Joby Aviation, a California-based company backed by Toyota, aims to launch commercial electric air taxi service in 2025. The founder, JoeBen Bevirt, believes that electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft can provide a safer, quieter, and more economically viable mode of transportation. Joby Aviation is focused on improving battery technology and reducing costs to make air taxis accessible for daily use. The company is currently working on pilot training, building infrastructure, and operational processes. Despite financial losses, Joby Aviation remains confident in achieving its goal of commercial service by 2025.
Virgin Galactic plans to conduct its final VSS Unity test flight on May 25th to check technical functionality and the "astronaut experience" before commercial service begins. The company has delayed the rollout multiple times and is still bleeding money. A successful test could help Virgin stem losses and fund its long-term ambitions, which include next-gen Delta vehicles due to enter service in 2026. The company faces competition from Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and SpaceX in the space tourism market.
Virgin Galactic plans to conduct a test flight in late May before the start of commercial space flights in late June. The crew of four astronauts and two pilots on the VSS Unity will include Las Cruces native Jamila Gilbert, who will be among the first 100 women to reach space. The flight will focus on a final assessment of the full spaceflight system and astronaut experience. After the test flight, Virgin Galactic plans to launch its first commercial flight, Galactic 01.
Virgin Galactic's suborbital spaceplane, VSS Unity, completed its first glide flight in nearly two years, preparing the company for powered flights and commercial service. The next step for Virgin Galactic will be a powered test flight of VSS Unity with four company mission specialists joining two pilots on the flight. Virgin Galactic has about 800 private astronauts signed up for flights, representing about $208 million in revenue.
