Passengers may soon be able to travel from London to Sydney in record time via space, surprising new research has revealed.
CNN reports that Virgin Galactic is getting ready to launch its first flight to the edge of space in almost two years. The suborbital space tourism company plans to carry two pilots and a crew of four in the final test run before finally opening up the service to paying customers.
Medical studies funded by the UK Civil Aviation Authority showed the effects of suborbital space flights on passengers were mostly “benign”, The Times reports.
Suborbital flights blast travellers into space before rapidly descending to their destination.
The journey from London to Sydney could take less than two hours. Picture: Getty Images
The UK Civil Aviation Authority study, published in the journal Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance, said: “Commercial suborbital space flights are now available for tourism and scientific research, and are ultimately anticipated to mature into extremely fast point-to-point travel, eg London to Sydney in less than two hours.”
The existing flight time from London to Sydney takes about 22 hours.
At more than $655,000 per seat, suborbital flights offered by Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic are the domain of the super-rich.
Regulators however, believe they will eventually become accessible to everybody, The Times reports.
Sir Richard Branson describes the Virgin Galactic voyage as the “experience of a lifetime”. Picture: AFP
Virgin Galactic is gearing up for its first flight to the edge of space in nearly two years. Picture: Getty Images
The research found that those taking such flights would not need to be young or super-fit, with older people potentially even better able to cope with space travel.
Dr Ryan Anderton, the CAA’s medical lead for space flight, said: “Physiological responses are likely to be benign for most passengers.”
Astronauts need to be extremely fit but this will not be necessary for spacebound holiday-makers, The Times reports.
Certain medical problems could make it dangerous to experience high G-forces, the report said.
Virgin Galactic is gearing up for its first flight to the edge of space in nearly two years, CNN reports.
The flight, slated for late May, will carry two pilots and a crew of four Virgin Galactic employees.
If all goes well, Virgin Galactic expects to begin commercial services out of its spaceport in New Mexico in late June.