crewed test flight, has&nbsp;nearly&nbsp;doubled the amount paid by people previously.

Between&nbsp;2005 and 2014,&nbsp;around 600 people had paid&nbsp;$200,000 to $250,000 for booking&nbsp;seats on Virgin's spaceship.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/richard-branson-and-virgin-galactics-successful-space-flight-397533/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe>

"We are excited to announce the reopening of sales effective today," said CEO Michael Colglazier in a statement, with first dibs going to people on a waiting list.

"As we endeavor to bring the wonder of space to a broad global population, we are delighted to open the door to an entirely new industry and consumer experience."

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/want-to-become-a-space-tourist-here-is-all-you-need-to-do-399437" hreflang="en">Want to become a space tourist? Here is all you need to do</a>

Former chief executive officer of Virgin Galactic Holdings, George Whitesides, will fly to space on the aerospace company's next test spaceflight.

Richard&nbsp;Branson, the billionaire founder of Virgin Galactic, flew to space earlier this month, beating Amazon.com Inc's Jeff Bezos to the final frontier.&nbsp;

Branson&nbsp;announced the news about Whitesides during a party in New Mexico on July 11, following his own spaceflight.

Lori Garver, a former deputy administrator of NASA was present at the party and told CNBC that&nbsp;Branson&nbsp;said, "George will be leading our next flight."&nbsp;

The next test flight will come in September and involve members of the Italian Air Force.

Branson, whose spaceflight marked a symbolic milestone for the venture he started 17 years ago, touted the mission as a precursor to a new era of space tourism.

Bezos, along with three others including the world's oldest space traveler and astronaut, Wally Funk, flew into space just days later, aboard his own space company Blue Origin's rocket.

There will be one further test after the September mission, then the first commercial flights will take place in the third quarter of 2022, Colglazier said in an earnings call.

The offerings for customers will include a single seat; multi-seats for couples, friends, or family; and a full-flight buyout.

Two free seats on an early flight are up for grabs in a prize draw, with registrations open until September 1.

The spaceplane was originally designed to carry six crew, but last month's flight, which was described as "fully-crewed," had just four&nbsp;suggesting this is the current number.

Virgin's space experience involves an air-launched spaceplane, VSS Unity, that takes off attached to the belly of a massive carrier plane from a runway at Spaceport America in New Mexico.

After gaining altitude, the spaceplane detaches from its mothership and ignites its rocket engine, ascending to beyond 50 miles (80 kilometers) above sea level.&nbsp;

Passengers unbuckle and experience a few minutes of weightlessness before the plane glides back to the runway to land.

The company has come under fire for its carbon footprint, which is roughly equivalent to a transatlantic flight but for far fewer people. It has said it is examining the possibility of offsetting its emissions.

"Our long-term objective is to offer a near-daily cadence of space flights, and not just from New Mexico, but from multiple locations around the world," CFO Doug Ahrens said during the call.

(With inputs from agencies)

British billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic is restarting ticket sales beginning at $450,000 for space tourism. The company, to cash in on the success of last month's fully-crewed test flight, has nearly doubled the amount paid by people previously.

British billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic is restarting ticket sales beginning at $450,000 for space tourism. The company, to cash in on the success of last month's fully-crewed test flight, has nearly doubled the amount paid by people previously. Between 2005 and 2014, around 600 people had paid $200,000 to $250,000 for booking seats on Virgin's spaceship. "We are excited to announce the reopening of sales effective today," said CEO Michael Colglazier in a statement, with first dibs going to people on a waiting list. "As we endeavor to bring the wonder of space to a broad global population, we are delighted to open the door to an entirely new industry and consumer experience." Also see| Want to become a space tourist? Here is all you need to do Former chief executive officer of Virgin Galactic Holdings, George Whitesides, will fly to space on the aerospace company's next test spaceflight. Richard Branson, the billionaire founder of Virgin Galactic, flew to space earlier this month, beating Amazon.com Inc's Jeff Bezos to the final frontier. Branson announced the news about Whitesides during a party in New Mexico on July 11, following his own spaceflight. Lori Garver, a former deputy administrator of NASA was present at the party and told CNBC that Branson said, "George will be leading our next flight." The next test flight will come in September and involve members of the Italian Air Force. Branson, whose spaceflight marked a symbolic milestone for the venture he started 17 years ago, touted the mission as a precursor to a new era of space tourism. Bezos, along with three others including the world's oldest space traveler and astronaut, Wally Funk, flew into space just days later, aboard his own space company Blue Origin's rocket. There will be one further test after the September mission, then the first commercial flights will take place in the third quarter of 2022, Colglazier said in an earnings call. The offerings for customers will include a single seat; multi-seats for couples, friends, or family; and a full-flight buyout. Two free seats on an early flight are up for grabs in a prize draw, with registrations open until September 1. The spaceplane was originally designed to carry six crew, but last month's flight, which was described as "fully-crewed," had just four suggesting this is the current number. Virgin's space experience involves an air-launched spaceplane, VSS Unity, that takes off attached to the belly of a massive carrier plane from a runway at Spaceport America in New Mexico. After gaining altitude, the spaceplane detaches from its mothership and ignites its rocket engine, ascending to beyond 50 miles (80 kilometers) above sea level. Passengers unbuckle and experience a few minutes of weightlessness before the plane glides back to the runway to land. The company has come under fire for its carbon footprint, which is roughly equivalent to a transatlantic flight but for far fewer people. It has said it is examining the possibility of offsetting its emissions. "Our long-term objective is to offer a near-daily cadence of space flights, and not just from New Mexico, but from multiple locations around the world," CFO Doug Ahrens said during the call. (With inputs from agencies)

Space tourism: Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic is restarting ticket sales beginning at $450,000

Virgin Galactic space flight to take off. The countdown has begun for the milestone flight to space where soon you get the live shots coming in from the new Mexico Spaceport authority. Watch this report to know more.

News Alert: Branson to fly into space along with 5 crew members