Virgin Galactic’s main carrier aircraft EVE successfully completed its first flight in November, taking off from the Spaceport America base in New Mexico and landing at Mesa Gateway Airport, where the company’s only spacecraft production facility is located. This flight serves as an important rehearsal as the company prepares to transport new spacecraft from Mesa to Spaceport America in the future.
Aircraft spotter Slaven Gujic captured impressive photos of the extraordinary aircraft from the cellphone parking lot at Mesa Gateway. The images, which gained significant attention on social media, once again highlighted EVE’s unique design.
“Looks like two airplanes welded together”
Gujic described the mothership—which surprises first-time viewers due to its design—as “looking like two airplanes welded together.” He added that many people asked whether the photos were real after he posted them, stating:
“People ask me if the images are real because they have never seen anything like this before. Yes, it is completely real. Seeing it was truly a surreal experience because very few people have ever seen EVE in the sky.”
Gujic noted that a much larger crowd is likely to flock to the airport for the aircraft’s next flight.
New Spacecraft Class on the Way
Virgin Galactic is building a new generation of spacecraft at its Mesa Gateway facility. As the company competes with rivals like SpaceX in the commercial space tourism race, EVE’s first flight is regarded as one of the fundamental tests for future logistics operations.
According to Virgin Galactic’s website, commercial spaceflights are planned to begin next year.
