Purdue University, famously known as the “cradle of astronauts,” is
preparing to add another milestone to its long history in human
spaceflight. The Indiana-based institution has announced a new partnership
with Virgin Galactic that will see a team of researchers, students and
alumni journey into suborbital space in 2027 on a mission called Purdue 1.
[…]
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#^Virgin Galactic to Fly Purdue University Mission Into Space in 2027Purdue University, famously known as the “cradle of astronauts,” is preparing to add another milestone to its long history in human spaceflight. The Indiana-based institution has announced a new partnership with Virgin Galactic that will see a team of researchers, students and alumni journey into suborbital space in 2027 on a mission called
Purdue 1.
The announcement was made on 23 September, confirming that the flight will continue Purdue’s proud tradition. To date, 28 of its alumni have already reached space or been chosen as astronauts. That list includes Apollo legends Neil Armstrong, Gene Cernan, Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee, alongside members of NASA’s newest astronaut class, Adam Fuhrmann and Yuri Kubo.
Who Will Be On Board?
Five passengers will fly on Purdue 1, supported by two
Virgin Galactic pilots. Among them will be Purdue aerospace engineering professor Steven Collicott, graduate student Abigail Mizzi, and alumnus Jason Williamson. Two further alumni participants will be announced later.
Virgin Galactic’s spacecraft normally carries six people, but one seat will be replaced by research payloads for this mission.
Research in Microgravity
Both Collicott and Mizzi will conduct experiments during the flight. Collicott’s project explores how liquids spread across surfaces in microgravity.
“If you spill water on your kitchen counter, you’ll see it spreads more in some ways than others,” Collicott explained. “Is this drinking water in a space station or a liquid packed with nutrients for a plant growth system? We need to get this important data to learn more about these flows to aid in spaceflight hardware design for future long-duration missions and perhaps so that future payloads can be automated, which would make missions even less expensive.”
Mizzi’s work will examine how fluids oscillate in weightlessness, research that could have applications for spacecraft systems and future exploration missions.
Virgin Galactic’s Role
Virgin Galactic President of Spaceline, Mike Moses, who is himself a Purdue graduate, praised the collaboration: “This mission with Purdue University is a powerful demonstration of what becomes possible when research institutions and educators gain direct access to the microgravity environment.
By enabling researchers to accompany and interact with their experiments in real time, we are not just advancing science — we are empowering the next generation of innovators and expanding the frontiers of educational opportunity.”
The flight will be carried out on Virgin Galactic’s new Delta-class spacecraft, which is expected to enter service in 2026. The company has paused operations while preparing the upgraded vehicles, having last flown commercially in June 2024.
Funding the Mission
Each of the participants has secured their place in different ways. NASA will fund Collicott’s seat after his proposal was selected through the agency’s Flight Opportunities programme. Mizzi’s seat will be paid for through Purdue donations, while the three alumni travelling on the mission will cover their own costs.
Virgin Galactic’s last published ticket price for its retired VSS Unity spaceplane was $600,000 per passenger. Prices for the upcoming Delta vehicles have not yet been confirmed but are expected to be higher.
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Virgin Galactic to Fly Purdue University Mission Into Space in 2027 appeared first on
Orbital Today.
