A planetary scientist has been chosen to be the first to conduct NASA-funded science experiments while flying aboard a Virgin Galactic commercial spacecraft.

NASA selects Virgin Galactic for first "human-tended” suborbital mission

Dr Alan Stern – of the Texas-based Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) – is associate vice president of SwRI’s Space Science and Engineering Division. He will fly aboard the “SpaceShipTwo” (pictured) on a yet unscheduled suborbital mission from the Spaceport America launch site in New Mexico.

One experiment will involve Stern operating a former space shuttle and NASA F-18 low light level camera to determine how well space astronomical observations can be conducted.

Also, Stern (right) will be fitted with instrumentation that continuously monitors human vital signs from just before the two-hour flight until after its landing as a biomedical experiment.

“Our commercial suborbital space flight program dates back almost a decade,” said SwRI President and CEO Adam L. Hamilton, P.E. “To see the results of SwRI’s internal research efforts lead to historic SwRI-tended suborbital experiments is very exciting!”

In 2020, NASA updated the Flight Opportunities Tech Flights solicitation in part to allow “human-tended” experiments on board commercial spacecraft.

“We are proud to be working with NASA and the Southwest Research Institute to fly Dr. Alan Stern on our SpaceShipTwo vehicle from Spaceport America,” said Michael Colglazier, Chief Executive Officer of Virgin Galactic.

“It will be Alan’s first time flying to space and we are excited to be involved in such an important milestone. Human-tended research onboard SpaceShipTwo enables scientists to engage actively with their experiments, responding to developments in real time, which is a vital step towards expanding our understanding of space science. We believe there is significant value in conducting scientific experiments on suborbital flights and we look forward to expanding our capabilities in partnership with NASA’s Flight Opportunities Tech Flights program.”

Previously, Alan Stern led NASA’s New Horizons mission, which successfully explored the Pluto system and is now exploring the Kuiper Belt – the farthest exploration in the history of humankind.

Virgin Galactic is specialising in human spaceflight for private individuals and researchers, as well as being a manufacturer of air and space vehicles.