Virgin Galactic, the space tourism company founded by Richard Branson, is gearing up for its second commercial flight on Thursday, an event that will mark a significant milestone for the company. The VSS Unity rocketplane is set to take off from Spaceport America in New Mexico, and it will be the seventh trip to space for Virgin Galactic since 2018. However, what makes this flight particularly special is that it will be the first with paying customers on board.

Among the passengers are Jon Goodwin, an 80-year-old former British Olympian who competed in canoeing in the 1972 Olympics, despite battling Parkinson's disease. Goodwin, who purchased his ticket back in 2005, hopes that his journey will inspire others facing adversity. Joining him on this historic flight are Keisha Schahaff, a health coach from Antigua, and her 18-year-old daughter Anastatia Mayers, who is currently a student at Scotland's University of Aberdeen. What makes their inclusion noteworthy is that they won their tickets through a fundraising lottery for the nonprofit Space for Humanity, making them the first Caribbean natives to venture into space.

The flight will also see Mayers become the second-youngest person to reach space, following Oliver Daemen's flight with Blue Origin in July 2021. The passengers will be accompanied by Virgin Galactic commander C.J. Stuckow, pilot Kelly Latimer, and chief astronaut trainer Beth Moses. The VSS Unity rocketplane, which launches from the belly of an airplane, requires two pilots in the cockpit. Once the mothership reaches an altitude of approximately 50,000 feet, the space plane will be released and will fire its rocket motor to make the final push to just over 50 miles up.

During this extraordinary journey, the passengers will have the opportunity to unstrap from their seats and experience a few minutes of weightlessness while marveling at the awe-inspiring views of Earth. After this unforgettable experience, the space plane will gracefully glide back home and make a safe landing on a runway. This flight will undoubtedly be a life-changing adventure for all those on board.

Virgin Galactic's progress in the space tourism market has come after a series of setbacks, including a fatal test flight in 2014. However, the company has since implemented numerous safety measures to prevent accidents and is now ready to embrace the future of space travel. Branson himself made history in 2021 by becoming the first billionaire to travel to space on his own company's rocket, beating Jeff Bezos by a mere nine days. Bezos' Blue Origin has also launched several successful passenger trips, while Elon Musk's SpaceX has been sending astronauts to the International Space Station.

With about 800 people currently on the waiting list for future flights, Virgin Galactic plans to offer regular monthly trips to customers, joining the ranks of Blue Origin and SpaceX in the rapidly growing space tourism industry. Ticket prices have also increased from $200,000 to $450,000, reflecting the high demand for these unique experiences. Virgin Galactic aims to reach an impressive 400 flights per year from Spaceport America once it completes its next class of rocket-powered planes at a facility in Arizona.

As Virgin Galactic's second commercial flight prepares for launch, the world eagerly awaits the next chapter in the remarkable journey towards making space tourism more accessible to all.