Galactic 05
{{short description|2023 private crewed suborbital spaceflight}}
{{Sources exist|date=January 2024}}
{{use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{infobox spaceflight
| name = Galactic 05
| image =
| image_caption =
| mission_type = Crewed sub-orbital spaceflight
| operator = Virgin Galactic
| suborbital_apogee = {{cvt|87.2|km}}
| spacecraft = VSS Unity
| spacecraft_type = SpaceShipTwo
| manufacturer = The Spaceship Company
| crew_size = 6
| crew_members = Michael Masucci
Kelly Latimer
Colin Bennett
Alan Stern
Kellie Gerardi
Ketty Maisonrouge
| launch_date = 2 November 2023, 15:00{{nbsp}}UTC
| launch_site = Spaceport America Runway 34
| deployment_from = VMS Eve
| landing_date = 2 November 2023, 15:59{{nbsp}}UTC
| landing_site = Spaceport America Runway 34
| programme = VSS Unity spaceflights
| previous_mission = Galactic 04
| next_mission = Galactic 06
| insignia = File:Virgin Galactic - Galactic 5 Patch.png
| insignia_caption = Galactic 05 mission patch
}}
Galactic 05 was a crewed sub-orbital spaceflight of the SpaceShipTwo-class VSS Unity, which launched on 2 November 2023. It was the fifth commercial spaceflight and tenth overall spaceflight for American aerospace company Virgin Galactic.{{Cite web |author1=Virgin Galactic |date=2 November 2023 |title=VIRGIN GALACTIC COMPLETES SIXTH SUCCESSFUL SPACEFLIGHT IN SIX MONTHS |url=https://www.virgingalactic.com/news/virgin-galactic-completes-sixth-successful-spaceflight-in-six-months |access-date=2 November 2023 |website=Virgin Galactic |language=en}}
Crew
Galactic 05's crew included three private passengers and three Virgin Galactic employees.
{{Spaceflight crew
| crew = Prime
| terminology = Crew
| position1 = Commander
| crew1_up = {{Flagicon|USA}} Michael Masucci
| flights1_up = Sixth
| position2 = Pilot
| crew2_up = {{Flagicon|USA}} Kelly Latimer
| flights2_up = Third
| position3 = Astronaut instructor
| crew3_up = {{Flagicon|UK}} Colin Bennett
| flights3_up = Third
| position4 = Researcher
| crew4_up = {{Flagicon|USA}} Alan Stern
| flights4_up = Only
| position5 = Researcher
| crew5_up = {{Flagicon|USA}} Kellie Gerardi
| flights5_up = Only
| position6 = Tourist
| crew6_up = {{Flagicon|ITA}} Ketty Maisonrouge
| flights6_up = Only
}}
Stern performed studies of human body's reaction to zero-gravity by wearing a biomedical monitoring harness. He also wanted to develop in-space operation of a particular high-tech camera that is planned to be used on an astronomical research mission in the future by NASA. His flight and research were financed by Southwest Research Institute.
Gerardi flew the Galactic 05 mission as a payload specialist doing scientific research with Alan Stern, a private passenger also on board. Onboard, Gerardi operated three biomedical and thermodynamic fluid experiments on behalf of IIAS (International Institute for Astronautical Sciences, a private international education and research facility). Gerardi operated a fluid cell designed to help better predict and control the shape and location of fluid within a container in microgravity. She also wore the Astroskin biomonitoring device to collect a wide range of biometric data during her flight. A third experiment studied insulin-resistance during spaceflight, and Gerardi wore a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) to measure and store glucose readings. Her flight was paid for by IIAS and the research done was developed by National Research Council of Canada.{{cite news |last=Harwood |first=William |date=November 2, 2023 |title=Virgin Galactic launches fifth commercial flight to sub-orbital space and back |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/virgin-galactic-unity-spaceplane-launch-alan-stern-kellie-gerardi/ |access-date=November 27, 2023 |website=CBS News}}{{Cite web |last=Etherington |first=Darrell |date=2021-06-03 |title=Virgin Galactic to fly Kellie Gerardi to space on a dedicated research mission |url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/06/03/virgin-galactic-to-fly-kellie-gerardi-to-space-on-a-dedicated-research-mission/ |access-date=2024-06-02 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Virgin Galactic}}
Category:Aviation history of the United States
Category:Suborbital human spaceflights
Category:Private space missions