VSS Unity VF-01 facts for kids
VSS Unity in February 2016
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| Mission type | Crewed suborbital spaceflight |
|---|---|
| Operator | Virgin Galactic |
| Mission duration | 26 minutes |
| Apogee | 89.99 kilometres (55.92 miles) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | VSS Unity |
| Spacecraft type | SpaceShipTwo |
| Manufacturer | The Spaceship Company |
| Crew | |
| Members |
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| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 22 February 2019, 16:57 UTC |
| Launch site | Mojave Runway 30 |
| Deployed from | VMS Eve |
| End of mission | |
| Landing date | 22 February 2019, 17:23 UTC |
| Landing site | Mojave Runway 30 |
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VF-01 was a special flight of the VSS Unity spacecraft. This flight happened on February 22, 2019. It was a sub-orbital spaceflight, meaning it went into space but did not orbit Earth.
The pilots for VF-01 were David Mackay and Mike Masucci. The flight was run by Virgin Galactic. This is a private company led by Richard Branson. They plan to offer space trips for tourists in the future.
VF-01 was important because it showed that VSS Unity could carry passengers. Virgin Galactic's main astronaut trainer, Beth Moses, flew as a test passenger. She helped check what the experience would be like for future customers.
The spacecraft reached a height of about 89.99 kilometers (55.92 miles). This height is considered space by the United States. However, it was not as high as the Kármán line. The Kármán line is 100 kilometers (62 miles) up. It is another way to define where space begins.
Meet the Crew of VF-01
This flight had three people on board. Two were pilots, and one was a test passenger.
| Position | Astronaut | |
|---|---|---|
| Pilot |  David MackayFirst spaceflight |
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| Co-Pilot |  Michael MasucciFirst spaceflight |
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| Passenger | Beth Moses First spaceflight |
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How the VF-01 Flight Happened
On February 22, 2019, the VSS Unity began its journey. It was carried high into the sky by its larger "mother ship," called VMS Eve. This is like a smaller plane riding on a bigger one.
Just before 9 a.m., VMS Eve released Unity. Pilots Mackay and Masucci then flew Unity very fast. It reached a top speed of Mach 3.04. This means it flew over three times the speed of sound!
The spacecraft climbed to a height of more than 55.9 miles (89.9 kilometers). This height is above the 50-mile mark that the United States uses to define space. However, it was still below the Kármán line.
During the flight, Beth Moses, the test passenger, unbuckled her seatbelt. She was able to float around and experience weightlessness. According to the U.S. definition of spaceflight, Beth Moses was the first woman to fly aboard a commercial spacecraft. Both Unity and Eve landed safely back on Earth after the flight.
