| Galactic 01 | |
| Names List: | Galactic 01 (official) Virgin Galactic Unity 23 (former) |
| Mission Type: | Crewed suborbital spaceflight |
| Operator: | Virgin Galactic |
| Spacecraft: | VSS Unity |
| Spacecraft Type: | SpaceShipTwo |
| Manufacturer: | The Spaceship Company |
| Launch Date: | 29 June 2023 14:30:00UTC |
| Launch Site: | Spaceport America Runway 34 |
| Deployment From: | VMS Eve |
| Landing Date: | 29 June 2023 15:42:28UTC |
| Landing Site: | Spaceport America Runway 34 |
| Programme: | VSS Unity spaceflights |
| Previous Mission: | Unity 25 |
| Next Mission: | Galactic 02 |
| Insignia: | File:Virgin Galactic - Galactic 1 Patch.png |
| Insignia Caption: | Galactic 01 mission patch |
Galactic 01, previously referred to as Unity 23, was a sub-orbital spaceflight of the SpaceShipTwo-class VSS Unity which launched on 29 June 2023. The launch was the first commercial spaceflight for Virgin Galactic.[1] A research mission for the Italian Air Force,[2] the crew consisted of pilots Michael Masucci and Nicola Pecile as well as crew members Colin Bennett, Walter Villadei, Angelo Landolfi, and Pantaleone Carlucci (National Research Council of Italy - CNR). The flight was postponed from its original planned October 2021 flight date for Virgin Galactic to upgrade its SpaceShipTwo vehicles.[3] [4]
During the flight, Villadei wore a suit to measure biometric data and his physiological responses to spaceflight. Landolfi carried out experiments on the effects of microgravity on cognitive performance, along with its effects on how materials mix. Carlucci's heart rate and other metrics were monitored through sensors during the flight.[5]
Usually, every crew on a space mission has backup crewmembers. In fact, in a Virgin Galactic video promoting Galactic 01, we also see Lucia Paciucci, an engineer from the Italian National Research Council.[6]