As the internet compares aspects like risk and liability between Virgin Galactic’s milestone achievement and the OceanGate sub disaster, a defense has arrived from the top brass. Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier sat for an interview with CNBC soon after the company’s first commercial mission and made it clear that the two companies and their operations can’t be compared in the same vein, labeling it as an “apples to oranges” comparison.
The Virgin Galactic CEO focused on the safety aspect specifically, highlighting the contrast between OceanGate’s sub and the safety red flags raised about its operations. “Virgin Galactic ships are built, they’re designed, they’re maintained in a way that leverages decades of experience in the aerospace industry,” Colglazier said.
When we started @VirginGalactic, we had an outlandish dream: to turn commercial space travel into a reality. Virgin Galactic has now completed its inaugural commercial spaceflight. What a moment. https://t.co/eWHfISJjz0 #Galactic01 pic.twitter.com/OEO2G8HQae
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) June 30, 2023
He also pointed out the critical difference between the regulatory oversight situation for both companies. He mentioned that the company is regulated by the FAA and that it has a valid license for commercial spaceflight operations, adding that the agency “sits with us in mission control at every flight.”
Colgalizier didn’t directly reference the safety and engineering flaws in the Titan sub pointed out by experts, but he affirmatively addressed the protocols that are in place for its commercial crewed flights. “We do the hard engineering work, we maintain it the right way, and we don’t fly until we’re ready,” said the Virgin Galactic executive.
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