WASHINGTON: Virgin Galactic space flight tickets to start at $450,000

WASHINGTON: Virgin Galactic has reopened
ticket sales for its space flights at a starting price of $450,000 a seat.

It comes
after the company, led by billionaire Richard Branson, completed its first
fully crewed flight to the edge of space in July.

The firm
hopes to start commercial flights next year after completing several more test
missions.

It had
previously sold tickets at $250,000 apiece but stopped in 2014 after a fatal
accident.

In a
statement, boss Michael Colglazier said last month’s successful test mission
had renewed public interest in the firm’s offer.

“Leveraging
the surge in consumer interest following the Unity 22 flight, we are excited to
announce the reopening of sales effective today,” he said.

“As
we endeavour 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.”

Virgin
Galactic is currently vying with Blue Origin, run by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and
Space X, owned by Tesla’s Elon Musk, to develop a space tourism market.

Days
after the Virgin mission in July, Mr Bezos took part in the first fully crewed
test flight of one his own planes into space.

He is
expected to sell tickets on future Blue Origin flights for between $200,000 and
$300,000.

Space X
meanwhile last year undertook the first crewed test flight of its Dragon
spacecraft to the International Space Station.

Under a
partnership with Nasa it plans to transport astronauts to the ISS in future. It
also plans to send three tourists on a 10-day trip later this year.

For its
flights, Virgin said it prospective tourists would have the option to buy
single seats, friends and family packages, or reserve the whole plane.

Those who
have already expressed an interest in the flights will get to reserve their seats
first. About 600 tickets had been sold before it previously halted sales.

The
firm’s next spaceflight, Unity 23, is expected to take off in late September
from Spaceport America in New Mexico.