Unity 22 was Virgin Galactic's first fully crewed suborbital spaceflight, conducted with the company’s SpaceShipTwo-class spacecraft, VSS Unity. Taking place on July 11, 2021, this flight marked a significant milestone both technically and in the context of the future of space tourism. The mission was particularly notable as Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson participated as a passenger, making it a landmark event in the commercial space tourism race.

History

Virgin Galactic was founded in 2004 by Richard Branson with the aim of making space tourism accessible to the public. VSS Unity, one of the company’s SpaceShipTwo-class spacecraft, reached the final phase of suborbital crewed test flights with the Unity 22 mission. Following a series of prior test flights, Unity 22 went down in history as Virgin Galactic’s first flight with a full crew onboard.

Crew

^{Unity 22 Crew – Virgin Galactic}

The six-person crew aboard Unity 22 consisted of:

• Richard Branson: Founder of Virgin Galactic and the first company founder to travel to space on their own vehicle.
• Beth Moses: Chief Astronaut Instructor.
• Colin Bennett: Lead Operations Engineer.
• Sirisha Bandla: Vice President of Government Affairs and Research Operations.
• David Mackay & Michael Masucci: Pilots of VSS Unity.

This team combined Virgin Galactic’s first spaceflight passengers with professional staff conducting critical technical tests.

Contributions and Experiments

Unity 22 was one of the final missions in Virgin Galactic’s suborbital test flight program, serving as a gateway to the company’s commercial operations. The mission tested various experiential components, such as weightlessness inside the cabin, wide viewing windows, and crew ergonomics. Additionally, Sirisha Bandla conducted a scientific experiment under microgravity conditions.

^{Crew member Sirisha Bandla looking at Earth through the window during Unity 22 mission – Virgin Galactic}

Effects

Beyond being a technical demonstration, Unity 22 served as a major public showcase for space tourism. Richard Branson’s participation increased global interest and highlighted the role private companies can play in spaceflight. The mission also set the stage for similar initiatives by companies like Blue Origin and SpaceX, becoming a turning point in the new space tourism industry.

^{Unity 22 Flight Mission Video – Virgin Galactic}