Virgin Galactic Inks Deal With NASA To Develop Private Missions To ISS - Statement

The space firm Virgin Galactic has reached a deal with NASA to support the development of a program to train astronauts and procure trips for private individuals who want to travel to the International Space Station, the company said in a statement on Monday

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd June, 2020) The space firm Virgin Galactic has reached a deal with NASA to support the development of a program to train astronauts and procure trips for private individuals who want to travel to the International Space Station, the company said in a statement on Monday.

"Virgin Galactic has signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA's Johnson Space Center to encourage commercial participation in orbital human spaceflight to the International Space Station (ISS), while enabling the development of a robust economy in Low Earth Orbit," the company said in a statement.

The agreement will see Virgin Galactic develop a new "private orbital astronaut readiness program," which will identify candidates who want to purchase astronaut missions to the ISS and procure seats for transport to the space station, the company said in a press release.

Private space experiences could include everything from tourist expeditions to government-backed scientific research missions, the company said.

The company is likely to work with other firms such as Boeing and SpaceX to procure the seats, since Virgin Glactic's SpaceShipTwo is capable of only suborbital flight.

"It is exciting to see the progress of public-private partnerships to open the space frontier for all with NASA and Virgin Galactic working together to send private astronauts to the ISS. We are excited to work with the agency and Jim Bridenstine," Virgin Founder Richard Branson said in the statement.

NASA is increasingly cooperating with private companies in a move intended to free up resources for a US-led effort to establish a permanent human presence on the moon and eventually send astronauts to Mars.

In May, SpaceX flew two NASA astronauts to the space station in the first flight of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, becoming the first private company to send humans into orbit. Previously such missions had been undertaken exclusively by national space programs.