Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. announced the 'Galactic 07' flight window will open June 8, 2024. This will be the company's second spaceflight this year and 12th to date. The company?s spaceship will again be converted into a suborbital science lab, with VSS Unity carrying an Axiom Space affiliated researcher astronaut who will conduct multiple human-tended experiments.

In addition, Purdue University and UC Berkeley will have autonomous payloads on board, supported by NASA's Flight Opportunities program. This mission showcases Virgin Galactic's ability to provide a flexible microgravity research platform, benefiting further space exploration initiatives as well as innovations on Earth. The hybrid research and private astronaut crew of ?Galactic 07?

will include: Astronaut 027 ? Researcher Astronaut, Axiom Space Affiliated Astronaut; Astronaut 028 ? Private Astronaut, California, USA; Astronaut 029 ?

Private Astronaut, New York, USA; Astronaut 030 ? Private Astronaut, Italy. The Virgin Galactic crew will include: VSS Unity Commander Nicola Pecile and pilot Jameel Janjua; VMS Eve Commander Andy Edgell and pilot C.J. Sturckow.

The ?Galactic 07? autonomous rack-mounted research payloads will include a Purdue University experiment designed to study propellant slosh in fuel tanks of maneuvering spacecraft, as well as a UC Berkeley payload testing a new type of 3D printing.