Virgin Galactic former CEO George Whitesides on subsequent spaceflight

George Whitesides, the previous CEO of Virgin Galactic, will fly on the corporate’s subsequent spaceflight check, CNBC has discovered.

Sir Richard Branson made the announcement at a celebration on July 11 in Las Cruces, New Mexico — following his personal spaceflight — after thanking Whitesides for main the corporate for a decade.

“When [Branson] thanked George, he offhand, very casually, mentioned ‘and George will likely be main our subsequent flight,’ and other people cheered,” Lori Garver, who beforehand served because the deputy administrator of NASA, informed CNBC.

Garver was amongst greater than 100 firm workers and VIPs celebrating Branson’s profitable spaceflight at Lodge Encanto de Las Cruces. One other one who was on the occasion confirmed Branson’s feedback to CNBC.

A Virgin Galactic spokesperson in an announcement mentioned the corporate has “not confirmed the main points for the Unity 23 manifest right now.” Whitesides didn’t reply to CNBC’s requests for remark.

Whitesides was Virgin Galactic’s CEO from 2010 to 2020, earlier than shifting to a job as the corporate’s chief house officer final 12 months when the corporate introduced on Michael Colglazier as CEO. He now chairs Virgin Galactic’s house advisory board.

Garver says Whitesides was the one member of the subsequent crew who Branson talked about on the celebration, with three extra folks anticipated to affix the spaceflight.

The launch’s timing is but unknown, however Virgin Galactic has beforehand mentioned it aimed to finish its subsequent two spaceflight assessments this summer season. There was a 50-day hole between Virgin Galactic’s final two spaceflights, so Whitesides’ launch could occur in late August or early September if the corporate takes the same period of time to arrange.

Shares of Virgin Galactic slid 4% in buying and selling on Friday to shut at $29.58.

Virgin Galactic has launched 4 check spaceflights so far, with its most up-to-date, known as Unity 22, carrying its billionaire founder. The corporate’s management beforehand introduced that it will fly two extra assessments of spacecraft VSS Unity, with the primary carrying one other 4 “mission specialists” and the second flying members of the Italian Air Drive.

The corporate’s spacecraft VSS Unity was designed to hold six passengers — along with two pilots — however the car is now outfitted to hold 4, with Virgin Galactic confirming that its spaceflight with Branson represented a “absolutely crewed” launch.

Virgin Galactic is conducting the spaceflight assessments as the ultimate step in growing its car, with the aim of starting passenger flights in early 2022. The corporate has about 600 reservations for tickets on future flights.

Since Branson’s flight, the inventory has slid from highs close to $55 a share to commerce close to $30 a share. The drop partly got here following Virgin Galactic’s announcement the day after Branson’s spaceflight that it filed to promote as much as $500 million in frequent inventory.