Scottish Space Pilot David Mackay Tests Virgin Orbit Unity 22 with Branson Onboard

Scottish space pilot David Mackay has taken Virgin Orbit founder Richard Branson to the edge of space. The fully crewed Unity 22 rocket plane, piloted by Mackay and Michael Masucci, has carried out a successful flight, paving the way for future space tourism trips.

The Major Leap in Commercial Space Flights

This test flight was a historic milestone in space travel. The craft launched Spaceport America not far from Las Cruces, New Mexico. Similar to its previous missions, Virgin Orbit posted a webcast so that numerous space enthusiasts could watch the mission. To become a part of history, however, one has to get in a line. Sir Richard has already got 500+ customers who’ll fly Unity 22 soon, including top entrepreneurs and celebrities.

Scottish Space Sector Proud of Its Heroes: Who’s David Mackay?

This name is not new for everyone interested in Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit and Galactic progress. David has been a chief pilot for this company for more than a decade. David Mackay spent his early years in Helmsdale and was inspired by the RAF Buccaneers he saw regularly. So, after graduating from Glasgow University, he joined the RAF. Then, chasing his dreams to see space, David Mackay became a Virgin Atlantic pilot, which was a sensible step before transitioning to Galactic. This unforgettable flight the Scottish space pilot made possible this July was his dream and became a real revelation. He believes that now when looking right down on Earth from that altitude they’ve been to, people will open their minds and start treating our planet differently.

This year has been quite remarkable for Sir Richard Branson. Virgin Orbit has already launched seven satellites in January. And now, the Unity flight became over-the-top news. The flight became a major milestone for Branson’s Virgin Orbit, the Scottish space sector, and the international aerospace industry.