Galactic 01 was Virgin Galactic’s first commercial spaceflight mission, launched in June 2023.
The mission used VSS Unity, Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo vehicle, which was carried aloft by the carrier aircraft VMS Eve before being released for a rocket-powered flight. Galactic 01 launched on June 29, 2023, from Spaceport America in New Mexico.
Its crew included three researchers from the Italian Air Force and National Research Council, along with two Virgin Galactic pilots. The mission conducted microgravity experiments and atmospheric research rather than carrying private tourists.
Galactic 01 is distinct from Galactic 02, which was Virgin Galactic’s first commercial space tourism mission. Galactic 02 flew in August 2023 with private passengers, including the first paying customer to fly on a Virgin Galactic mission.