A detailed New Yorker report reveals how Virgin Galactic's inaugural tourist flight with founder Richard Branson nearly went awry. Here's what we know about this critical incident.
On July 11, Virgin Galactic launched its first official crewed mission aboard the VSS Unity suborbital spacecraft, released from its carrier aircraft at high altitude. The crew enjoyed four minutes of weightlessness before a safe descent. While hailed as a success, new details suggest all was not as smooth as portrayed.
Toward the end of the engine burn, a yellow warning light flashed on the console, signaling to veteran pilots Dave Mackay and Mike Masucci that the vehicle was drifting off course. Moments later, a red light appeared.
The pilots faced an instant decision: shut down the engine for a risky emergency landing or intervene to correct the path. This tension is detailed in Nicholas Schmidle's New Yorker article and his book Test Gods, based on exclusive access to Virgin Galactic's spaceflight program.
Schmidle recounts a 2015 meeting where pilots, including former NASA astronaut CJ Sturckow, discussed these alerts. Sturckow warned that a yellow light should "scare you" as a red one meant it was "already too late."
Opting to press on, Mackay and Masucci manually adjusted the trajectory to a safe ascent, enabling a secure return—though at potential risk to the crew.
During this, VSS Unity strayed outside designated airspace for 1 minute 41 seconds—over 10% of flight time post-release. The FAA is now investigating.
The New Yorker piece prompted Virgin Galactic's rebuttal: "We dispute the misleading characterizations... The safety of our crew and passengers is Virgin Galactic's top priority."
They affirmed: "Unity 22 was a safe and successful test flight that followed procedures. Pilots monitored and adjusted for high-altitude winds, keeping within mission parameters. The deviated trajectory was controlled and intentional, ensuring a safe landing. No one was endangered."
The statement concluded: "We have the safety culture, policies, and processes for long-term success."
Virgin Galactic has faced prior issues: a fatal 2014 test flight and a 2018 mesosphere control loss that pilots recovered from. Recently, pilot Mark Stucky was dismissed after critiquing safety in Schmidle's book.
